BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
Joshua
24 chapters
God faithfully fulfills His promise by leading Israel into and giving them victory in the promised land, displaying His faithfulness and holiness.
Joshua
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Why this book was written
Joshua records Israel's entry into Canaan under Joshua's leadership to assure Israel (likely the post-exilic or struggling community) that the LORD is faithful to His covenant—those who trust and obey will receive His promised inheritance—and to warn that disobedience will forfeit His blessing.
Structure
- 1–5Entering the Promised Land
- 6–12Conquering Canaan
- 13–22Dividing and Settling the Land
- 23–24Joshua's Farewell and Covenant Renewal
Major themes
Faithfulness and Victory
God promised to give Canaan to Israel and called them to fight by faith under Joshua's leadership. God proved faithful, granting victory at Jericho, Ai, and beyond (Josh 1:3; ch. 6; 21:43–45).
Obedience and Holiness
Israel's victories depended on full obedience—circling Jericho, dealing decisively with Achan's sin, and renewing the covenant (Josh 6; ch. 7; 8:30–35).
God's Presence and Sovereignty
Facing mighty Canaanites, Joshua is assured, 'the LORD your God is with you' (Josh 1:5, 9). God sovereignly chose Israel, executed judgment, and apportioned the land.
Land and Rest
God gave Canaan as an inheritance to the twelve tribes, picturing His promised rest—a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest He prepared for His people (Josh 11:23; 21:43–45; Heb 4).
Covenant Renewal and Consecration
Joshua renewed the law at Mount Ebal, built an altar, pronounced blessings and curses (Josh 8:30–35; ch. 24), and called Israel to serve the LORD alone.
Leadership and Succession
From Moses' servant arising (Josh 1:1–2) to Joshua's farewell charges and death (ch. 23; 24:29–33), godly leadership is rooted in God's Word.
How it points to Christ
Joshua ('YHWH saves') prefigures Christ: he leads God's people into the promised inheritance just as Jesus leads us into the heavenly rest (Heb 4). Victories are won by covenant faithfulness, not human might—mirroring the Christian life lived by the cross and resurrection. Achan's judgment shows the wages of sin is death, a curse Christ bore for us (Josh 8:30–35; Gal 3:13). Joshua's rest was only partial; the author of Hebrews notes, 'if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day' (Heb 4:8). The true rest-giving Joshua is our great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Key verses
- 1:9God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous because He is with him—a promise that undergirds the entire book.
- 1:8Meditating on the law day and night is the key to Israel's success in possessing the land.
- 4:24The memorial stones declare the LORD's mighty hand so that all peoples may know and fear Him.
- 6:20The fall of Jericho shows victory comes through obedience to God's word, not human strength.
- 21:43–45The narrative climax: the LORD gave Israel all He promised; not one word of His promises failed.
- 22:5Joshua's charge to the eastern tribes—to love, obey, and serve God wholeheartedly—sets the standard of devotion for all Israel.
- 23:11Joshua warns that careful love for the LORD is essential or Israel will lose God's protection in the land.
- 24:14–15Joshua's climactic call to choose the LORD over other gods—a foundational call to exclusive covenant loyalty.
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When God calls you into a new 'promised land,' do you step out in faith like Joshua, or give way to fear like the ten spies?
- ·Have you, like Achan, secretly kept 'devoted things' amid victory? How has God exposed hidden sin in your life?
- ·Joshua declared, 'as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD' (24:15). What does that resolution mean for your household today?
- ·God promised His presence, not an easy path (Josh 1:5–9). Which of His promises do you most need to stand on right now?
- ·Israel's rest was incomplete, pointing to the perfect rest in Christ. Are you living in Christ's rest, or still striving in your own strength?
Want to read Joshua start to finish? Open the reader for parallel Chinese/English text and ask anything as you go.
Start reading JoshuaJoshua
Chapter 19
1And the second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Judah.
2And they had for their inheritance Beer-sheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,
3and Hazar-shual, and Balah, and Ezem,
4and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,
5and Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah,
6and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages:
7Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages:
8and all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalath-beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
9Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.
10And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families; and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid;
11and their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth; and it reached to the brook that is before Jokneam;
12and it turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor; and it went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia;
13and from thence it passed along eastward to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretcheth unto Neah;
14and the border turned about it on the north to Hannathon; and the goings out thereof were at the valley of Iphtah-el;
15and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
16This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
17The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.
18And their border was unto Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
19and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath,
20and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez,
21and Remeth, and Engannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez,
22and the border reached to Tabor, and Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh; and the goings out of their border were at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
23This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
24And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
25And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,
26and Allammelech, and Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath;
27and it turned toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah-el northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the left hand,
28and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Sidon;
29and the border turned to Ramah, and to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea by the region of Achzib;
30Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
31This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
32The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
33And their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakkum; and the goings out thereof were at the Jordan;
34and the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor, and went out from thence to Hukkok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrising.
35And the fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
36and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
37and Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor,
38And Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
39This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
40The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
41And the border of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh,
42and Shaalabbin, and Aijalon, and Ithlah,
43and Elon, and Timnah, and Ekron,
44and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
45and Jehud, and Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon,
46and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Joppa.
47And the border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
48This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
49So they made an end of distributing the land for inheritance by the borders thereof; and the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun in the midst of them:
50according to the commandment of Jehovah they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in the hill-country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
51These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, at the door of the tent of meeting. So they made an end of dividing the land.
