BIBLE SUMMARY: JOSHUA

Book of Joshua Synopsis: Statistics And Summary of Main Topics.

Book of Joshua Chapter by Chapter Summary.

JOSHUA TOTAL CHAPTERS: 24

JOSHUA TOTAL VERSES: 658

TOTAL WORDS: 18,858

DATE WRITTEN: 1400 – 1370 BC

AUTHOR: Joshua

JOSHUA THEME: 

Conquest Of Canaan, distribution, and settlement of the promised land.

MAJOR CHARACTERS:

God and Joshua

BOOK OF JOSHUA KEY VERSES:

1:6-9: Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

24:14-15: Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

JOSHUA SUMMARY

This book serves as a link between the Pentateuch and the later historical books. The book records approximately 20 years of Joshua’s leadership of the Israelites after Moses appointed him at the end of Deuteronomy. Joshua, the main character of the book, was selected by God to succeed Moses and lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land of Canaan. Almost half of the book describes the victories, conquests and occupation by Israel under Joshua leadership. The remaining chapters are about Instructions for distributing the portions of the Promised Land and in the end, before his death, Joshua gave farewell sermons and two end chapters are dedicated for that.

CHAPTER WISE SUMMARY:

Chapter# 1 – Joshua Assumes Leadership. Preparations to cross the Jordan
Chapter# 2 – Joshua sends spies to Jericho. Spies View The Land. The Promise To Rahab
Chapter# 3 – Israel cross Jordan. Jordan river as water is stopped and Israel crossed on dry ground.
Chapter# 4 – Memorial stones put for Israel crossing the river. Joshua made great before Israel; Israel camps at Gilgal
Chapter# 5 – Circumcision of all men by God’s order at Gilgal. Joshua met the commander of the God’s army. Passover observed. Manna ceased.
Chapter# 6 – The Conquest of Jericho. Rahab & family spared.
Chapter# 7 – Israelites got defeated at Ai. Achan took some banned items but captured, stoned & burnt by Israel
Chapter# 8 – Joshua ambush and conquer Ai; Joshua builds alter and read Law at Mount Ebal
Chapter# 9 – Kings west of Jordan join together to fight Israel. Deception of the Gibeonites. The Israelites found spared them but they become there servants.
Chapter# 10 – Joshua leads Israel in Gibeon Campaign & Southern Campaign. Sun miraculously stands still. Joshua defeated the whole region.
Chapter# 11 – Cities of the north captured. Final Conquest of Canaan. Summary of Joshua’s conquests.
Chapter# 12 – Kings defeated in east and west of Jordan.
Chapter# 13 – Joshua was old. Division of the remaining land among the tribes. Territories defined for Reuben, Gad & half of Manassehby Moses. Levi inherits no land. God is Levites inheritance
Chapter# 14 – Israel’s Inheritance In Canaan. Caleb Receives Hebron as per his request and Moses saying.
Chapter# 15 – Land allocation of Judah tribe. Caleb’s daughter gets land.
Chapter# 16 – The Allotment Of Ephraim And Manasseh children of Joseph defined separately for Manasseh & Ephraim. Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites and keep them as servants.
Chapter# 17 – Manasseh’s inheritance in the west. Additional land for Joseph’s descendants. Manasseh did not drive out the Canaanites and keep them as servants.
Chapter# 18 – Rest of the land distributed at Shiloh. Israel assembles & sets up tabernacle at Shiloh. 7 tribes have no inheritance. Benjamin’s land defined. Benjamin’s lot was from Kiriath-jearim to the Salt Sea.
Chapter# 19 – Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali & Dan allocated land. Simeon’s lot was within Judah’s. The Israelites gave Joshua a city. Land division completed
Chapter# 20 – Kirjatharba, Bezer, Kadesh, Shechem, Ramoth & Golan appointed as cities of refuge.
Chapter# 21 – Continued Division of the Land for Levites who were given 48 cities from other tribes as inheritance.So God gave Israel all the land he had promised to their fathers.
Chapter# 22 – Eastern tribes return of Reuben, Gad & half Manasseh return to east side of Jordan and build an alter of Ed as a witness. Israel concerned. Meaning of the altar explained to Israel and thus the conflict settled.
Chapter# 23 – Joshua becomes old. Last Counsels of Joshua and he spoke to leaders of Israel regarding following God or you will perish from the land
Chapter# 24 – Joshua reviewed Israel’s history. Israel decided to obey God. Joshua’s death.