The Book of Joshua

What's your thoughts on the book of joshua

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The book of Joshua is a very important book as it begins the section of Tanach (Scripture) referred to as “The Prophets.” As such, the book of Joshua is a very important bridge from the Torah into the era of the prophets.

Joshua, whose father’s name was Nun, appears earlier in the Torah as the assistant of Moses. He was also one of the 12 spies that were sent to scout out the land of Israel. It was only Joshua and Caleb who returned with a positive report of the Land of Israel while the ten other spies returned with an evil report, which led to the 40 years of wandering in the desert. Our sages teach us that Joshua was the one who would clean and set up the study hall for when Moses would give a lecture. It was in this merit that he merited to become the next leader of the Jewish people!

The book of Joshua focuses on the entry of the Jewish people into the land of Israel, the wars they fought, and the subsequent division of the land among all the tribes. In fact, there was another scouting of the land in Joshua’s time when spies were sent to check out the Land of Israel in general, and the city of Jericho in particular which was going to be the first stop in the conquest in the land. So too, towards the end of the book of Joshua, Joshua gives a “final sermon” of sorts to the Jewish people of rebuke and ethical teachings, just like Moses did before he dies.

So, to answer your question, the book of Joshua is a very important book the Bible to know!