This document provides a summary of the book of Joshua in the Bible. It discusses Joshua's mission to lead the Israelites into the promised land and divide the land among the tribes. Key events include God charging Joshua with leadership after Moses' death, sending spies into Jericho, the Israelites crossing the Jordan River, circumcising all males, conquering Jericho by marching around it for seven days, and defeating Ai after finding and punishing a man for taking consecrated property against God's command. The document also mentions the Gibeonites deceiving Israel into making a peace agreement with them.

1. Joshua
Introduction - Joshua’s mission: a) to inculcate people with truth of God’s
protection, victory, prosperityif they maintain their allegiance to God
(they’re at peril, if not), b) gain their confidenceand loyalty, c) lead them in
battle and imbue them with conviction that warriors can’t neglect their
religious and moral responsibilities, d) assure that Canaanites who refused
to make peace would not be allowed to survive, e) divide the land and
assure borders, g) push national unity and tribal diversity.
Entering the Land
1. God charges Joshua and affirms his leadership upon Moses’ death. a)
“Be strong and of good courage,” God tells Joshua, “forit is you who
will cause the people to inherit the Land…” (Gets Moses’title, “servant
of God.” Joshua was Moses’ attendant - student, disciple, servant -
absorbing lessons. Joshua was to moon as Moses was to sun. God
promises no one will stand up to Joshua (which was better than it was
for Moses). b) Be VERY strong and of good courage to see that the
people observe and do according to Torah, which he should
contemplate day and night to do so. c) Be strong and of good courage
so as not to fear and lose resolve, for God is with him.

2. 2. Rashi explains the three-time use of the phrase, “be strong and of good
courage,” to relate to three tasks: dividing the land among the tribes,
observance of the commandments and study of Torah, and conquest of the
Land. Note the “very” (muh-od) when it comes to observe what God has
commanded. This is crucial to attaining the highest level of human
accomplishment, coming close to God’s wisdom. It’s to productivity in life
as is effectivelyplanting and nurturing crops.
3. Joshua, as leader, speaks to the people upon the end of mourning
period for Moses:
a) Ordering the marshals to circulate among the people and encourage
them to prepare provisions to go in and take possessionof the Land
God has promised them,
b) Reminding Reuben, Gad, and 1/2 Manasseh of their promise to fight on
behalf of all before returning to their land east of the Jordan. They affirm
their duty and go further to affirm their strong and total support for him on
condition that he has God’s support. They conclude these commitments
with, “ONLY be strong and courageous,” which the commentarysuggests
means either that their support is contingent on his leading consistent with
God’s direction and way OR that strength and courage will be required to
lead the people effectively.
4. Joshua sends two spies (maybe Caleb and Phinehas) to observe the
land and Jericho and bring back a report, presumablyfor strategic or

3. military purposes. (We can’t help but think about the failed mission39
years earlier.) They go to the inn of a woman named Rahab, who is an
amazing leader in her own right. Tradition has it that she repents of her
ways (a courtesan), becomesJewish, marries Joshua, has eight
descendants who are prophets, including Jeremiah and Ezekiel!
5. The king hears of the spies, but Rahab protects them at some
considerable risk. She acknowledges God’s mastery and role in their
mission, commits to support them, and asks for their support to protecther
and her family. The scarlet thread in the window becomes their sign. The
spies return and report to Joshua that great fear of God’s hand had
permeated the people, as Rahab reported to them. 2.
6. The people cross the Jordan with the Ark leading the way. Israel is led
by the Torah. God assures Joshua that that day God will show that He is
with him as He was with Moses. And there was a splitting of the Jordan as
there had been with the Sea under Moses.3,4.
The “living God” was with them, suggesting that the God to whom we seek
to be near in life is there, giving us a spiritual surge of closeness to the
Divine. (Artscroll notes). Rashi says this knowledge came from being
positioned so close to the Ark in the midst of crossing.
7. God tells Joshua to direct 12 men, one from each tribe, to obtain 12
stones, bring them to where they camp, build a memorial of the miracle.
(Don’t we create memorials around significant events, especially those that
commemorate the victory of those ideals we hold most dear, and for the

4. primary purpose of educating and inspiring future generations? Here the
memorial commemorates God,the Divine Way, and the miracle living true
to it has brought about.)
Recall the intelligence the spies brought Joshua. All this spectacle surely
was built upon it and had effects predicted by it. The leader gets, uses, and
builds on intelligence. In 5:1, we see that the hearts of the Amorite and
Canaanite kings melted.
8. Joshua is exalted.
9. The circumcisionof those yet uncircumcised. Whatever we make of this
ritual, there had to be a mutual commitment to God’s ways, shared by all,
as the enterprise began. (Isn’t this a basic truth as to success?For
instance, the offerings, which were instrumental to drawing close to God,
required circumcisionof the offerer. How can a group go forward with hope
of successunless there are fundamental commonbonds?)
10. The people beginanew, vindicated from the past in Egypt, and able to
function fully in growing their produce, undertaking prescribed rituals, and
living in the land.

5. Preparation for the First Battle and the Battle of Jericho - Chapter 6
1. An angel appears as a man with a sword drawn (Michael? Gabriel?) to
guide the way of the battle, but first Joshua, as Moses before him,was
to remove his shoe for the place where he stands is holy. Jericho would
fall, not entirely by physical means, but principally through God’s
miraculous power.
2. God directs Joshua in a plan to take Jericho: marching around the city
around the city for six days and on the seventh seven times, with the
Kohanim blowing shofars. A few views of note from commentary:
a) No support showed up for Jericho, confirming Rahab’s intelligence;
b) There is a sense that Israel grew in might and spirit through the
circumventions;
c) While the shofar awakens Israel to repent and turn back to God,it
isolated Jericho from its quite different source of spiritual survival.
d) This manner of causing the city’s wall to fall reflects the place of God’s
miracle in the victory.

6. 3. All but Rahab and her family were destroyed.
The Conquest of Ai - Chapters 7-8
1. Yet, the Israelites were defeated in the much easier battle at Ai. This is
said to be because of God’s fury at the people’s sin, which turns out to
be one man’s sin - Achan, who took consecrated propertyagainst
command from Joshua.
2. The idea of losing an “easy” war and why is fascinating, generally and in
the study of leadership. The problem here was more than the bad acts of
one man, some say. His sin was a reflectionon the community in several
ways, including the likelihood that some knew and didn’t restrain him or
force him to disgorge itor report and punish him. Such deficiencyin a
people weakens them. The leader and all the people bear responsibilityto
be strong and true. Further, their straying would have consequences on
future generations.

7. 3. Joshua appeals to God:why bring us here only to be defeated?The
other side will be emboldenedand that will damage God’s name. God
replies: the loss was due to sin, and it was time for Joshua to act.
This contains the lesson that one should never let setbacks make one
depressed. One must always see them as springboards fornew initiatives.
Some sages see inadequacy in Joshua as partly responsible forthe loss.
But it’s mainly around Achan, who took contraband against God’s
command. He’s found out and executed publicly. It seems very important
for the emerging nation to understand the wrong of sin, to ferretout and
punish the wrongdoer, and to set the standard for living in the way going
forward. This happened at the Valley of Achor (troubling).
4. In the conquest of Ai, with God’s support this time, Joshua does what a
good leader should do. He devises and implements a strategy conducive to
success, counting on God’s help but doing his part. (Ralbag). He mobilizes
a very large force and uses an elaborate, solid military strategy, including
dispatching them at night and leading them himself from the front to draw
the enemy out as before while the main group takes the city from the rear.
The community had to be united!
God directs him not to fear and lose resolve (crucial), indicates that Joshua
has Divine support BUT is also to do his part, and have his main group

8. attack through ambush from the rear. Also, God indicates this time they will
be able to share booty.
5. Joshua builds the altar at Mount Ebal in the tradition of Moses;they
brought elevation and peace offerings and inscribed on the stones the
Torah. This constituted a new acceptance of Torah and allegiance to God.
The ritual of two groups, one on one mountain and the other on the other,
with the blessings read toward one and the other curses toward the other is
played out here. (Was this before the battles or immediately upon entering
the land? Many think it was before and that it’s only recorded here.)
The Gibeonites - Chapter 9
1. It’s important to know that Joshua sent an offerto all Canaanite
kingdoms ahead of, and in lieu of,possible war, offering options: a) to
flee,b) to live according the Noahide laws, pay taxes, and perform
national service, or c) accept terms.
2. Israel’s loss to Ai emboldened some.Israel’s victory over Ai emboldened
some as well on the idea that it was not due to God’s hand. They didn’t like
the terms, so most decidedto fight and in an alliance.

9. 3. Gibeontries to deceive Israel into thinking they were making peace
terms as “distant travelers” . A deal is reached, though apparently Joshua
did not seek Heavenly approval. A dispute arises about the legitimacy of
the agreement as well as whether it was void because it was made as part
of a ruse. A decisionis made that they should honor the deal that was
made because it would be a desecrationof God’s word to break it.
They became woodchoppers and water drawers (suggesting lowly
positions), but Joshua changes status to service in that capacity as non-
Jewish slaves supporting the Temple. Some say there was a hope they
would turn to Torah in the environment. (Maybe my notion of
woodchoppers and water drawers still holds.). (The outcome of the
Gibeonites in David’s time takes a worse turn.)
Conquest of the South - Chapter 10
1. Joshua defeats the other nations in alliances on battlefields, leaving
towns intact.
2. The alliance attacks Gibeon. Joshua consults God and saves Gibeon
through miracles. Joshua and troops arrive from Gilgal overnight instead of
the customary 3 days. God confounds the enemy. The fleeing enemy is

10. pummeled by hailstones. Joshua asks the sun to stand still. It does (much
commentary around that), consistent with the Book of the Upright (Torah).
Torah referred to in these terms before ancestors were upright in the way
they cared for others, including wicked neighbors. This seems to reflectas
well Joshua’s decisionto defend Gibeon,even though it tried to deceive
him and the people.
The sun stood still mainly to show that God did battle for Israel.
3. The nations were defeated, and the kings were executed. Once God
grants victory, Malbim argues one can’t let it slip through one’s hands. This
sends a demoralizing signal to the others, to discourage further conflict and
save lives.
4. Now we see again the words, this time from Joshua, “do not fear, do not
lose resolve; be strong and courageous.”
Conquest of the North - Chapter 11

11. 1. There’s a lot of commentary on 11:6:God’s instruction to Joshua to
burn the chariots and hamstring the horses. This actually, among other
things, was sound military strategy in that these assets were quite
strong and needed to be disabled forthe Israelites to win.
2. Also,Joshua fell upon the enemy suddenly (in 7) and fell upon them. In
10, Joshua attacked the mostpowerful of them, which demoralized the rest
(10).
3. it was a drawn out war, but one in which Joshua conquered the entire
land. (16).
4. By tradition, it took 7 years to conquerthe land and 7 to allocate and
distribute fully.
Inventory of the Territory and Deposed Kings - Chapter 12

12. Division of the Land - Chapter 13-22
1. Joshua is old, well on in years. The Hebrew, bah bayyamim, is
understood by the Zohar and Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 59) to mean a
personwho grew day by day with a constant striving to come ever
closerto God.After meriting bringing the people into the land, he now
merited allocating it to the people.
2. The promise to Reubenand Gad and half of Manasseh on the east side
is honored as soon as the land was conquered. This holds true to a
commitment, and as a matter of the first importance. Indeed Reubengets
its portion first to commemorate that tribe’s atonement for its original ways.
Honoring big principles - here repentance and turning - is crucial to
leadership.
3. Afterthe east side is allocated, mention is made of the role of the
Levites. Caleb claims God’s promise of Hebron (because of loyalty and
service), an area that still required military effort to conquer. “I am still as
strong today as I was on that day.” 14:11.What was deserved was what
was hard and necessary to achieve, thus, both an honor and a burden for
Caleb, the great leader.

13. 4. Judah’s territory. 15. Some say Judah came second because their
ancestor also took responsibilityfor wrong (with Tamar). This rewarding of
people/leaders who turn back to the right path is significant. Caleb is also
within Judah, this territory.
5. Joseph’s territory,including Ephraim. 16. A very important leader from
whom future royalty would come gets a reward for the past and a sense of
future leadership.
6. Manasseh’s territory. 17. Comes after Ephraim, based on Jacob’s
blessing, thus true to principle of past commitment.
Machir, the first son, is mentioned as a man of war. His territory,
strategically, is east of the Jordan, to protect a weak flank. In reflecting
upon the expectations upon the Machirites, we recall Moses’ thinking in
wanting to maintain a strong familial tie across the border and to keep both
strong spiritually as well. This planning is reflective of strong leadership.
Specific mentionis made of land devoted to daughters of Zelophahad. This
reflects honor to those women who steppedforward and sought their
father’s share, with God’s agreement, and the deal that was made with
them.

14. Manasseh complains that it needs more land because of great growth in
population. Jacob denies request because of imperatives of original Divine
allocation and fairness to others but does proposea strategy: clear the
forests and fight the enemy, which they can better do with their numbers to
make for more land for themselves.
7. The remaining tribes - it begins. 18. A crucial matter is addressed: The
tabernacle is moved from Gilgal to Shiloh, where it would remain for 389
years as a center of spiritual life. Without sanctity, without God’s presence,
settlement of the land would be useless. Be’erMoshe.
A delay in the division of the remaining 7 tribes. Many reasons possible.
Joshua urges action and lays out a processformoving ahead.
Benjamin.
8. Simeon, located within Judah, partly to reflect Jacob’s blessing, and,
according to Rashi, to ply trade as teachers and scribes among others.
(Also, with Levites, a redemptionstory. Jacob saw and disliked the
impetuous behavior of their ancestors but wanted their love and concern for

15. their fellows to be able to be displayed broadly with them, and their
descendants chose to do so through service and teaching.) 19.
9. Zubulun. Issachar. Asher. Naphtali. Dan. Joshua, finally.
10. Cities of refuge. 20. Emphasis shown here reflects God’s concern, and
ours, with justice, especially a concern about the unwarranted taking of
human life and the idea and need of rehabilitation and turning. Six cities.
11. Cities of the Levites and Kohanim. 21. Text says in addition to 6 cities
for refuge, another 42 were for the Levites, of which 13 went to the
Kohanim. These were allotted from among all the tribes, which says that all
were near them and all contributed to them.
12. Recognitionin 22 of the fulfillment of the 2 1/2 tribes and a blessing of
them in their journey to their land across the Jordan.
But fear and concern arose over an altar the departing people built as they
were about to cross the Jordan. Would this compete/distract/lead in
another directionfrom God for them or for all? A delegationis sent to find
out/express concernand even to re-divide the 9 1/2 portions into 12 and

16. bring them back to avoid offending God and their covenant. (We bear
responsibilityfor the waywardness of others in our community.)
The response: they fully intended to follow God, and they express their
commitmentin the mosteloquent way. 21-29.The altar was simply to show
loyalty to God and their continued alliance with the other tribes.
Good will replaces suspicion. The explanation “was good in their eyes.” 30.
(Ah, if issues were resolved in such a process today!)God is with us when
we do not commit treachery against God or each other, including falsely
maligning others, and working to assure unity.
Joshua’s Farewell - 23.
1. Joshua worries as he approaches the end of his life about the degree to
which they still had not taken the whole land. He implores them “to
strengthen yourselves very much to observe and to do all that is written
in the Torah…Cling to Hashem….” It was God,not they alone or he as
leader who made for their success. He warns if they turn away and
cling to the rest of the nations by intermarrying, etc., God will not give
them the whole land, and the others will be a snare and thorns in eyes,
and you will be banished. God holds true, so must you.

17. Strength is a key word to describe Joshua.
2. Transgressing the covenant and serving and bowing down to other gods
will stir the wrath of God and the people will perish from the goodlyland
God has given us.
Second Assembly- 24.
1. Joshua summons the nation as did Moses,telling them that God has
been generous with them and they must reciprocate with love of, and
loyalty to, God and Torah. Idolatry was a clear and present danger.
They can rely on God or idols.This assemblytakes place at Shechem,
site of Abraham’s first station, Jacob’s great miracle, first land Jacob
bought, where Jacob ordered all idols of household to be divested (note
on p. 109).Use of historical/symbolic places - crucial to leadership.)
2. They have largely conquered the land. The challenge ahead, many
sages say, is to conquer themselves now.
3. As with Moses, Joshua recounts the narrative of how they got here,
which we do when we recount his farewell address. Another sign of great
leadership - putting people in mind of their traditions, the rich blessings God

18. has bestowed on them, as a way of remembering and keeping ones’ ways,
though severely tempted to go other appealing ways.
4. “I took Abraham.” 24:3. God takes us all and moves us toward covenant
and the land, and we are to move and grow and serve God,as did our
ancestors.
5. Afterthe people pledgeto follow God,Joshua says “you bear witness
upon yourselves” in that choice, and they say, “We are witnesses.” “We
shall serve HaShem, our God,and we shall heed His voice.” Joshua then
goes back through God’s instructions and wrote down the words of (this)
book and placed them with the Torah and put it in a permanent place in the
Tabernacle.
What a finale! And what an example for leaders, especiallyas they pass
from the scene of their enterprise. He lived a life of total service, one of
duty to God and people, strength, and great successin that regard. He had
profound concerns at the end, brought the people together, made his case
eloquently, led the people to commitand to witness, embodiedtheir story
and principles in sacred text that was left in a sanctified place as a witness.
“Then Joshua sent the people forth, each man to his heritage.” 28.
Service to God was his only aspiration. What a model for all of us.