The summary of Joshua

The book of Joshua begins with Joshua seceding Moses because Mose has died on the way to the promise land. God tells Joshua and his men to obey his laws and the Israelites will have victorious military campaigns. Before Joshua and the Israelites attack Jericho, Joshua send two spies to see the terrain and people of Jericho. The two spies go to Jericho, but are quickly found out by city officials. luckily, a kind prostitute named Rahab hides them in her home. In return the men promise that when the Israelites attack, they will not kill Rahab. The men return to the Israelite camp and report of what they have seen in Jericho.

The Israelites cross the Jordan River, but they don't cross on water; they cross on dry land. To thank God for this, Joshua builds and altar for God out of twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. As the Israelites approach Jericho more, Joshua encounters a man who says he is the commander of God's army, but he is not for or against the Israelite people. Joshua pays homage to the man and keeps moving towards Jericho.

When Joshua reaches Jericho, he follows the divine instructions God has given them to have success in battle. Joshua leads the Israelites around the city for six days and on the seventh day, he leads the Israelites around the city seven times. Joshua tells them to kill everyone in the city, but Rahab, and to not take any of the religious items. At the sound of the Israelites war cry, the walls of Jericho fall and the Israelites attack. They conquer Jericho in one mighty sweep.

The next city the Israelites try to conquer is the city of Ai, but they don not have the same luck they had with Jericho. One of the men, Achan, stole a religious statue from Jericho. After the people stone Achan, they attack again and are victorious.

Fearful of the Israelites, spies are sent out from the town of Gideon to see of the Israelites conditions and numbers. The two men enter the Israelite camp as travelers, who want nothing but peace. Joshua makes a mistake and does not talk to God before making a treaty with the two men. They learn later of that the men are from the city they are supposed to attack, so they refrain from attacking them, but five other local lords attack Gideon for making peace with Israel. Joshua and the Israelites save Gideon, defeating five armies. Joshua helps by commanding God to make the sun stand still. God listens and makes the sun stop. (This is the only time in history where God does something commanded by a human.)

The Israelites go on the destroy the southern and northern cities of Canaan killing all the inhabitants, just as God had told them to do. The people of Israel begin to divide the land and settle them. God protects Israel from its enemies for many years and Joshua becomes very sick. Before Joshua dies he tells the Israelites to be faithful and throw away religious idols along with refraining from intermarriage with the native people. The people assure Joshua they will follow the laws of God and then he dies.