Origins

The book of Joshua covers the period after the desert wandering, from about 1250 to 1200 B.C.

Who was the author? The book of Joshua does not explicitly name its author, the book depicts Joshua writing himself but does not claim he wrote the book. It is likely that there was a second author for the latter part of the story as there are a number of references for something existing "to this day" which suggests there has been a significant lapse of time between the events and the books final version.

When was it written? The book of Joshua was most likely written in the late second millennium B.C.

Origins of the text. The book of Joshua recounts the Israelite conquest of the land of Canaan under the command of Joshua. The book opens at Shittim with Joshua's commission from the Lord as the leader of the Israelites, progresses through his victories over the Canaanite kings and the allotment of the land, and ends with Joshua's charge to the people to remain faithful to the Lord.

Maps: [|The setting of Joshua] [|Map of Canaanite nations]. [|Canaan in Old Testament times]