Jericho/Conquest
No suitable evidence that Joshua's conquest ever happened...
Conquest Genre
There are ANE stories, example from Ramses 2 where he alone conquers peoples in a battle just in time for his army to show up and see his victory.
Q: Is Joshua doing that in the Biblical conquest narratives?
God Speaking (or not speaking)
Marty questions; the instances of Joshua saying God said something - maybe it's not a safe assumption that Joshua is telling the truth
Only example of God showing up and speaking is Jericho
God tells Joshua to "consecrate" Jericho to him (I think this is Joshua 6:20-21)
Joshua 6:20-21 (NIV)
20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. 21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.Nic's note: I believe what is here is "devoted to destruction" which is explored as a "ha-ram" text... Heiser has LOTS on this. (confirmed ha-ram from blueletterbible)
Method
Marty says that a Jewish perspective on scriptures is eisegetical rather than exegetical... this does make me uncomfortable, but is that because of my own traditions?
Is the conquest narrative actually an allegory?Observations
- God doesn't talk much but Joshua does
- Joshua also behaves like pagan kings of the age - ie. puts dead king bodies on display on poles at the city gates
- However, Joshua doesn't mock other kings and he disposes of the dead bodies that he had displayed by nightfall to be in line with Torah
- Gideonites (Joshua 9)
deceive Israel to joining a Suzerain-Vessel covenant, as the Suzerain but when it's discovered that Israel was deceived they still honor the covenant # If Joshua is one long chiasm then the center is Joshua 11
Joshua 11:16-20 NIV
6 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.Verse 19 would be the actual center:
19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. The point then would be that no one is saved except the ones who made covenant with Israel and thus with Yahweh
Another example is Rahab... a pagan is saved because of a treaty with Yahweh's people. IF that's the whole point of Joshua then the conquest narrative is not about conquest, but grace.
Standing stones
Marty hangs a dirty belt in his room...
Q: Do I put any external reminders of where I've come from to remind myself and lead to telling the story of God's grace in my life to others?
Be Strong and Courageous
Joshua 1 (NIV)
Joshua Installed as Leader
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “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. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”
12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”The refrain "Be strong and courageous" is repeated often: God commands Joshua, Joshua commands the people, the people then turn around and tell Joshua to be strong and courageous
If the conquest is allegory then something that could be being said here is that total conquest is possible when everyone supports each other one tho another.