Joshua 1:1

This chapter forms an introduction to Joshua. It has the Divine commission of Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9), the preparations for crossing the Jordan River (Joshua 1:10-11), and the renewal of the pledge of the trans-Jordanic tribes (Joshua 1:12-18).

"Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the Servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying." Jehovah spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying."

"Now it came to pass ..." "The form of the Hebrew word here rendered `now' shows that Joshua is intended to be a CONTINUATION of the Book of Deuteronomy";[1] but, "Joshua is distinct from the Pentateuch. There is no ancient Jewish tradition or manuscript evidence that the book ever formed a unit with the five books of the Law,"[2] as the critics have alleged regarding their speculative "Hexateuch." Unger's comment on the hypothetical Hexateuch is as follows:

"Unbelieving critical scholarship of necessity must explain away the large number of miracles in the book as legends and treat the history as idealized, as they must also do with the Pentateuch. That is why they have lumped Joshua with the Pentateuch in a so-called `Hexateuch' and subjected it to analysis on the basis of late literary sources (the alleged sources of the Pentateuch ). This is only a rationalistic attempt to explain away the miraculous element."[3]

"The servant of Jehovah ..." This was, above all other designations, the title of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5), and it was carried over into the New Dispensation by the author of Hebrews. "Moses was indeed faithful over all his (God's) house as a servant" (Hebrews 3:5). The meaning of the term "servant" is very close to that of "slave," but it was the accepted designation of the highest plenary officers of kings and rulers of the world. Christ himself was prophetically presented in Isaiah as the "Suffering Servant" of God, and Jesus stated that the greatest in God's kingdom would be the servant of all (Matthew 23:11).

"Jehovah spake unto Joshua ..." We are not told exactly how God spoke to Joshua. Hebrews 1:1 declares that God of old times spake "in divers portions and in divers manners," meaning "in different portions and various ways." What is important here is that God did indeed speak to Joshua, gave him his orders for the conquest of Canaan, and commissioned him to lead the Israelites in that conflict, which in the fullest sense, was indeed a "holy war." "The invasion and conquest of Canaan were accomplished by Israel under Joshua's leadership, in response to God's direct command and in His never failing strength."[4]

Not only that, this expression, `Jehovah spake unto Joshua,' is the equivalent in the earlier books of the O.T. of the constantly recurring expression in the later prophets, `thus saith the Lord.' This distinguishes the literature of the Hebrews from that of all other nations, and marks out the Jewish claim of having in their possession in a very special way the true will of Almighty God. As Dummelow said, "This is one of the most obvious indications of what we call inspiration ... the importance of this does not derive from any knowledge of how God spoke to Joshua, but in its testimony to the fact of it."[5]

Morton declared that the resemblance of many passages in Joshua to certain sections of Deuteronomy, "makes it clear that a Deuteronomic editor is responsible for the present form of Joshua."[6] However, it should always be remembered that such statements are without objective evidence, that the "editors" and "redactors" so frequently mentioned by some commentators NEVER EXISTED. Every appeal to such non-existent persons indicates merely the UNBELIEF of Biblical enemies. We fully agree with Woudstra that the calling of this introduction Deuteronomic "carries with it implications of authorship and composition that should be avoided."[7]

"Joshua the son of Nun ..." The original name of this leader was Oshea (Numbers 13:8), but just as the names of Abram, Sarai, etc were changed, so was that of Joshua. It was changed to Jehoshua (or, Joshua). The Greek form of the name is Jesus,[8] and it means "Jehovah is deliverance," or "Jehovah is salvation." Not merely in this name, but in a few other salient particulars, Joshua represents the Lord Jesus Christ in his life and achievement.

(1) Like Christ, Joshua did what Moses and the Law could not do.

(2) He led the people into Canaan; Christ leads his people into heaven.

(3) Both Joshua and Jesus began their commission on the banks of the Jordan River.