Who wrote the book of Joshua?

Who Wrote the Book of Joshua?

Destructive critics doubt if Joshua even authored the book with his name. Some consider Joshua as being part of the Pentateuch thus forming the Hexateuch where most of its narrative is regarded as legendary instead of historical. The destructive critic’s view is that the book of Joshua arose from sources dated 10th-8th century BC and composed in its final form by a post exilic author. In a variant theory, some destructive critics see the book of Joshua as a part of Deuteronomic history that was developed by an editor in the 7th century BC.

While the authorship of Joshua is in question, there is ample evidence to show that Joshua could have written the book during his time and no later than 25-30 years of his death (1400 BC).

1. Extrabibilical sources such as the Jewish Talmud states that Joshua wrote the book with his death recorded by Eleazar son of Aaron and whose death in turn, was recorded by his son Phinehas.

2. Internal evidence reveals historical details consistent with an early authorship.

Joshua is recorded as the author (Josh 8:32; 24:26).

He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. (Josh 8:32)

And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. (Josh 24:26)

Joshua records that Rahab was still alive (Josh 6:25).

However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. (Josh 6:25)

Joshua recorded the background to the Gibeonites who provided wood and water for the tabernacle "to this day" (Josh 9:27) until later during the Israelite monarchy when King Saul killed them (2 Sam 21:1-2).

But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which He would choose. (Josh 9:27)

Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the LORD. And the LORD said, "It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death." So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). (2 Sam 21:1-2)

Joshua records who were the people of Sidon which was an important and wealthy port city of Phoenicia (Josh 13:4-6) until it was conquered by Tyre in the 12th century BC.

to the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite; and the land of the Gebalite, and all of Lebanon, toward the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians, I will drive them out from before the sons of Israel; only allot it to Israel for an inheritance as I have commanded you. (Josh 13:4-6)

Joshua records the Jebusites as occupying Jerusalem (Josh 15:8; 18:28) until King David captures it in the eighth year of his reign (2 Sam 5:6).

Then the border went up the valley of Ben-hinnom to the slope of the Jebusite on the south (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain which is before the valley of Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim toward the north. (Josh 15:8)

and Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families. (Josh 18:28)

Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; thinking, "David cannot enter here." (2 Sam 5:6)

Joshua named the Canaanite cities by their archaic names: Balaa for Kirjanth-jearim (Josh 15:9), Kirjanth-arba for Hebron (Josh 15:13), and Kirjath-sannah for Debir (Josh 15:49).

From the top of the mountain the border curved to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah and proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, then the border curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). (Josh 15:9)

and Dannah and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), (Josh 15:49)

Joshua indicated that the Canaanites were in Gezer "to this day" (Josh 16:10) until they were captured and routed by the Egyptians during King Solomon’s time (1 Kings 9:16).

But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers. (Josh 16:10)

For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife. (1 Kings 9:16)

This evidence is contemporary and consistent with Joshua as being the author of the book named after him. However there are recorded events that occurred historically after his time although not long after his time.

There is mention of his death (Josh 24:29-32).

It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph's sons. (Josh 24:29-32)

The fall of Kiriath-arba occurs after the death of Joshua.

Now he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah, according to the command of the LORD to Joshua, namely, Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron). Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the children of Anak. Then he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. And Caleb said, "The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter as a wife." Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it; so he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife. It came about that when she came to him, she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she alighted from the donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?" Then she said, "Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water." So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. (Josh 15:13-19)

Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire. Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country and in the Negev and in the lowland. So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba); and they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher). And Caleb said, "The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife." Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife. Then it came about when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. Then she alighted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. (Judg 1:8-15)

The tribe of Dan’s conquest of northern Israel occurred after Joshua’s death.

The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and possessed it and settled in it; and they called Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. (Josh 19:47)

Then they took what Micah had made and the priest who had belonged to him, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burned the city with fire. And there was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley which is near Beth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and lived in it. They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish. (Judg 18:27-29)

While most of Joshua was authored by Joshua, the post Joshua events indicate that there was some additional material added by a later person such as the priests Eleazar or his son Phinehas. This editing was most certainly done before the Exile.