Designation: Joshua As “Heir” To Moses (Joshua 1:1–9) -- By: Anonymous

Journal: Bulletin for Biblical Research
Volume: BBR 25:2 (NA 2015)
Article: Designation: Joshua As “Heir” To Moses (Joshua 1:1–9)
Author: Anonymous


Designation: Joshua As “Heir” To Moses (Joshua 1:1–9)

The book of Joshua opens with the designation of Joshua as the successor to Moses by YHWH himself.18 This designation echoes earlier designations found in Num 27:15–23 and Deut 31 (as well as the language of Deut 11). In Num 27, Joshua is designated as a leader for the people “who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and

bring them in” (Num 27:17). These expressions generally have militaristic connotations, which certainly would not be foreign in this context (cf. Deut 31:2–3; Josh 14:11; 1 Sam 18:13, 16; 29:6; 1 Kgs 3:7). It is also said that Joshua “shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before YHWH” (Num 27:21). These two aspects of Joshua’s leadership, as described in Num 27, seem to reflect implicitly the two central sections of the book of Joshua, which relate Joshua’s leadership in taking (lqḥ; Josh 5:13–12:24) and dividing (ḥlq; Josh 13:1–21:45) the land.19

In Deut 31, it is important to note that the command to “be strong and courageous” and the promise “I will never leave you or forsake you,” both of which are given to Joshua, are initially given to the people as a whole (Deut 31:6). Thus, the charges and promises that Joshua receives in Deut 31:7–8, 23 and Josh 1:5–9 do not mark him out as unique in Israel but as representative of Israel.

In Josh 1, YHWH addresses Joshua directly, designating him as Moses’s successor and instructing him both in his mission (You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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