Joshua Summary

Title:	The book of Joshua is named after is principal character.  It is based upon Joshua's leadership of the Israeli nation after Moses's death.  Just as Joshua had led Israel in battle when Moses was leading them, he also led them in battle during their conquest of Canaan.
Author:	The author is never specifically identified.  However most biblical scholars do credit Joshua himself as the principle author.  Obviously he could not have been the author of the part that refers to Joshua's death.  Hebrew tradition credits Aaron's son, Eleazar, as the author of the final parts.
Date:	It is estimated that Joshua was approximately 20 years old when he left Egypt.  After spending 40 years in the dessert, Joshua would have been about 60 years old when he took over for Moses.  We know he died at the age of 110.  Since the Israelites entered Canaan about 1407 BC we can assume the book was written somewhere between 1407 and 1357 BC.
Main Theme	The main theme of the Pentateuch had been to prepare the people of Israel to take possession of the 'Promised Land'.  The promise God had made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is now coming to fruition.  At one time a childless Abraham was promised that his descendants inhabit this land and now that promise is being realized.
Location:	The land of Canaan from as far north as Kadesh in Phoenicia to as far south as the Wilderness of Zin and as far west as the Mediterranean Sea to as far east as Ammon east of the Jordan River
History	Joshua took over leading Israel after the death of Moses.  He leads them across the Jordan River close to the city of Jericho.  He begins by sending spies into the city.  They end up in the house of a prostitute named Rahab.  In exchange for protecting the spies she asks that she and her family be spared by the Israelites when they invade the city.      As the Israelites cross the Jordan the leaders of each tribe takes a stone from the river and create a monument that will remind their descendants that God took them in to the Promised Land across dry ground.  It is also important to point out that before the land is conquered, all of the men of Israel must be circumcised.  All of the men over 20 who had left Egypt all died off in the dessert except for Caleb and Joshua.  The great majority of the nearly 2 million people who entered into Canaan had all been born while in the dessert and none of the men had been circumcised.  Circumcision was necessary as part of the covenant.  In spite of all the warnings from both Moses and Joshua, the people still had a difficult time remaining obedient to God's commands.  In the end, Joshua tells the people of Israel they must make a choice.  You must choose whom you are going to serve.  We too have that sane decision to make.
Major Characters:	Joshua