major campaigns were completed The land originally promised to Abraham’s seed extended from the “river of Egypt”5 to the “great river” Euphrates (Gen 15:18) The same promise was rmed to the Israelites in the days of Moses (Exod 23:31), and again to Joshua (Josh 1:4) These were the two ideal limits of in uence, from Egypt, the one world power on Palestine’s southwestern border, to Babylon, the power on its eastern side One can easily recognize the strategic location of Canaan with reference to the rest of the world of Israel’s day It was the connecting link, the point of balance and the spot on which the major land and sea routes converged.6 The explicit details of the geographical boundaries of the Canaan7 to be possessed were described by the Lord to Moses on the eve of Israel’s entry into the land (Num 34:1-15) At that time also, Joshua and Eleazar were appointed to the task of apportioning the territories to the di erent tribes The accomplishment of this business is recorded in Joshua 13-19 It is to be noted that all the enemies were not routed immediately; some cities within the boundaries were not taken until the days of David and Solomon This piecemeal conquest can be attributed partly to the failure of the Israelites to fully obey God’s conditions Another factor was the divine timetable of designed delay, to spare the land from sudden desolation by nature itself: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate, and the beasts of the eld become too numerous for you I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exod 23:29-30) 3 Do you recall from your earlier studies of Numbers and Deuteronomy who were the ones of Israel allowed by God to enter the promised rest land? II BACKGROUND A AUTHOR The author of the book of Joshua is not explicitly identi ed But the following facts are known about its authorship: The general tenor of the book indicates that the author was an eyewitness of most of the events, which are described with great vividness and minuteness of detail, and occasionally in the rst person (“we” and “us”, e.g., 5:6) The unity of style in the organization of the book indicates that one author wrote the bulk of the work 3 Joshua is specifically identi ed as the author of some writings He wrote the words of a covenant which he shared with Israel “in the book of the law of God” (24:26), which was born of his farewell charge in chapter 24 Also, Joshua was responsible for the land survey of Canaan, which he caused to have recorded in a book (18:9) Some small parts of the book could not have been written by Joshua Such sections include the references to his death (24:2930) and to the faithfulness of Israel during the years after his death (24:31) It is possible that these sections were added by Eleazar the priest, and that the note of Eleazar’s death (24:33) was in turn recorded by Phinehas, his son Jewish tradition, both ancient and modern, has consistently ascribed the authorship of the book to Joshua Among ... minuteness of detail, and occasionally in the rst person (“we” and “us”, e.g., 5:6) The unity of style in the organization of the book indicates that one author wrote the bulk of the work 3... specifically identi ed as the author of some writings He wrote the words of a covenant which he shared with Israel “in the book of the law of God” (24:26), which was born of his farewell charge... your earlier studies of Numbers and Deuteronomy who were the ones of Israel allowed by God to enter the promised rest land? II BACKGROUND A AUTHOR The author of the book of Joshua is not explicitly