Joshua means "JHVH is salvation, "the LORD is salvation." Variant forms include Jehoshua, Jeshua, and Jesus. The book takes its name form its chief character.

AUTHOR: Ancient tradition attributes the book to Joshua, the son of Nun, the commander of the Conquest of the Promised Land. A few sections could not have been written by him (15:13ff; 24:29f). Eleazar or Phinehas could have added these verses. 24:1–26 specifically identifies Joshua as author and eyewitness. The time of writing is not long after the events described, c. 1400 B.C. Cf. Numbers 13:15; Exodus 17:9f; 24:13; 14:6f; 27:18–23.

TIME: The events of Joshua begin where Deuteronomy concludes, i.e. the death of Moses. The date of the Conquest was c. 1406 B.C. Initial conquest was about 7 years and 25 to secure the land.

THEME: The faithfulness of God in fulfilling under Joshua’s leadership the promises he made to Moses to conquer the Promised Land (1:2–4; 11:23; 21:45; 24:14–16).

KEY VERSES: 11:23; 21:45

TYPE: Just as Joshua was the great conqueror leading the chosen people into the Promised Land of Canaan, Jesus his Great Successor is leading His own into the Promised Land of Heaven.

CANAANITE RELIGION: The inhabitants were immoral, offered child sacrifices, priestesses were temple prostitutes, Sodomites were male temple prostitutes, etc. Temples of Baal, Ashtoreth and other Canaanites were centers of vice. JHVH is holy and His people must be holy. He is at war with sin wherever He finds it. God warned Israel, and later executed punishment upon them by cruel nations.