Joshua

Family: Israelite · Role: military leader · First appears: Exodus 17

Joshua, an Israelite military leader, first appears at Rephidim in Exodus 17, when Moses commands him to choose men and fight Amalek. Joshua defeats Amalek with the sword, and God orders Moses to record the battle and recount it to Joshua. He serves Moses as they go up toward the mount of God, reports the noise in the camp during the events of Exodus 32, and remains at the tabernacle while Moses returns to the camp. He is identified as the son of Nun.

In Numbers 11, Moses rejects Joshua’s request to forbid Eldad and Medad from prophesying. Joshua is later among the spies sent by Moses to search the land, and he and Caleb survive while the other spies and the earlier generation die in the wilderness. God declares that Joshua and Caleb will enter the land, and Joshua is appointed to lead Israel. God commands Moses to commission him before Eleazar and the congregation, and Moses lays hands on him and gives him his charge: “And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.”

In Numbers 32 and 34, Joshua joins Eleazar in matters concerning the eastern inheritance and the division of the land. Deuteronomy assigns him the task of leading Israel into the promised land and causing them to inherit it. Before Moses dies, God summons both of them to the tabernacle, and Moses charges Joshua to lead the people across Jordan, saying, “Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.” After Moses lays hands on him, Joshua is full of the spirit of wisdom, and the children of Israel hearken to him.