Exploring the Book of Joshua and related biblical texts with careful scholarship.
This volume offers a critical, practical look at the authorship, date, and unity of Joshua, along with insights into the surrounding books like 1 and 2 Samuel, Deuteronomy, and passages about Purim. It helps readers weigh evidence, understand historical context, and navigate complex textual questions.
Structured for clear reading, the edition presents key debates, then guides you through how scholars argue for or against theories about when and by whom the book was written. It also discusses how miracles and conflicts are described, and how later writers may have drawn on earlier sources. The work also situates stories within their broader narrative aims and explains how certain phrases shape our understanding of the text.
- How authorship and dating for Joshua are analyzed, with reference to internal clues and external theories.
- Questions of unity vs. fragmentation in the book's composition and how scholars defend the overall structure.
- How miracles are treated in ancient biblical history and what they imply about divine purpose.
- Connections to neighboring books and events, including references that influence interpretation.
Ideal for readers of biblical history and theology who want a measured, non-sensational approach to the text and its historical setting.