Conquest Of The Land, Loss Of The Land: Where Does Joshua 24 Belong?

Abstract

After the conquest of the land, Joshua gathered all the people of Israel and addressed them. The two important themes in Joshua 23 are strict observance of the Torah and the relationship with the nations that remain in the land. After the complete and successful conquest of the land, noted in Josh 21:43-45, Joshua's exhortation introduces a dark perspective. The central theme in Joshua 24 is the choice to serve God in the land given to Israel. The promise of the land has been fulfilled so far, but whether it will be completely fulfilled depends on Israel's obedience to and observance of the Torah. The overview of Israel's history in Josh 24:2-13 has been determined by the intention to emphasize Yahweh as the driving force behind Israel and present Israel itself as completely dependent on Yahweh. Keywords: Israel; Joshua 24; Torah; Yahweh