# Character of Joshua

#### Joshua Referenced in Pentateuch

##### Battle with Amalek

**Exodus 17:8-16**

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

##### Joshua Accompanies Moses as he ascends Mount Sinai

**Exodus 24:13-14**

So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.”

**Exodus 32:17**

And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

##### Joshua Remains in the Tent

**Exodus 33:11**

So the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

##### Joshua is Zealous for Moses' Sake

**Numbers 11:24-30**

<span class="text Num-11-24" id="bkmrk-so-moses-went-out-an-1">So Moses went out and told the people the words of the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span>, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. </span><span class="text Num-11-25" id="bkmrk-then-the-lord-came-d">Then the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that *was* upon him, and placed *the same* upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did *so* again. </span><span class="text Num-11-26" id="bkmrk-but-two-men-had-rema">But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one *was* Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they *were* among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. </span><span class="text Num-11-27" id="bkmrk-and-a-young-man-ran-">And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” </span><span class="text Num-11-28" id="bkmrk-so-joshua-the-son-of">So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, *one* of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!” </span><span class="text Num-11-29" id="bkmrk-then-moses-said-to-h">Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span>’s people were prophets *and* that the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> would put His Spirit upon them!” </span><span class="text Num-11-30" id="bkmrk-and-moses-returned-t">And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.</span>

##### Joshua as a Spy

**Numbers 13:16**

"These *are* the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua." (Numbers 13:16)

**Numbers 14:4-10**

<span class="text Num-14-4" id="bkmrk-so-they-said-to-one--1">So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” </span><span class="text Num-14-5" id="bkmrk-then-moses-and-aaron">Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. </span><span class="text Num-14-6" id="bkmrk-but-joshua-the-son-o">But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, *who were* among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;</span><span class="text Num-14-7" id="bkmrk-%C2%A0and-they-spoke-to-a"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out *is* an exceedingly good land. </span><span class="text Num-14-8" id="bkmrk-if-the-lord-delights">If the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ </span><span class="text Num-14-9" id="bkmrk-only-do-not-rebel-ag">Only do not rebel against the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span>, nor fear the people of the land, for they *are* our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> *is* with us. Do not fear them.” </span><span class="text Num-14-10" id="bkmrk-and-all-the-congrega">And all the congregation said to stone them with stones." (Numbers 14:4-10)</span>

<span class="text Num-14-10">**Numbers 14:29-31**</span>

The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.

<span class="text Num-14-10">**Numbers 14:36-38**</span>

Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

**<span class="text Num-14-10">Numbers 26:65</span>**

For the Lord had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

**Numbers 32:11-12**

‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’

##### Joshua Chosen by God

**Numbers 27:12-23**

<span class="text Num-27-12">Now the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> said to Moses: “Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. </span><span class="text Num-27-13" id="bkmrk-and-when-you-have-se">And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. </span><span class="text Num-27-14" id="bkmrk-for-in-the-wildernes">For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes.” (These *are* the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)</span>

<span class="text Num-27-15" id="bkmrk-then-moses-spoke-to--1">Then Moses spoke to the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span>, saying: </span><span class="text Num-27-16" id="bkmrk-%E2%80%9Clet-the-lord%2C-the-g">“Let the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span>, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, </span><span class="text Num-27-17" id="bkmrk-who-may-go-out-befor">who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”</span>

<span class="text Num-27-18" id="bkmrk-and-the-lord-said-to-1">And the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom *is* the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; </span><span class="text Num-27-19" id="bkmrk-set-him-before-eleaz">set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. </span><span class="text Num-27-20" id="bkmrk-and-you-shall-give-s">And you shall give *some* of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. </span><span class="text Num-27-21" id="bkmrk-he-shall-stand-befor">He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”</span>

<span class="text Num-27-22" id="bkmrk-so-moses-did-as-the--1">So Moses did as the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. </span><span class="text Num-27-23" id="bkmrk-and-he-laid-his-hand">And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> commanded by the hand of Moses.</span>

**<span class="text Num-27-23">Deuteronomy 1:37-38</span>**

<span class="text Num-27-23">The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.</span>

##### Joshua Entrusted with Dividing the Land

**Numbers 32:28-30**

So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. And Moses said to them: “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

**Numbers 34:16-18**

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “These are the names of the men who shall divide the land among you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 And you shall take one leader of every tribe to divide the land for the inheritance.

##### Moses Commands and Encourages Joshua

**Deuteronomy 3:21-22**

“And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you.’

**Deuteronomy 3:28**

But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’

**Deuteronomy 31:7-8**

Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

##### Joshua Inaugurated

**Deuteronomy 31:14-23**

<span class="text Deut-31-14">Then the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.” </span><span class="text Deut-31-14">So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting.</span><span class="text Deut-31-15" id="bkmrk-%C2%A0now-the-lord-appear"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Now the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.</span>

<span class="text Deut-31-16" id="bkmrk-and-the-lord-said-to-3">And the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> said to Moses: “Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go *to be* among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. </span><span class="text Deut-31-17" id="bkmrk-then-my-anger-shall-">Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God *is* not among us?’ </span><span class="text Deut-31-18" id="bkmrk-and-i-will-surely-hi">And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.</span>

<span class="text Deut-31-19" id="bkmrk-%E2%80%9Cnow-therefore%2C-writ-1">“Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. </span><span class="text Deut-31-20" id="bkmrk-when-i-have-brought-">When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. </span><span class="text Deut-31-21" id="bkmrk-then-it-shall-be%2C-wh">Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore *to give them.*”</span>

<span class="text Deut-31-22" id="bkmrk-therefore-moses-wrot-1">Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel. </span><span class="text Deut-31-23" id="bkmrk-then-he-inaugurated-">Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”</span>

**Deuteronomy 32:44**

So Moses came with Joshua the son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

**Deuteronomy 34:9**

<span class="text Deut-34-9" id="bkmrk-now-joshua-the-son-o-1">Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the <span class="small-caps divine-name">Lord</span> had commanded Moses.</span>