Chapter 1

1:3-5 - God promises to give Joshua all of the land that his "foot shall tread upon." He says that none of the people he encounters will be able to resist him. But later we find that God didn't keep his promise, and that many tribes withstood Joshua's attempt to steal their land.

* Joshua 1:3 reads, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you."  God didn't promise Joshua that He would give him the land.  God already gave the land to Joshua and this is indicated by the phrase "have given."  Even though they didn't possess all of it, this land belonged to Joshua and the Israelites.

* Joshua 1:5 reads, "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life."  This was fulfilled and this promise is evidenced in the book of Joshua.  He was a fearless, military leader and never lost a battle.

* In Joshua 15:63, Joshua 16:10, and Joshua 17:12 and 13, the Israelites chose to dwell with the inhabitants of the land.  The land still belonged to the Israelites.  However, they did not have the courage or desire to move them.  Therefore, they cohabitated with them and God's promise that the people would not resist them became moot.

* Joshua's death is recorded at the end of Joshua.  Therefore, the verses in Judges do not refer to Joshua and his rule or God's promise to Joshua.

Chapter 2

2:1 - Joshua's spies "came into an harlot's house, named Rahab." I wonder what they were doing in a harlot's house.

* They were spies and hiding in her house.

2:1-4 - "There came men unto me" Joshua's spies visit and "came unto" a prostitute in Jericho. They weren't very discreet about it either, since the King of Jericho soon found out about it. The king's officials ask Rahab to "bring forth the men that are come to thee."

* These spies hid at a prostitute's house.  However, there is no implication of foul play or ungodly behavior.

2:4-5 - Rahab lies to those who were searching for Joshua's spies. Lying is condemned several places in the Bible, but Rahab is reworded by God by being spared during the destruction of Jericho (Jos.6:25). And in James (2:24), Rahab is also praised for lying. So the Bible both condemns and approves of lying.

* Lying is clearly wrong.  However, in Joshua 6:25, Rahab is rewarded for housing the Israelite spies.

* In James 2:25, Rahab isn't praised for her lying.  She is praised for her faith because she could have lost her life by hiding the spies.

Chapter 3

3:10 - Joshua tells the Israelites that God will "without fail" drive out the Canaanites and the Jebusites. But later, the Bible tells us that he could not drive them out.

* The Israelites chose to cohabitate with the Canaanites.  In fact, the scriptures say they charged them "tribute" or taxes to live on their land.  See Joshua 16:10.

* The Israelites also chose to dwell with the Jebusites.  See Joshua 15:63.  However, David drove them out of Jerusalem, later.  See 2 Samuel 5.

3:17 - The priests were able to cross the Jordan without getting their feet wet.

* This was a miracle and resembles the miracle of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.

Chapter 4

4:24 - Should we fear God?

* Yes.  See "Special Questions" for more on this.

Chapter 5

5:2-3 - At God's command, Joshua makes some knives and circumcises "again the children of Israel the second time" (ouch!) at the "hill of the foreskins."

* Joshua followed God's command to circumcise the children of Israel.  As they recuperated, God's protection, sovereignty, and faithfulness were shown to them.  They had crossed the Jordan and could have been overtaken by enemies, but their faith and obedience gave them favor with God.

Chapter 6

6:4-7, 13-15 - God's plan for the destruction of Jericho: Have seven priests go before the ark with seven trumpets of ram's horns. Then on the seventh day, they go around the city seven times. Finally, the priests blow a long blast from the ram's horns, all the people shout, and the walls will fall down.

* This is correct.

6:17 - "And the city shall be accursed ... and all that therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live." God explains that Rahab is to be spared since she hid Joshua's spies and lied to those who were searching for them (2:4-5). But why was everyone else killed? Some of them were probably liars too.

* This Hebrew word for "accursed" also means "doomed."  The city was doomed because of their idols, idolatry, wickedness, rejection of God, etc.

6:18-19 - Keep yourselves from "the accursed thing". Whatever that is. But be sure to save all the silver and gold for God!

* This is correct.  They were to avoid their idols and give the silver and gold to God's sanctuary.  It was not for themselves.

6:21 - "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword."

* This is correct.

6:24 - After killing everyone, "they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein." Only the valuables (silver, gold, brass, and iron) did they keep to "put into the treasury of the house of the Lord."

* This is also correct.

6:26 - Joshua says that those who try to rebuild Jericho will be accursed by God, and will have to sacrifice both their oldest and their youngest sons in its construction. Well, Jericho still exists today, and is often considered to be the world's oldest, continuously occupied city.

* Hiel probably didn't literally rebuild Jericho on the body of his oldest son and he probably didn't literally set up the gates on his youngest son's body.  Here is the NKJV's translation of this verse: "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun."  A literal reading of this passage indicates that Hiel built the foundation with Abiram and the gates with Segub.  The curse likely referred to continual setbacks, delays, and problems in the construction.  It likely took the lifetime of these people to construct these things.

Chapter 7

7:1, 24 - Was Achan the son of Carmi or of Zerah?

* This Hebrew word for "son" also means "grandson" or "descendant."  Therefore, Achan was Carmi's literal son and Zerah's great-grandson.

7:1-13 - Joshua and all the elders tear their clothes, fall on their faces, and put dust on their heads. They perform this tantrum because the Israelites lost a battle (God was punishing them because one man (Achan) "took of the accursed thing"). I wonder what "the accursed thing" was? Knowledge, tolerance, kindness perhaps?

* God punished their disobedience.

7:15 - If you happen to see "the accursed thing," don't touch it. If you do, you, your family, and all of your animals must be burned.

* God takes sin very seriously.  He had a covenant with the Israelites and those who transgressed were punished with their lives.

7:24-25 - "And Joshua ... took Achan ... and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his sheep... And all of Israel stoned them with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones." This is because Achan "took of the accursed thing" -- whatever that means. But why would God require that Achan's sons and daughters (and even his animals) be stoned to death along with him? The Bible doesn't say. But it does tell us that "the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger" when Achan, his children, and his animals were stoned to death and their dead bodies burned. This story tells us about the loving kindness of the biblical God.

* Achan's family followed him and his sinful, wicked choice.  His house was responsible for his action, too.  Therefore, they were all punished.

Chapter 8

8:1-29 - In Joshua 8 the Israelites destroy Ai and make it a desolate heap. But archaeology has revealed that Ai was an abandoned city by the time of the Israelites and that this story is nothing more than a myth invented to explain the ruins of an ancient city that the Israelites encountered. See Archaeology and Biblical Accuracy by Farrell Till.

* Farrell Till is not an archaeologist or a scholar.  He has simply posted two quotes from an archaeology magazine and given his input on this subject.

* Joe Callaway (who Farrell Till cites in his paper) wasn't digging at Ai.  Ai is supposedly a little bit south and east of Bethel.  Bethel was always really close in the Bible, with a mountain in between them.  It was about 12 miles from Jerusalem to Ai.  Callaway thought it was 14 miles.  Pottery and remains have been found at 12 miles north of Jerusalem and they have been dated to Joshua's conquest of the city of Ai.

* Bireh is the Bethel of the Old Testament.  El-Maqatar or possibly Nisya is the Ai of the Old Testament.  Incidentally, there is a mountain in between Bireh and Nisya and it is in the vicinity of El-Maqatar.  Recently, El-Maqatar has provided artifacts and remains that identify it as a likely location of ancient Ai.

8:3,12 - In verse 3, Joshua takes an army of 30,000 to destroy the city of Ai. But verse 12 says he took only 5,000 men.

* There were 30,000 total men involved in this military operation.  5,000 were sent to lie in wait between Bethel and Ai (on the West side of the city).  25,000 were sent to the North side of the city.

8:8 - God instructs Joshua to burn the city of Ai.

* This is correct.  They weren't to pillage it, but they were to raze this pagan city.

8:22-26 - Joshua and his army, per God's instructions, slaughter "all the inhabitants of Ai."

* God's judgment had fallen on these wicked, unrepentant sinners.

8:28 - This verse says that Ai was never again occupied after it was destroyed by Joshua. But Nehemiah (7:32) lists it among the cities of Israel at the time of the Babylonian captivity.

* This verse does not say that Ai was never occupied again.  It reads, "So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day."

* This Hebrew word that has been translated into "forever" also means "concealed the vanishing point."  It doesn't always mean forever literally.

8:29 - Joshua hangs the king of Ai on a tree until evening.

* This is correct.

8:31 - After Joshua kills all the inhabitants of Ai, burns their city, and hangs their king on a tree, he kills some animals and burns them as a "peace offering" to his warlike God.

* God wanted His people to give Him burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Chapter 9

9:21-27 - God curses the Gibeonites to be slaves of the Jews forever.

* Instead of killing these pagans, the Israelites made a covenant with them, decided to cohabitate with them and assign them duties.

Chapter 10

10:10-11 - God slaughters the Amorites and even chases them "along the way" as they try to escape. Then he sends down huge hailstones and kills even more of them.

* The first five verses in this chapter indicate that the Amorites formed a large alliance and military power and sent them to kill the Gibeonites and Israelites.  Consequently, God interceded on the Israelites' (and Gibeonites') behalf.

10:12-13 - In a divine type of daylight savings time, God makes the sun stand still so that Joshua can get all his killing done before dark. "Is this not written in the book of Jasher?" Beats me.

* This was a mighty miracle from God.

10:14, 42 - "The Lord fought for Israel." I wonder what kind of weapon he used. Probably the jawbone of an ass.

* Yes, the Lord was on the side of His people.  There were many reasons for this.  One reason is that the Messiah would come through this line of people.  Another reason is God enacted His judgment against pagans through Israel's army.

10:19 - God tells Joshua to "pursue after your enemies and smite the hindmost of them." (Kick their butts.) Don't let any of them escape "for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand."

* God's judgment against sinners is severe.  Most sinners are blessed to keep their lives and have ample time to repent.  However, nobody knows how much time they will have.

10:24-26 - Joshua tells his captains to "put your feet upon the necks of these kings." He says, "thus shall the Lord do to all of your enemies." Then Joshua kills the kings and hangs them on trees.

* This is true.

10:28-42 - Joshua, at God's command, kills everyone and everything that he can find (including babies and little children)-- or, as the Bible puts it, he "utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord commanded."

* God wanted these pagans to be expelled.  The Creator God held this right (and still does, but He often chooses to have mercy and grace on people).

Chapter 11

11:6-17 - God delivers the Hazorites into Joshua's hand, and he knows just what to do with them: he smites them all with (you guessed it) the edge of the sword until "there was not any left to breathe."

* This was more of God's judgment on pagans.

11:9 - "And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses."

* God did not let the Israelites have their horses as booty.

11:20 - "For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly." Notice that God hardens their hearts so that he can have an excuse to kill them.

* The nations that didn't try and make peace with Israel had rejected God and embraced idolatry.  They were steeped in their sins and would not repent.  Therefore, God judged them.

* God gives mercy and grace to people who repent.  However, after people ignore God for awhile, He sometimes chooses to judge them.  There comes a point where God's judgment is in place and He will not hear selfish cries for help that are not sincere.  Pagans were often judged for not following God.  They had ample time to repent, too.  At this point, if God actually made their hearts hardened, these pagans had already hardened their own hearts, previously, and earned God's judgment for their sins.

Chapter 12

12:4 - "And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which as of the remnant of the giants ..." Why is there no record of any of these giants in the archeological record?

* I've heard that giant, human bones have been found.  I've even seen some pictures.

* If the assertions and pictures are incorrect, then this is an argument (actually, it's a question) from silence.  Therefore, this isn't an argument at all.

* There are two, main reasons that people became very tall.  1) The protective layer of water that encircled the Earth before Noah's Flood blocked UV radiation and made the Earth like a greenhouse.  Incidentally, people also lived much longer.  2) Demonic reproduction with humans.  This is seen in Genesis 6 and this was one of the reasons why God destroyed the Earth with a flood.  This demonic offspring produced human, hybrid giants.  Unfortunately, we can read that these giants were produced after Noah's Flood, too.

* As the judgment of God fell on these giants and the Israelites killed them, they were likely burned or completely destroyed.

Chapter 14

14:2 - Does the Bible condemn gambling?

* Gambling is traditionally defined as spending money while risking it and trying to gain more money. We never see this condoned in the scriptures.

* In this passage, we see God telling His people to cast lots. This was His way of determining who would receive what. Since God ordained it, then it was perfectly right. It surely had nothing to do with a worldly desire to get rich by risking money.

Chapter 15

15:20, 33 - Here it says that the cities of Eshtaol and Zoreah were given to Judah, but in 19:40-41 the same cities are given to Dan.

* First, they were given to Judah.  Later, they fell into the control of Dan.

15:32, 36 - Poor Joshua must have had trouble with math. He says there are 29 cities in verse 32, but he lists 38 in verses 21-32. Then he says there were 14 cities in verse 36, but lists 15 in verses 33-36.

* 9 of these 38 cities were later given to Judah.  These cities include Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual, Baalah, Azem, Hormah, Ziklag, Ain, and Rimmon.  If you subtract these cities from Judah's inheritance and give them to Simeon, then you have 29 cities listed that belong to Judah.  See Joshua 19:1-9 for Simeon's inheritance.

* In verse 36, Gederah and Gederothaim were likely the same place.  In fact, their Hebrew words are very similar and stem from the same, root word.  If these places were the same, there would be 14 cities listed.

15:63 - God promised the Israelites that he would drive out all the inhabitants of the lands they pass through. But this verse shows that he didn't keep his promise since he couldn't drive out the Jebusites.

* In Joshua 15:63, Joshua 16:10, and Joshua 17:12 and 13, the Israelites chose to dwell with the inhabitants of the land.  The land still belonged to the Israelites.  However, they did not have the courage or desire to move them.  Therefore, they cohabitated with them and God's promise that the people would not resist them became moot.

Chapter 16

16:10 - "And they drave not out the Canaanites." Once again God fails keep his promise to destroy all the people the Israelites encounter.

* In Joshua 15:63, Joshua 16:10, and Joshua 17:12 and 13, the Israelites chose to dwell with the inhabitants of the land.  The land still belonged to the Israelites.  However, they did not have the courage or desire to move them.  Therefore, they cohabitated with them and God's promise that the people would not resist them became moot.

Chapter 17

17:12-13 - The Israelites, contrary to God's promises to them, could not drive out the Canaanites.

* In Joshua 15:63, Joshua 16:10, and Joshua 17:12 and 13, the Israelites chose to dwell with the inhabitants of the land.  The land still belonged to the Israelites.  However, they did not have the courage or desire to move them.  Therefore, they cohabitated with them and God's promise that the people would not resist them became moot.

17:17-18 - Joshua tells Manasseh that he will be able to drive out the Canaanites, but it turns out (see Jg.1:27-28) that he couldn't do it.

* God told Joshua that they would be able to drive out the Canaanites.  However, they resolved not to try.  Joshua tells Manasseh something similar.  However, Manasseh resolves not to try, too.

Chapter 18

18:6 - Does the Bible condemn gambling?

* Gambling is traditionally defined as spending money while risking it and trying to gain more money. We never see this condoned in the scriptures.

* In this passage, we see God telling His people to cast lots. This was His way of determining who would receive what. Since God ordained it, then it was perfectly right. It surely had nothing to do with a worldly desire to get rich by risking money.

18:16 - "Which is in the valley of the giants on the north ..." Giants, according to the bible, were quite common in biblical times. Why then is there no archeological evidence for them?

* I've heard that giant, human bones have been found.  I've even seen some pictures.

* If the assertions and pictures are incorrect, then this is an argument (actually, it's a question) from silence.  Therefore, this isn't an argument at all.

* There are two, main reasons that people became very tall.  1) The protective layer of water that encircled the Earth before Noah's Flood blocked UV radiation and made the Earth like a greenhouse.  Incidentally, people also lived much longer.  2) Demonic reproduction with humans.  This is seen in Genesis 6 and this was one of the reasons why God destroyed the Earth with a flood.  This demonic offspring produced human, hybrid giants.  Unfortunately, we can read that these giants were produced after Noah's Flood, too.

* As the judgment of God fell on these giants and the Israelites killed them, they were likely burned or completely destroyed.

Chapter 19

19:40-41 - These verses say that Zorah and Eshtaol were given to Dan, but according to 15:20, 33, they were given to Judah.

* First, they were given to Judah.  Later, they fell into the control of Dan.

19:51 - Does the Bible condemn gambling?

* Gambling is traditionally defined as spending money while risking it and trying to gain more money. We never see this condoned in the scriptures.

* In this passage, we see God telling His people to cast lots. This was His way of determining who would receive what. Since God ordained it, then it was perfectly right. It surely had nothing to do with a worldly desire to get rich by risking money.

Chapter 21

21:8 - Does the Bible condemn gambling?

* Gambling is traditionally defined as spending money while risking it and trying to gain more money. We never see this condoned in the scriptures.

* In this passage, we see God telling His people to cast lots. This was His way of determining who would receive what. Since God ordained it, then it was perfectly right. It surely had nothing to do with a worldly desire to get rich by risking money.

21:23-24 - Here it says that the cities of Aijalon and Gathrimmon were given to Dan, but in 1 Chr.6:66, 69 they are given to Ephraim.

* These cities were first given to Dan, but later reassigned to Ephraim.  Dan was the first tribe to fall into idolatry and this is a possible reason for their loss.

21:43-45 - According to these verses, God fulfilled his promise to give the Israelites all of the lands that they encountered. But in several places the Bible tells us that these promises were not kept.

* Did God really fail to keep His promise?  Joshua 21:43-45 reads, "So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.  The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers.  And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.  Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel.  All came to pass."

* Before they entered the land, God gave them this land.  Therefore, since Joshua chapter 1, this land belonged to the Israelites (even though they weren't occupying all of it, yet).

* The Israelites surely dwelt in the land.  This cannot be denied because they either conquered the pagans or they decided to live with them.

* Joshua never lost a military battle.  Everyone him and his army decided to fight lost in battle.  However, the people they didn't fight obviously didn't "stand against them" because they cohabitated with them (the Gibeonites and Canaanites are two examples).

* God kept His Word!  He gave them all the land.  None of their enemies could stand against them.  If they had decided not to cohabitate with pagans, they could have driven them out of the land, too.

Chapter 22

22:20 - "Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel?" To find out see Jos.7:1-26. But I thought his father was Carmi.

* In this verse and chapter, Joshua is commending the Reubenites, the Gadites and half of the tribe of Manasseh.  Achan was from the tribe of Judah and he did get judged for his sin.

* This Hebrew word for "son" also means "grandson" or "descendant."  Therefore, Achan was Carmi's literal son and Zerah's great-grandson.

Chapter 24

24:19-20 - God is jealous and will never forgive you for your sins. And if you worship other gods, "He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you."

* This quote is part of Joshua's speech to the Israelites.  He was telling them that they should get rid of their idols and gods and serve the Lord.  In essence, he was challenging them and pumping them up.  Their response was a resounding one: they were going to put their faith in God and get rid of their idols.

* Joshua's words can be compared to a football coach's words when he tells his team that they aren't as good as the competition.  He doesn't want to discourage them.  He wants to challenge them and he expects them to respond with emotion and desire to do their best.  This tactic apparently works because the Israelites decide to follow God and reject their gods and idols.

* This phrase by Joshua was in between two statements by the Israelites.  After they told Joshua they would follow God, he was warning them that their punishment would be severe if they were lying or if they would decide to reject God, later.  This was their response, ". . . we will serve the Lord!"

24:32 - This verse says that Jacob purchased the sepulchre, but Acts 7:16 says that Abraham bought it.

* Abraham bought this tomb (or sepulcher).  This is shown by the following scriptures: Genesis 49:30, Genesis 50:13 and Acts 7:16.

* This Hebrew word for "bought," in Joshua 24:32, is better translated "possessed."  A better rendering of Joshua 24:32 is: "The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had possessed, purchased from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of silver, and which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph."  This word "inheritance" clearly indicates that this burial place was passed (from Abraham) to Joseph and his children.