Next to the Pentateuch, the most important books of the Old Testament
are the Prophets. They are divided into two divisions, Earlier and
Later. The Earlier prophets comprise Joshua, Judges, First Samuel,
Second Samuel, First Kings, and Second Kings. The Later Prophets are
divided into Greater and Minor. The Greater Prophets are Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; the Minor Prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah,
and Malachi.
Joshua.
The book of Joshua, it is claimed, was written by Joshua just before
his death, which occurred, according to the accepted chronology, in
1426 B.C. This book for a time formed a part of the Pentateuch (or
Hexateuch). In later times, to increase its authority, the Pentateuch
was ascribed to Moses. A recognition of the fact that Moses could not
have written a history of the events that happened after his death
caused that portion now known as Joshua to be detached and credited
to Joshua.
Many of the arguments adduced against the Mosaic authorship of the
preceding books apply with equal force against the claim that Joshua
wrote the book which bears his name. The book contains no internal
evidence of his authorship; he does not claim to be its author; the
other writers of the Old Testament do not ascribe its authorship to
him; he is spoken of in the third person; it is clearly the work of
more than one writer; the language in which it was written was not in
existence when he lived; much of it relates to events that occurred
after his death.
"And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua, the son
of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten
years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnath-serah.... And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua,
and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua" (Josh. xxiv,
29-31).
As the Pentateuch gives an account of the death and burial of Moses, so
the book of Joshua gives an account of the death and burial of Joshua.
"And Eleazer the son of Aaron died" (xxiv, 33).
The death of Eleazer occurred six years after the death of Joshua.
"But the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto
this day" (xv, 63).
The children of Judah did not dwell in Jerusalem until nearly 400
years after Joshua. The phrase "unto this day" is frequently used in
the book, and this shows that it was written long after the events
it describes.
In his account of the miracle of Joshua causing the sun to stand still,
the writer appeals to the book of Jasher in support of his statement:
"Is not this written in the book of Jasher?" (x, 13.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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