Joshua’s hills and valleys

Joshua assisted Moses during the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan (Ex. 24:13; 33:11; Num. 11:28). So during this time period he experienced the same hills and valleys as Moses. When Moses died outside the promised land after he viewed it from Mount Nebo (Dt. 34:1-7), Joshua replaced him as the leader of the Israelites (Dt. 31:1-8). Joshua lived in the 15th century BC. There is an account of his life from Exodus 17 to Joshua 24 of the Bible.

During the exodus

This graph shows that there were many hills and valleys during their 40-year journey to Canaan – the lower graph follows the upper one. The hills included: receiving the ten commandments at Mt Sinai; being provided with manna, water and quail; and victories over enemies (Appendix). The valleys included: the complaints, criticism and grumbling of the people; idolatry; rebellions; enemy attacks; and deaths due to God’s judgement.

Joshua led the Israelite army in their first victory (Ex. 17:8-13). He guarded the tent of meeting outside the camp where people could speak with God (Ex. 33:7-11). And he was one of the 12 men who explored Canaan. But 10 of these men said that the cities were too strong for them to defeat. As only Joshua and Caleb said that they could possess the promised land, they were the only ones older than 20 years of age that lived long enough to enter Canaan. The rest died during the 38 years that they wandered in the wilderness. So Joshua believed that God was stronger than their enemies.

In the promised land

The main hills and valleys when he was in the promised land are shown in the graph.

Hill: They miraculously crossed the Jordan river when it was in flood (Josh. 3).

Hill: They circumcised the males who had been born in the wilderness and celebrated the Passover. Then God gave them victory over the city of Jericho after they had marched around it 13 times over seven days (Josh 6).

Valley: But because of Achan’s sin, they were defeated at Ai (Josh. 7).

Hill: After the sin was punished, God gave them victory over Ai (Josh. 8). And the covenant was renewed.

Valley: They were deceived into agreeing to a peace treaty by the Gibeonites, who became servants to the Israelites (Josh. 9). Such treaties were only to be made with cites outside Canaan (Dt. 20:10-18).

Hill: God gave them victory over the Amorites, the southern cities and the northern cities (Josh. 10-11).

Valley: When Joshua was old there were still very large areas of the promised land to be taken over (Josh. 13).

Hill: Portions of the promised land were allocated to each of the tribes of Israel (Josh. 13-21).

Valley: There was a misunderstanding about an altar built by the eastern tribes near the Jordan river (Josh. 22). There was a threat of war when the western tribes assumed it was a pagan altar. But this was averted when they were told that it was a monument to remind their descendants that both worshipped the same God.

Hill: Before Joshua’s death the covenant was renewed (Josh. 24:1-28).

So, Joshua had plenty of hills and valleys.

Lessons for us

The Bible shows Joshua as a faithful and courageous leader who trusted God and obeyed His commands. His only recorded sin was that he and the Israelites “did not inquire of the Lord” when they made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:14). The Gibeonites tricked Joshua and the Israelites into making a treaty with them, even though God had commanded them not to make any treaties with the inhabitants of the land (Ex. 34:12, 15-16; Dt. 7:2; 20:10-18).

“Joshua read all the words of the law” “to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them” (Josh. 8:34-35). So he read the Scriptures which included God instructions and commands. And he urged the people to throw away their foreign gods (Josh. 24:23).

Joshua obeyed God’s instructions and commands. For example, he investigated Achan’s sin and ambushed Ai (Josh. 7:14-18; 8:1-23). And he resisted peer pressure when he didn’t follow the majority of the spies. This shows that obeying God’s instructions and commands can promote resilience.

Near the end of his life Joshua said, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). He “followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Num. 32:12).

Joshua had a good influence on the Israelites. The Bible says that “Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel” (Josh. 24:31).

Appendix: Hills and valleys during the Exodus

After the ten plagues, Pharoah told the Israelites to leave Egypt and God guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. But Pharaoh changed his mind and commanded the Egyptian army to return them to Egypt.

Valley: The Israelites were terrified of the Egyptian army coming after them (Ex. 14:10).

Hill: But God caused the Egyptian army to be drowned in the Red Sea (Ex. 14:28). So, the Israelites praised God.

Valley: Then the Israelites grumbled because the water at Marah was bitter (Ex. 15:23-24).

Hill: God purified the water and provided more water at Elim.

Valley: Then the Israelites grumbled because of the lack of food in the desert (Ex. 16:2-3).

Hill: God provided manna and quail to eat (Ex. 16: 4-36).

Valley: Then the Israelites grumbled because of the lack of water at Rephidim (Ex. 17:3).

Hill: God provided water at Massah and Meribah (Ex. 17: 6-7).

Valley: Then Amalekites attacked the Israelites at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8).

Hill: The Amalekites were defeated (Ex. 17: 13).

Valley: Moses was wearing himself out settling disputes between the Israelites (Ex. 18:18).

OMIT Hill: Jethro told Moses to delegate the simple disputes to other men (Ex. 18: 21-22).

Hill: At Mt Sinai God made a covenant with the Israelites giving them promises, commandments instructions about the tabernacle, priests and offerings (Ex. 19 onwards).

Valley: While Moses was on Mt Sinai for 40 days, the Israelites began to worship a golden calf (Ex. 32:1-35). When God punished them about 3,000 people died and others were struck with a plague.

Hill: God appeared to Moses and renewed His covenant with the Israelites (Ex. 33:18 – 34:35).

Valley: Miriam and Aaron opposed Moses (Num. 12:1-35). Miriam was punished for her jealousy.

Hill: At Kadesh 12 men were sent to explore the promised land and reported that it was fertile and productive (Num. 13:1-27).

Valley: But most of the spies said that the people were too strong for the Israelites to defeat (Num. 13:31-33). So, the Israelites grumbled and rebelled against Moses (Num. 14:1-4; Dt. 1:26-28). They doubted God’s power. The punishment was that they would wander another 38 years in the wilderness so that all those above 20 years in age (about 600,000 men), except Joshua and Caleb, would die before they reached the promised land.

Valley: A group of 250 mean opposed Moses opposed Moses (Num. 16:1-3). God destroyed them and their families. Then the Israelites grumbled against Moses and 14,700 died in a plague.

Valley: Near the end of their wandering in the wilderness there was no water and the Israelites grumbled against Moses (Num. 20:1-13). God told Moses to speak to a rock to obtain water, but he struck is twice with his staff. Because of his disobedience Moses died before they reached the promised land.

Hill: At Hormah the Israelites defeated the Canaanites who attacked them (Num. 21:1-3).

Valley: The Israelites complained about the lack of water and the miserable food (Num. 21:4-9). God sent venomous snakes, and many died. After they confessed their sin, God told them to look at a bronze snake to be healed of the snake bite.

Hill: When the Amorites and the people of Bashan attacked, God gave the Israelites the victory and they occupied their lands (Num. 21:21-35; Dt. 2:24 – 3:11).

Valley: At Shittim the Israelites were enticed into sexual immorality and idolatry (Num. 25:1-3). As a result of this sin 24,000 died in a plague. And God told the Israelites to attack the Midianites and to take their possessions (Num. 31:1-54).

Hill: Moses blessed the tribes of Israel (Dt. 33:1-29).

Valley: Moses died outside the promised land after he viewed it from Mount Nebo (Dt. 34:1-7)

Written, August 2023