Introduction
An Immigrant People
Moses¡¯ mission finished at Mt. Nebo. As we see in the Book of Deuteronomy,
Moses had been called by God to ¡®bring up the people¡¯, from the slavery of
Egypt to the gates of the Promised land. The people are there facing this
territory and it is now Joshua, the first Jesus¡ªJoshua and Jesus are one and
the same word in Hebrew¡ªwho is to lead the people into the land of promise.
Can we even speak of a people? Actually there are no more than a few clans
guided by Moses across the desert, increased doubtless by new elements they
have met at the holy place Qadesh-Barn¨¦. However few in number, these nomads
carry such a religious experience that it will become, after meeting other
tribes that did not leave Palestine, the spiritual heritage of them all.
Facing the Canaanites who inhabit the towns and cultivate the surrounding
land, those nomads gradually become aware of their identity. He who revealed
himself on Mt. Sinai and multiplied marvels in favor of these escapees from
Egypt, Yahweh-God, has made a covenant with this nomadic people; he has
entrusted to them at the same time his promises.
From now on they are the people he has chosen; and he is their God. It is
during this period of Joshua and the Judges that the people of Israel will
be truly formed.
Although laden as they are with favors from Yahweh, these nomads cannot but
admire the Canaanites among whom they live. This period of the second
millennium before Jesus Christ has doubtless been the most prestigious
period of Palestine history from a cultural point of view. Compared to the
Canaanite towns with their ramparts, their temples and palaces with cedar
panelling and inlaid ivory the nomads cut a poor figure. The contrast was
the same on the religious level; the Canaanites in the towns multiplied
celebrations, feasts and rituals under the eyes of tribes who hadn¡¯t even a
temple.
The books of Joshua and Judges as well as Samuel and Kings show us how
easily the Israelites let themselves be influenced. Attracted by this
brilliant civilization, they abandoned their customs and faith to adopt the
cults of the country.
The Reality of a Conquest
A people seduced by Canaanite culture, leaders who resist and proclaim a
call to fidelity¡ªsuch is the permanent conflict presented by the Bible texts
of this period. The Book of Joshua seems to present a systematic conquest of
the country led by Joshua at the head of the clans; but actually it must
have happened quite differently.
Town dwellers and nomads were certainly very different and the obligation of
both to cohabit on common land did not prevent conflicts: at one time the
Canaanites were stronger, at another the nomads. But gradually the tribes
imposed their law on the former inhabitants of the land, and at the time of
Saul, the one-time nomads, now citizens of the country had the power to
rule. David and later Solomon were to confirm such a situation.
Active minorities are the ones that make history: when we speak of the
Church and its impact on the world it is often a matter of a minority of the
faithful. The prophets who, several centuries after Joshua, assemble the
traditions and documents on the ¡°conquest,¡± made no pretense of giving us an
exact account and complete history. Let us not be deceived by the triumphal
tone of these accounts where Joshua and all Israel won fantastic victories.
The Book of Joshua narrates small events that make up great history.