Joshua (The Story of God Bible Commentary | SGBC)
Overview
A new commentary for today’s world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike.
Three easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God’s story:
- LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible’s grand story
- EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting
- LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students
- Emphasizes the historical distance between the Bible and contemporary culture
- Encourages discussion of how the Bible’s story can be lived today
- Examines each book in the context of God’s story
Top Highlights
“The practice was not legislated as part of Israelite warfare outside of the promised land (Deut 20:10–15) nor did it legislate complete annihilation of all people in the promised land. Inhabitants did survive Israelite battle (Josh 10:36–39 compared with 15:13–15; 1 Kgs 9:21), and, rather than total destruction of all inhabitants, the aim may have been to destroy or cripple any sense of national identity. As a ‘pragmatic … [and] standard procedure of ancient warfare,’13 it not only ‘strip[ped] away anything the conquered people could rally around in order to stage rebellion,’14 but in the biblical context the removal of the inhabitant’s national identity hindered Israel identifying itself with the inhabitants.” (Page 37)
“Three things stand out from the account of the daily circuits. First, there is an emphasis on the trumpets ‘blowing’ and ‘sounding.’ The emphasis is more apparent in Hebrew, for the same Hebrew root (tqʿ; in different formulations) underlies the different translations in the NIV (in vv. 8, 9 [2×], 13 [2×]). At Sinai, the trumpet blast produced fear and trembling as it heralded God’s holy presence (Exod 19:16; 20:18–19). One can imagine Jericho—already melting in fear (5:1)—experiencing increasing terror with each circuit of the ark. Second, in contrast to the trumpets’ sounding is the army’s utter silence. Joshua commands this silence (v. 10) in between verses recording the trumpets’ noise (vv. 8–9, 12–14).” (Page 136)
“Its primary story is quickly sketched: Israel enters the land with the assurance that God has given it to his people. As Israel carefully follows God’s law and walks in covenant relationship, God promises to be with Israel, fighting on its behalf. This is the focus of the first half of the book (chs. 1–12). In the second half of the book (chs. 13–21), Joshua distributes the land under God’s direction. The final chapters (chs. 22–24) call the community in the land to prioritize and guard its worship of the Lord.” (Page 19)
Getting a story is about more than merely enjoying it. It means hearing it, understanding it, and above all, being impacted by it. This commentary series hopes that its readers not only hear and understand the story but are impacted by it to live in as Christian a way as possible. The editors and contributors set that table very well and open up the biblical story in ways that move us to act with sensitivity and understanding. That makes hearing the story as these authors tell it well worth the time. Well done.
—Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary
The Story of God Bible Commentary series invites readers to probe how the message of the text relates to our situations today. Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations.
—Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary
- Title: Joshua
- Author: Lissa M. Wray Beal
- Editor: Tremper Longman III
- Series: Story of God Bible Commentary (SGBC)
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Publication Date: 2019
- Pages: 464
- Resource Type: Commentary
- Topic: Joshua
