“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1: 7-9

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative detailing how Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, transforming it into the land of Israel. This process is portrayed as swift and inexorable, followed by an orderly division and distribution of the land among the twelve tribes. The book concludes with a ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable: God has been faithful to His promise of the land. Israel’s possession of the land depends on total reliance on the Lord for victory, unity as a people, adherence to the law of herem, and ensuring no one grows rich from the spoils of war. Only under these conditions will Israel maintain possession of the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses. The book emphasizes not only how Joshua continues Moses’ work but also how the “conquest” of Canaan is intrinsically connected to the exodus from Egypt. This connection is highlighted by the repeated insistence that, just as the Lord was with Moses, so He is with Joshua. This is particularly evident in the crossing of the Jordan River, which mirrors the crossing of the Red Sea. (Source: USCCB, Introduction to the Book of Joshua)

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Believing in God, the only One, and loving him with all our being has enormous consequences for our whole life.

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It means coming to know God’s greatness and majesty: “Behold, God is great, and we know him not.”46 Therefore, we must “serve God first.”47