Joshua

Joshua (/ˈdʒɒʃuə/ JOSH-oo-ə), also known as Yehoshua (Hebrew: יְהוֹשֻׁעַ‎ Yəhōšuaʿ,‍ Tiberian: Yŏhōšuaʿ, lit. 'Yahweh is salvation'), Jehoshua,^[b][2][3] or Josue,^[4] was Moses' assistant in the books of Exodus and Numbers, and later succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelite tribes in the Book of Joshua of the Hebrew Bible.^[5] His name was Hoshea (הוֹשֵׁעַ‎ Hōšēaʿ,‍ lit. 'Save')^[6] the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, but Moses called him "Yehoshua" (translated as "Joshua" in English),^[7] the name by which he is commonly known in English. According to the Bible, he was born in Egypt prior to the Exodus.

In Numbers 13:1, the Hebrew Bible identifies Joshua as one of the twelve spies of Israel sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. After the death of Moses, he led the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan, and allocated lands to the tribes. According to biblical chronology, Joshua lived some time in the Bronze Age. According to Joshua 24:29 Joshua died at the age of 110.

Joshua holds a position of respect among Muslims, who also see him as the leader of the faithful following the death of Moses. In Islam, it is also believed that Yusha bin Nun (Joshua) was the "attendant" of Moses mentioned in the Quran before Moses meets Khidr. Joshua plays a role in Islamic literature, with significant narration in the hadith.^[8][9]

Mainstream scholarship views the Book of Joshua as largely non-historical, with archaeological evidence often conflicting with its narrative, and many scholars suggesting it reflects later theological or political developments rather than actual events.

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