"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." — Joshua 1:9 (KJV)
The short answer
Joshua was the son of Nun, Moses' faithful assistant, chosen by God to succeed Moses and lead Israel into the promised land. He guided the nation across the Jordan, saw the walls of Jericho fall, led the conquest of Canaan, and at the end of his life called Israel to serve the LORD alone.
Joshua's life is a study in courage born of God's presence. He had already spent decades in Moses' shadow — as his aide, as one of the two faithful spies, as a soldier and worshipper — before God called him to lead. What follows is the story of a man who was told again and again to be strong and courageous, and who obeyed. Every quoted verse below is taken exactly from the King James Version.
Who was Joshua?
Joshua the son of Nun first appears leading Israel in battle and serving closely at Moses' side. He was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan, and one of only two — with Caleb — who trusted God's promise while the other ten shrank back in fear. That faith marked him out. When it came time to name the one who would carry the nation forward, God pointed to Joshua.
"And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;" — Numbers 27:18 (KJV)
Joshua was not chosen because he was fearless by nature; the repeated call to courage suggests otherwise. He was chosen because the Spirit was in him and because he followed God fully. Leadership, in his case, grew out of long, faithful service.
What is the story of Joshua?
After Moses died, God commissioned Joshua to bring Israel into the land promised to Abraham. The people crossed the Jordan on dry ground, and the first city to stand in their way was Jericho, walled and shut up tight. God's plan was strange to human eyes: no siege engines, only marching, trumpets, and a shout of faith.
"So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city." — Joshua 6:20 (KJV)
Jericho set the pattern for all that followed: the victories were God's, and Israel's part was to obey. Over the years of conquest that followed, Joshua led the tribes to take possession of the land, and then oversaw its division among them, giving each tribe its inheritance.
What were the key moments of Joshua's life?
From the very start, God tied Joshua's success not to his sword but to his faithfulness to the Word. The charge given to him on the threshold of the land was clear: keep the book of the law close, and obey it.
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." — Joshua 1:8 (KJV)
The crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, the long campaign to take the land, and the fair dividing of the inheritance among the tribes — these were the milestones of Joshua's leadership. But perhaps his greatest moment came at the very end, when he gathered all Israel at Shechem for one last charge.
Old and near death, Joshua reminded the people of everything God had done, and then pressed them to make their choice plain. He would not let them drift into half-hearted faith; he set before them a decision and staked his own household on the answer.
What can we learn from Joshua?
Joshua's life urges us to be strong and courageous, not because we are equal to the task, but because God goes with us. His confidence never rested on his own ability; it rested on the promise that the LORD would be with him wherever he went. And his final word to Israel still calls each generation to a clear, personal decision.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." — Joshua 24:15 (KJV)
Joshua teaches us that faith obeys before it fully understands, that courage is anchored in God's presence rather than in favorable odds, and that leading well means calling others to follow the LORD. His name itself — a Hebrew form of the name later given as Jesus — means "the LORD is salvation," a quiet signpost to the true Savior who would lead His people into a greater rest.
Frequently asked questions
How did the walls of Jericho fall?
At God's command, Israel marched around Jericho once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day, with the priests blowing trumpets. On the final circuit the people shouted, and the wall fell down flat (Joshua 6:20, KJV). It was not a feat of military engineering but an act of obedient faith; the victory belonged to God, and Israel simply did what He said.
What is Joshua best known for saying?
Near the end of his life, Joshua gathered Israel and pressed them to choose whom they would serve, declaring, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15, KJV). This ringing personal commitment is Joshua's most famous statement — a leader staking his household on faithfulness to God regardless of what anyone else chose to do.
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." — Joshua 1:8 (KJV)
Study Joshua's life for yourself
This is only a sketch of a life the Bible tells in rich detail. FlickerFaith is a Scripture-first study companion — open it to walk through the book of Joshua in full context, trace how God kept every promise He made to Israel, study what it means to be strong and courageous, and ask honest questions about faith and obedience. It keeps you close to the Word, not away from it.
Keep reading
Meet more people of Scripture: who was David?, who was Solomon?, and who was Gideon? To meet the Savior whose name Joshua shares, read who is Jesus Christ? You can also browse Bible topics, explore AI Bible study, or return home.