Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
📖

Joshua

philosophy religion Maturity 11-13 religion Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: religion. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Joshua was a very important leader in ancient times.

Tissot Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest
Tissot Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest

In the Hebrew Bible, he served as the assistant to Moses. His name, Yehoshua, means "Yahweh is salvation." He was born in Egypt before the Exodus began.

Robert Hecquet, Israelites Crossing the Jordan River, c. 1720-1775
Robert Hecquet, Israelites Crossing the Jordan River, c. 1720-1775

Later, he became the leader of the Israelite tribes. He is a figure of great respect in many traditions. Many people find his story of leadership very interesting.

His leadership involved many important steps for his people. First, Moses gave him the job of leading a militia. This group fought against the Amalekites at a place called Rephidim. Joshua also helped Moses on Mount Sinai. He saw the Ten Commandments being given to the people.

Joshua 10C, cropping from trailer
Joshua 10C, cropping from trailer

He even watched over the tent of meeting while Moses was away. These roles helped prepare him to lead the tribes himself.

History tells us how Joshua became the new leader. After Moses died, God chose Joshua to take his place.

He led the tribes into the land of Canaan. One famous story says he asked the sun to stand still. This happened at Gibeon during a big battle.

Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon (1816) John Martin - NGA 2004.64.1
Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon (1816) John Martin - NGA 2004.64.1

This event helped his people win in the daylight.

There are many specific details about his life and travels. Joshua was the son of Nun from the tribe of Ephraim. He lived during the Bronze Age according to some timelines. He lived to be 110 years old before he died.

Joshua's Tomb in Jordan 01
Joshua's Tomb in Jordan 01

He was also a respected leader in the faith of Islam. In Islamic stories, he is known as Yusha bin Nun. He is described as an attendant to Moses in the Quran.

Today, people look at Joshua in different ways. Some people study the stories for their religious meaning. Other people are scientists who look at old cities. They look at places like Jericho and Ai to find facts.

Crossing the Jordan River with the Ark, painted board, detail from the cabinets of the Old Sacristy, Church of St Mary the Gracious Milan. Italy, 15th
Crossing the Jordan River with the Ark, painted board, detail from the cabinets of the Old Sacristy, Church of St Mary the Gracious Milan. Italy, 15th

They want to see if the ground matches the stories. This helps us understand how people viewed the past.

318 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Tissot Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest.jpg
Tissot Moses Blesses Joshua Before the...
File:Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon (1816) John Martin - NGA 2004.64.1.jpg
Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still...
File:Joshua's Tomb at Kifl Hares.jpg
Joshua's Tomb at Kifl Hares.jpg
File:Joshua's Tomb in Jordan 01.jpg
Joshua's Tomb in Jordan 01.jpg
File:Karolingischer Buchmaler um 840 001.jpg
Karolingischer Buchmaler um 840 001.jpg
File:Crossing the Jordan River with the Ark, painted board, detail from the cabinets of the Old Sacristy, Church of St Mary the Gracious Milan. Italy, 15th.jpg
Crossing the Jordan River with the Ark,...
File:Robert Hecquet, Israelites Crossing the Jordan River, c. 1720-1775.jpg
Robert Hecquet, Israelites Crossing the...
File:Spencer_Coll._Persian_MS._46_101v_Yusha_and_Musa_visit_Khidr.jpg
Spencer_Coll._Persian_MS._46_101v_Yusha_an...
File:Joshua 10C, cropping from trailer.jpg
Joshua 10C, cropping from trailer.jpg
File:Yom HaAliyah Poster.jpg
Yom HaAliyah Poster.jpg
File:Joseph Schranz Bosphorus Broken Column Omer M Koc Collection copy 620 436.jpg
Joseph Schranz Bosphorus Broken Column...
More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.