A: According to the Book of Numbers, Joshua was one of the two spy leaders sent to find out about the land of the Canaanites. In the Book of Joshua, he led the Israelites into
… Canaan. They then went on to conquer 31 fortified cities under his leadership, taking control of almost the entire land of Canaan. Jericho was the first city conquered, then 'Ai. Part of his identity consists of whether he was a real, historical person or a person of legend. Lawrence E. Stager (The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel) provides the following chart of cities mentioned in the account, but finds no evidence of a biblical invasion of Canaan. * Site not known/ occupation not known a) Not occupied/ meagre occupation b) No destruction/ destruction not likely by Israelites c) Contrary evidence Jericho | Joshua 12:9; 6; 24:11 | a) Meagre LB II occupation / Ai | Joshua 12:9; 7:2-8:29 | a) No occupation from 2250 to 1200 / Jerusalem | Joshua 12:10; Judges 1:21 | b) No destruction at the end of LB II / Hebron | Joshua 12:10; 10:3637; 14:13-15; 15:13-14; Judges 1:10 | b) No evidence / Jarmuth | Joshua 12:11; 10:5 | b) LB II to Iron I occupation / Lachish | Joshua 1211; 10:31-32 | c) City VII destroyed in late thirteenth century Clty VI destroyed c. ll50. / Eglon | Joshua 12:12; 10:34-35 | * Tell 'Aitun; LB occupation unclear / Gezer | Joshua 12:12; contra Judges 1:29 | d) LB destruction, probably by Merneptah or Philistines / Debir | Joshua 12:13; 10:38-39; 15:15-17; Judges 1. 11-13 | b) Tell er-Rabud; no destruction at end of LB / Geder | Joshua 12:13 | * Khirbet Jedur; LB II and Iron I pottery; not excavated / Hormah | Joshua 12:.14 | * Identification unknown / Arad | Joshua 12:14 | a) No LB occupation / Libnah | Joshua 12:15; 10:29-31 | * Identification unknown / Adullam | Joshua 12:1 | * Khirbet 'Adullam; not excavated / Makkedah | Joshua 12:.16; 10:28 | * Identification unknown / Bethel | Joshua 12:16; 8:17; Judges 1:22-26 | d) Destruction in late thirteenth century / Tappuah | Joshua 12:17 | * Tell Sheikh Abu Zarad; not excavated / Hepher | Joshua 12:17 | * Tell el-Muhaffer; not excavated / Aphek | Joshua 12:18 | c) LB destruction followed by Iron I "Sea Peoples" occupation / Lasharon | Joshua 12:18 | * Identification unknown / Madon | Joshua 12:1 | * Identification unknown / Hazor | Joshua 12:19; 11:10-13; Judges 4:2 | d) LB city, Stratum XIII destroyed in thirteenth century / Shimron-meron | Joshua 12:20 | * Identification unknown / Achsaph | Joshua 12:20 | Khirbet el-Harbaj: LB II and Iron I pottery / Taanach | Joshua 12:21; contra Judges 1:27 | a) Meagre LB II remains; Iron I village destroyed in latter half of twelfth century / Megiddo | Joshua 12:21; contra Judges 1:27 | b) LB II/Iron I city, Stratum VIIA destroyed in latter half of twelfth century / Kedesh | Joshua 12:22 | b) Tell Abu Qudeis; Iron I settlement, Stratum VIII destroyed in latter half of twelfth century / Jokneam | Joshua 12.22 | c) LB II settlement, Stratum XIX destroyed in late thirteenth or twelfth century; gap follows / Dor | Joshua 12:23; contra Judges 1:27 | c) 'Sea Peoples' known as Sikils occupy city in twelfth century; transition from LB to Iron I not yet determined / Goiim | Joshua 12:23 | * Identification unknown / Tirzah | Joshua 12:24 | b) Tell el-Farah (N); LB II and Iron I occupation; no evidence of destruction. Based on this and other evidence, most scholars now say that there was no invasion of the land of the Canaanites in the late Bronze Age. If there was no such invasion, Joshua was not a historical person. The Hebrew people were Canaanite people who migrated internally from the region of the rich coastal cities into the hitherto sparsely populated hinterland. (MORE) 
