Joshua only conquered part of one land, although inhabited by various tribes or nations or 'people groups'(whatever term one prefers). Land areas outside of the land had already been conquered 'on the way in', such as what would now be termed as Northern Egypt and across the eastern side of the Jordan River in what is now the nation of Jordan. Moses was the leader of the nation at this time, prior to the entry into Canaan, although Joshua was his 'right hand man' in terms of military matters.
The land Joshua partly conquered was called Canaan, later Palestine, and today Israel.
The only cities which The Bible records that were destroyed by Joshua as part of this conquest were Jericho, Ai, and Hazor. The first and the last have evidence of significant destruction at around the relevant time period, as attested by Archaeology. The correct site of biblical Ai is still a matter of some discussion, although archaeologists know that materials were often re-used and sites scraped clean before rebuilding or reoccupation. So, no remains of what was only a small city anyway would not be surprising or relevant to the conquest as a whole.
It is also recorded that the Israelites were to 'live in cities you did not build'. This means that they were not coming to slash and burn with a scorched earth policy but to live in the land, which is why much was left intact. It is also recorded that they lived in tents for quite some years after the original occupation.
The main area of conquest by Joshua in the land of Canaan was along the central highlands.
The Book of Joshua tells us that Joshua conquered most of the Canaanite cities in what became known as Palestine. The biblical genealogies tell us that this must have happened around 1400 BCE.
However, archaeologists tell us that some of the cities so graphically described as conquered by Joshua had already been abandoned long before the time of the supposed conquest. Moreover, the Amarna letters tell us that, many decades later, Palestine continued to be ruled by petty Canaanite kings, under the dominion and protection of their Egyptian overlords. There is no evidence of an Israelite presence in the Levant until shortly before 1200 BCE, and no evidence of a military conquest as described in the Bible.
Another reason to believe that the conquests of Joshua did not really occur is to be found in the Book of Judges. Joshua was the legendary military hero of the northern kingdom of Israel, but Caleb was similarly the military hero of the southern kingdom of Judah. Some of the cities supposedly captured by Joshua, who then killed all the inhabitants and left no one living, were also recorded in Judges chapter 1 as being conquered by the Judahites under Caleb. Even if the Judahite story is more abbreviated than the epic story of Joshua, it is biblical evidence that the conquest of Canaan could not have happened as described in the Bible.
The Torah narrative states that Moses conquered the lands of Sichon and Og (Numbers ch.21; Deuteronomy 2:24 to 3:17). These were large regions in the vicinity surrounding Mount Hermon, and the Transjordan, north of Moab and Ammon.
Note also that the Israelite slaves did not "revolt." They continued to serve Pharaoh even after demanding their freedom (Exodus ch.5-6), right up until the point that Pharaoh proclaimed their freedom (Exodus ch.12).
When Joshua destroyed 31 Canaaninte city-states, he publicly warned the Canaanites concerning God's command for the Israelites to take Canaan (Jerusalem Talmud, Shevi'it 6:1), and gave them a chance to leave the land (ibid). The Girgashites took the warning seriously and departed to Africa (ibid.), while the Gibeonites made a treaty with the Israelites (Joshua ch.9). The rest of the Canaanites insisted on fighting, and attacked the Israeliteswith a massive army (Joshua ch.11).
Whenever fighting, the Israelites never completely surrounded any town. They offered conditional peace, and then (if peace was rejected) left one area open for escape so that whoever wanted to flee could do so (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of kings and war ch.6).
According to the Book of Joshua, Joshua conquered 31 cities. In the Late Bronze Age (LB), each city had its own king, so this would mean 31 kings. However scholars no longer accept that there was a military invasion of Canaan, as described in the Bible. 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, finding 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
d) Possible destruction by Israelites
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.
4
It depends on which accounts you read and how you add them up. Joshua alone defeated 31 kings in an untold number of battles. There are at least 15 battles that are named or directly described by the Old Testament during the time of Joshua and the Judges.
I think it was about 15 or 16! It is unclear how many kingdoms Joshua conquered, but it is known that he defeated 31 kings. (This could be greater than the number of kingdoms he acquired if he defeated kings who were allies of kings that he desired land from.)
They did.
Joshua and the children of Israel smote, (or killed), 31 kings. (Joshua 12.7-24).
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Joshua Goldstein has written: 'Four Plays by Joshua Goldstein' 'Drama Kings' 'Four plays'
Barter Kings - 2012 Divide and Conquer 1-10 is rated/received certificates of: Netherlands:AL
Employing the biblical law of eye for an eye they apparently did the same to Adoni-Bezek before sending him to Jerusalem as a slave.
Barter Kings - 2012 Divide and Conquer 1-10 was released on: USA: 18 July 2012
God promised it to Abraham (Genesis ch.15 and elsewhere), and instructed Joshua to conquer it (Joshua ch.1), which he did.
God promised it to Abraham (Genesis ch.15 and elsewhere), and instructed Joshua to conquer it (Joshua ch.1), which he did.