How many kings did Joshua conquer?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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).

Answer 4

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.