• DOI:10.2307/3263755
• Corpus ID: 17518822

The Deuteronomic Theology of the Book of Joshua

@article{Wenham1971TheDT,
  title={The Deuteronomic Theology of the Book of Joshua},
  author={Gordon J. Wenham},
  journal={Journal of Biblical Literature},
  year={1971},
  volume={90},
  pages={140}
}

• G. Wenham
• Published 1 June 1971
• Physics
• Journal of Biblical Literature

T HE close relationship between the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua has long been observed. Linguistically Deuteronomy has closer links with Joshua than with any other part of the former prophets! In content too Joshua forms a perfect sequel to Deuteronomy; the program of the holy war of conquest set out in Deuteronomy is successfully carried out in Joshua. 2 As is well known there have been two main theories to explain the relationship between these books. According to the· Hexateuch theory, Joshua forms not only the conclusion of the Pentateuch, but was created out of the same four main sources J, E, D and P.3 According to the deuteronomic history theory, Joshua is the second part of the great historical work, comprising Deuteronomy and the former prophets, which was created by a deuteronomist during the sixth century B.C., using earlier sources. The latter theory has commended itself to the majority of recent commentators on Joshua.4 It is generally supposed that there were two stages in the deuteronomistic editing of Joshua and that chs. 13-21 and 24 represent secondary additions by the deuteronomist to an earlier deuteronomic book of Joshua. It is on the arrangement of the material that this hypothesis rests, and it is admitted that there is very little change in outlook between the two deuteronomists. Therefore, for the purposes of the study of the theology of the book it is not really necessary to take into account the different stages of its redaction. But it will be argued here that the arrangement of the material is more subtle than at first appears, and that its theology is so close to the book of Deuteronomy that there is little need to postulate a secondary red action by a later deuteronomist who was responsible for editing Kings. The books of Deuteronomy and Joshua are bound together by five