Table of ContentsThe Conquest Account in JoshuaSummary of Theological InterpretationPersonal Theological ReflectionThe Conquest Account in JoshuaChapters Six to Eleven of Joshua tell the tale of the Israelites taking the land God had promised them through the Abrahamic Covenant, beginning with the destruction of Jericho. God told Joshua that he had handed Jericho and all his men over to him and that he should not be afraid. Joshua and the Israelites marched around the city of Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, they scream and the walls that protect the city collapse. The Israelites kill everyone in the city except Rahab and burn it to the ground, cursing the city so that no one will ever attempt to rebuild it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay During this time, God commands Joshua and the Israelites not to take holy things to keep for themselves, but Achan of the tribe of Judah disobeys. This infuriates God and many Israelites perish in Ai's first attack. God commands that Achan, his family, and all his possessions be burned, so the Israelites stone and char him and his family. God is no longer angry because of the sanctification of the covenant. God is with Joshua and allows the Israelites to destroy Ai in the same way as Jericho. The Gibeonites become afraid after hearing about the attack and trick Joshua into making a protection treaty with them. Joshua discovers the deception but decides to spare them. King Adoni-Zedek hears of the treaty and calls on the five Amorite kings to help him defeat the Gibeonites, who ask Joshua for help. Kings fled when they saw the Israelites; Joshua and his men annihilate many with the sword while God throws stones to kill the rest. After this event, Joshua and the Israelites executed many more, "...destroying every breath, as the Lord God had commanded" (Josh 10:40). An army so numerous that it cannot be counted comes against Joshua and the Israelites. God once again delivers these people to Joshua, and he brutally massacres them all, including the kingdom of Hazor which was the greatest kingdom of that time. He bequeaths the kingdom to Israel as provided for in the Abrahamic Covenant, and the country enjoys great peace. Summary of Theological Interpretation The theological problem that many find in these chapters of Joshua can be posed as a question: "How can the good and the righteous be? Is the God seen in the New Testament the same God who approved the genocide through Joshua? Over time, scholars have found answers to this difficult question. One justification given by Hubbard is that biblical times and customs are not the same as today. Owning new lands by killing was a “normal” practice at that time, but things would not be done the same way today. A second position, taken by Pitkanen, is that the Israelites committed genocide because the ultimate goal was to secure the territory of the new land, form a clean slate, and found a new and perfect society under God. They were to inherit this land from God and live in the Abrahamic covenant, and to do this they were to take possession of the land and eliminate all the evil that previously inhabited it. A final stance taken by McConville further indicates that Joshua was a teaching moment. This view emphasizes the disobedience of the Israelites which led to the inability to inhabit the promised land. Additionally, it warns that one should never strip others of their land.