Joshua.
The book of Joshua, it is claimed, was written by Joshua just before his death, which occurred, according to the accepted chronology, in 1426 B.C. This book for a time formed a part of the Pentateuch (or Hexateuch). In later times, to increase its authority, the Pentateuch was ascribed to Moses. A recognition of the fact that Moses could not have written a history of the events that happened after his death caused that portion now known as Joshua to be detached and credited to Joshua.
Many of the arguments adduced against the Mosaic authorship of the preceding books apply with equal force against the claim that Joshua wrote the book which bears his name. The book contains no internal evidence of his authorship; he does not claim to be its author; the other writers of the Old Testament do not ascribe its authorship to him; he is spoken of in the third person; it is clearly the work of more than one writer; the language in which it was written was not in existence when he lived; much of it relates to events that occurred after his death.
“And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah.... And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua” (Josh. xxiv, 29–31).
As the Pentateuch gives an account of the death and burial of Moses, so the book of Joshua gives an account of the death and burial of Joshua.
“And Eleazer the son of Aaron died” (xxiv, 33).
The death of Eleazer occurred six years after the death of Joshua.
“But the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day” (xv, 63).
The children of Judah did not dwell in Jerusalem until nearly 400 years after Joshua. The phrase “unto this day” is frequently used in the book, and this shows that it was written long after the events it describes.
In his account of the miracle of Joshua causing the sun to stand still, the writer appeals to the book of Jasher in support of his statement:
“Is not this written in the book of Jasher?” (x, 13.)
This could not have been written until after the book of Jasher was written or compiled. When was Jasher written? We do not know, but in his history of David the author of Samuel thus refers to it: “He [David] bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jasher” (2 Sam. i, 18). This proves that the book of Jasher was not written before the time of David. If the book of Joshua was not written until after the book of Jasher was written, then it could not have been written until the time of David or later.
The book of Joshua consists of two parts. The first, which originally formed a part of, or sequel to, Deuteronomy, was probably written before the Captivity; the latter part was written after the captivity—900 years after the time of Joshua.