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At what stage of Joshua's leadership did he become Judge?
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:09 am
by Ged
Question:
The Seder Olam (Ancient Jewish Chronology) states that Joshua was a judge over Israel for 28 years. We know that he succeeded Moses 40 years after leaving Egypt (Joshua 1:1), and that he died at the age of 110. (Joshua 24:29) So, that makes him 42 years old at the time of the Exodus. (110 – 28 – 40 = 42)
However, Numbers 11:28 describes Joshua as a ‘youth’ when he started as Moses assistant, so I suspect that his ‘judgeship’ is deemed to have begun at a point later than the invasion of Canaan.
My question therefore is, at what stage of Joshua's leadership did Joshua actually become Judge?
Re: At what stage of Joshua's leadership did he become Judge?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 8:31 am
by DBowling
Ged wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:09 am
Question:
The Seder Olam (Ancient Jewish Chronology) states that Joshua was a judge over Israel for
28 years. We know that he succeeded Moses 40 years after leaving Egypt (Joshua 1:1), and that he died at the age of 110. (Joshua 24:29) So, that makes him 42 years old at the time of the Exodus. (110 – 28 – 40 = 42)
However, Numbers 11:28 describes Joshua as a ‘youth’ when he started as Moses assistant, so I suspect that his ‘judgeship’ is deemed to have begun at a point later than the invasion of Canaan.
My question therefore is, at what stage of Joshua's leadership did Joshua actually become Judge?
Technically speaking I don't believe Scripture ever refers to Joshua as a "judge".
However, Joshua did assume leadership of Israel following the death of Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:9 says the following
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.
So if we assume that Joshua was "Judge" over Israel then he would have become Judge following the death of Moses.
my .02
Re: At what stage of Joshua's leadership did he become Judge?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:40 am
by Ged
Well, of course, his role was that of a military leader. But his "soldiering" came to an end when he was about 80. (Using Caleb's age to make that assumption) Then he continued leading Israel till he died at age 110. So, if he stopped chasing Canaanites, his new role must have been "judging." Well, that's how Im seeing it.
Re: At what stage of Joshua's leadership did he become Judge?
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 11:49 am
by DBowling
Ged wrote: ↑Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:40 am
Well, of course, his role was that of a military leader. But his "soldiering" came to an end when he was about 80. (Using Caleb's age to make that assumption) Then he continued leading Israel till he died at age 110. So, if he stopped chasing Canaanites, his new role must have been "judging." Well, that's how Im seeing it.
I don't see the distinction you are drawing between leading Israel, 'Judging' Israel, and being a military leader of Israel.
If we look at the book of Judges... leading Israel, being a military leader, and judging Israel were all part of what was involved in being a "Judge" over Israel.
So based on the book of Judges I don't see why "judging" and "soldiering" couldn't take place concurrently with Joshua in the same way it did with the other Judges.
Again with this caveat... To the best of my knowledge, Scripture never explicitly refers to Joshua as a 'Judge".