Josua, die Gewalt und die Bewohner des Landes

Autor(en)

Ludger Schwienhorst-Schönberger

Abstrakt

The theological perspective of the events narrated in the book of Joshua
is highlighted especially in their summary retrospect. It here becomes clear again that
Israel’s conquest of the land is no genocide motivated by religion. The decisive criterion
is that of enmity towards Israel. “Enmity towards Israel”, however, means “enmity
towards an Israel which pays heed to God with all its heart and determines its conduct
subject to the will of God.” As soon as Israel resists the will of God, it prepares its
own ruin. The decisive criterion is not ethnical, but ethical-theological in nature: it is
a question of obedience or disobedience towards God. In Josh 21:44 we read: “Not one
of their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into
their hands.” Ultimately this means that resistance against God cannot be sustained
indefinitely, be it displayed by Israel or by the peoples.
In its final composition, the book of Joshua assumes that Israel’s enemies are an
enduring reality. Israel nevertheless receives the assurance that it would be able to live
in security (Josh 23:1–5; cf. Ps 23:5) even in the presence of these enemies. As such,
the book sways within the field of tension between “already” and “not yet”: YHWH
had previously prevailed over Israel’s enemies and had given the land to Israel. And
yet the enemies remain a threat to Israel. Should Israel forget the covenant of its God,
it would fall prey to the enemies (cf. Judg) and ultimately even be driven from the land
(2 Ki 17; 25).
Thus the book of Joshua is not only, and not even primarily a book that looks back
into the past, but one that looks towards the future, full of hope. To be exact: it is a book
which develops criteria for a successful life in the present, consistent with godly standards,
and which gains hope for a fulfilled future from this very life (Josh 23; 24).

Organisation(en)

Institut für Bibelwissenschaft

Journal

Biblica et Patristica Thoruniensia

Band

8/2015

Seiten

75-85

Anzahl der Seiten

22

Publikationsdatum

03-2016

ÖFOS 2012

603201 Alttestamentliche Bibelwissenschaft

Schlagwörter

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 16 – Frieden, Gerechtigkeit und starke Institutionen

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/josua-die-gewalt-und-die-bewohner-des-landes(db9d4867-9ce0-4789-9257-2ae7cd2ceb24).html