According to the Bible, Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He succeeded Moses as Israel’s leader and was commissioned to bring the people across the Jordan River into the land promised to their ancestors.
The Book of Joshua describes the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground, with priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant standing in the river while the Israelites passed. Joshua then led military campaigns, including the capture of Jericho, and oversaw the division of Canaan among the Israelite tribes.
A common mix-up is Moses: he led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, but the Bible says he did not enter Canaan. Moses viewed the land from Mount Nebo before his death, while Joshua carried out the next stage of the journey. Joshua had earlier served as one of the twelve spies sent to explore Canaan and was one of only two spies who urged Israel to trust God’s promise.
The name Joshua is related to the Hebrew name Yehoshua and means “The Lord saves.” In the Greek form, it is rendered Iēsous—the same name represented in English as Jesus.