Joshua in 3-D: A Commentary on Biblical Conquest and Manifest Destiny

by L. Daniel Hawk

Overview

This unique commentary generates a conversation between the biblical narrative of conquest, related biblical themes, and the American master narrative of Manifest Destiny. Writing in an accessible style and format, Hawk offers an exegesis of the biblical text with special emphasis on the ways the narrative of conquest shaped ancient Israel's identity as a people. A second level of commentary lifts key themes from the text (e.g., the land as divine gift and promise, mass killing, Israel's distinctive attributes, the construction of the Indigenous Other) and sets them within their broader biblical context. A third dimension reflects on corresponding elements in America's narrative of "westward expansion" (e.g. the conviction of America's unique character and destiny, total war and ethnic cleansing, the dehumanization of Native peoples, patriotism and homeland, the idea of the American Dream). As a whole, this book offers Joshua as a biblical resource for reading the American experience, challenging readers to reflect on how conquest shaped America's identity and how it continues to influence American attitudes and actions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781606088197
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	06/12/2012
Pages:	316
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

L. Daniel Hawk is Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. He is the author of Every Promise Fulfilled (1991) and Joshua (Berit Olam, 2000).

Table of Contents

List of Themes ix

List of Trajectories x

Preface xi

List of Abbreviations xiv

Introduction xvii

Content and Form xviii

Composition xx

Joshua in the First Dimension: Reading the Biblical Text xxii

Joshua in the Second Dimension: Reflecting on Biblical Themes xxv

Joshua in the Third Dimension: Reading the American Story xxx

Part 1 Dispossessing the Nations: Joshua 1-12

1 Joshua 1:1-18 3

2 Joshua 2:1-24 21

3 Joshua 3:1-4:24 42

4 Joshua 5:1-6:27 57

5 Joshua 7:1-8:35 80

6 Joshua 9:1-10:27 101

7 Joshua 10:28-12:24 124

Part 2 Taking Possession of the Land: Joshua 13-21

8 Joshua 13:1-17:18 143

9 Joshua 18:1-19:51 171

10 Joshua 20:1-21:45 186

Part 3 Settling Down: Joshua 22-24

11 Joshua 22:1-34 201

12 Joshua 23:1-16 221

13 Joshua 24:1-33 237

Bibliography 259

Index of Names 269

Index of Subjects 272

Index of Scripture References 275

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"An informative, provocative commentary on Joshua by a master interpreter. Hawk brings the ancient book to life as the narrative about Israel's identity. But that's not all: Hawk creatively gives us 'Joshua for today'—'old' Joshua's perspective on America's national identity narratives. If you're asking, 'What does it mean to be a Christian in twenty-first century America?' this is the book for you. I commend it highly."

—Robert L. Hubbard Jr.

Professor of Biblical Literature

North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago

Editorial Reviews

"An informative, provocative commentary on Joshua by a master interpreter. Hawk brings the ancient book to life as the narrative about Israel's identity. But that's not all: Hawk creatively gives us 'Joshua for today'—'old' Joshua's perspective on America's national identity narratives. If you're asking, 'What does it mean to be a Christian in twenty-first century America?' this is the book for you. I commend it highly."

—Robert L. Hubbard Jr.

Professor of Biblical Literature

North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago

From the Publisher