Bible Question:
How old was Joshua when he entered the Promised Land?
Bible Answer:
Joshua’s age at the time Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land is found by comparing passages in the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and Exodus.
You are viewing: How Old Were The Israelites Who Entered The Promised Land
Timeline of Events in Exodus
At the beginning of the contest between Jehovah God and the gods of Egypt, we are told that Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 years old.
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh. Exodus 7:7 (NASB)
Exodus 13-14 describes Israel’s exodus from Egypt and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land. The Israelites had difficult times as the million or more people moved through the desert toward Canaan. As a result, they had many complaints. Their complaints are described in Exodus 15-17.
Timeline of Events in Numbers
Numbers 1:1 gives us a date marker of the second month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying . . . Numbers 1:1 (NASB)
This means that the events recorded in the book of Numbers begin in the second year of the wilderness journey.
We are told in Numbers 13-14 that after the Israelites came to the wilderness of Paran, Moses sent twelve spies to visit the Promised Land to help Israel prepare, but the spies returned with a discouraging report. The Israelites responded in fear, did not trust the Lord, and did not want to go the Promised Land. Consequently, God told them that they could not enter the Promised Land and would have to wander in the desert for a total of forty years. Numbers 14:32-35 records Moses’ discouraging message from God.
Read more : Who Was Jason In Acts 17
Since Numbers 1:1 begins recording events in the second year of the wilderness journey, this reveals that Israel’s lack of trust resulted in 39 more years of wandering in the wilderness. It is important to note that Numbers 32:11-13 states that Israel had to wander for 40 years until all over the age of 20 died in the wilderness. That is, Moses told Israel that they had to wander for a total of 40 years, but one year of wandering had already occurred. That leaves 39 more years of wandering before they enter the Promised Land.
This reveals that Moses would be 120 years old and Aaron would be 123 years old when they entered the Promised Land. This agrees with Numbers 33:38-39,
Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month. Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor. Numbers 33:38-39 (NASB)
This helps us confirm the timeline of the wilderness wanderings and the Scriptural references. Aaron was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because both he and Moses sinned in the wilderness of Zin (Numbers 20:12-13, 23-29). This means the book of Numbers summarizes the entire wilderness journey of 39 years. It only records key events.
Timeline of Events in Deuteronomy
The third verse of Deuteronomy gives us another date marker.
In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that the Lord had commanded him to give to them . . . Deuteronomy 1:3 (NASB)
Here we are told the book of Deuteronomy is a record of events that started in the eleventh month of the fortieth year of Israel’s wilderness wanderings. Six months had elapsed since Numbers 33:38. There is only one month left before Israel will have entered the Promised Land, but Moses will not go into the Promised Land due to his sin (Numbers 20:12-13, 23-29; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; 34:1-7).
At the end of Deuteronomy, we are given this sad message,
“So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’ It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken.” Deuteronomy 31:1-4 (NASB)
Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. He died at the age of 120 years. We have already been told that Moses was 80 years of age when he stood before Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus 7:7). We have already been told that Israel would wander for 40 years in the wilderness. The sum of those two numbers equals 120 years. Also, Aaron died at the age of 123 years and he was 83 years when he stood before Pharaoh! This agrees with Numbers 33:38-39.
Read more : Who Was The Song Goodbye By Kenny Rogers Written For
In addition. Joshua 3 describes Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land. Joshua 5:10-11 states that they celebrated Passover, which would have occurred in the month of March or April. That would correspond to the beginning of the religious calendar, and the end of the fortieth year of the wandering.
The book of Deuteronomy spans only one month, the last month of the wilderness journey.
How Old Was Joshua When He Entered the Promised Land?
Numbers 13:1-16 lists twelve men who were the spies sent to the Promised Land. Numbers 13:3-15 lists the twelve spies. Numbers 13:16 helps us understand that the spy named Hoshea was also called Joshua. More than likely all of these twelve men were contemporaries and similar in age.
Next Joshua 14:7 tells us that Caleb was 40 years of age when he helped spy out the land of Canaan, because Joshua 14:7 states,
I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. Joshua 14:7 (NASB)
So, how old was Joshua when he entered the Promised Land? If we estimate Joshua’s age to be 30-40 years of age when the land was spied out, then Joshua would have been 69-79 years of age when Israel entered the Promised Land after wandering for 39 years. That is, 30-40 years of age plus 39 years of wilderness wanderings equals 69-79 years.
How Old Was Joshua When He Died?
Joshua 24:29 tells us that Joshua died when he was 110 years of age.
It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. Joshua 24:29 (NASB)
Conclusion:
Joshua was probably 30-40 years of age when he helped to spy out the Promised Land after Israel sinned by not trusting God. The Israelites had to wander for an additional 39 years in the wilderness. This means that most likely Joshua was 69-79 years of age when he entered the Promised Land. Joshua went from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the desert. He was Moses’ attendant (Numbers 11:28) and eventually became the leader of the nation when they entered the promised land. In a way, that is like the journey of a Christian. We are born in slavery to sin (Romans 6:6-7, 18, 20) and live in sin until we put our faith in Jesus. Now we live in newness of life as believers in this world, a place that is not our home. Eventually we will die physically and live eternally in our promised land – heaven where Jesus is waiting for us.
Suggested Links:
Why did Moses pick Joshua? Who wrote the book of Joshua? How did the sun stand still in Joshua 10:12-14? Why did spies go into Canaan after God had promised the land? How wide and deep was the Jordan River where Israel crossed?
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
