The final section of Joshua is Joshua 22:1 – 24:33. These chapters include one long narrative (Joshua 22:1–34) followed by two speeches (Joshua 23:1 – 24:24) and then a concluding covenant renewal ceremony (Joshua 24:25–28) and burial reports (Joshua 24:29–33).
Various themes can be identified in these final chapters. For one, there is an emphasis on the people’s loyalty to God and what proper worship ought to look like now that they are living in the land.1 If Israel is to remain in this land, they must keep the terms of the old covenant and vigilantly guard against disobedience.2 Indeed, the people’s devotion to the Lord will be mentioned on a number of occasions (Joshua 22:5, Joshua 22:16, Joshua 22:18, Joshua 22:19, Joshua 22:25, Joshua 22:29, Joshua 22:31; Joshua 23:6, Joshua 23:8, Joshua 23:11; Joshua 24:14–15, Joshua 24:16, Joshua 24:18, Joshua 24:21, Joshua 24:23, Joshua 24:24). Another theme concerns the assembly of God’s people, each chapter beginning with Joshua summoning Israel or a segment thereof (Joshua 22:1; Joshua 23:2; Joshua 24:1).3
1 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,