"Three days" in Joshua 1-3: Resolving a chronological conundrum

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dec 1998 by Howard, David M

25 The term , "while, within," occurs 20 times in the OT. Its uses can be divided into two categories, in both of which a continuance of time is signified. (1) "Within (the time specified)': In this category it always precedes a period of time, which is specified with a number. It occurs 8 times in this usage (Gen 40:13,19; Josh 1:11; Isa 7:8; 21:16; Jer 28:3, 11; Amos 4:7). (2) "While yet": In this category it can be used temporally (usually) or spatially (rarely). It occurs 12 times in this usage (Gen 25:6; 48:7; Deut 31:27; 2 Sam 3:35; 12:22; Isa 28:4; Jer 15:9; Pss 39:1 [MT 2]; 104:33; 146:2; Job 29:5; Prov 31:15).

26 The term 7; occurs 37 times in the OT. Its uses can be divided into three categories. (1) "At the end (of a certain time)': In this category the term is always modified by a time reference. It occurs 10 times in this usage (Gen 8:3; Deut 14:28; Josh 3:2; 9:16; 2 Sam 24:8; 1 Kgs 9:10; 2 Kgs 8:3; 18:10; Ezek 3:16; 39:14). (2) "From (or "at") the end of (a geographical location),' often to be translated as "border" or "outskirts." It occurs 24 times in this usage (Gen 47:21; Num 34:3; Deut 4:32; 13:7 [MT 8]; 28:49, 64; Josh 15:1, 2, 5, 21; 18:15; Isa 5:26; 13:5; 42:10; 43:6; Jer 10:13; 12:12; 25:33; 51:16; Ezek 25:9; 48:1; Pss 19:6 [MT 7]; 61:3; 135:7). (3) "From all (belonging to a certain group)": A distributive use is determinative of this category. It occurs three times in this usage (Gen 47:2; Isa 56:11; Ezek 33:2).

27 See nn. 25 and 26 supra. I would be happy to supply complete data for the information in these two notes.

28 On 2:16 cf. also Boling, Joshua 149.

29 Es R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (3d ed.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983) 52; see also Keil's comments in this regard (Joshua 30-31).

30 Wilcoxen, "Narrative Structure" 62 n. 31.

31 Ibid. 62 n. 30.

32 This is a major burden of Wilcoxen's work.

33 Gray, Joshua, Judges, Ruth 60.

34 Ibid. (italics mine).

35 V. P. Long, The Art of Biblical History (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), argues effectively that the representational and referential aspects of a work of art (such as a literary text) are by no means mutually exclusive; cf. also Sternberg, Poetics 23-35.

36 Goslinga is sensitive to this unaccounted-for day in 3:2, and he attempts an historically oriented explanation. He suggests that the high levels of the river (see 3:15) were a barrier to the Israelites and that YHWH allowed Israel to remain next to the raging river as a test of the nation's patience (Joshua, Judges, Ruth 50-51). Given the importance of proper ritual observances in this entire section, however, the suggestion that this extra day was for ritual observance and reflection makes better sense.

37 I have argued elsewhere that it was representatives of the entire nation answering Joshua here, not just the Transjordan tribes; see D. M. Howard, Jr., "All Israel's Response to Joshua: A Note on the Narrative Framework of Joshua 1," Fortunate the Eyes That See: Essays in Honor of David Noel Freedman in Celebration of His Seventieth Birthday (ed. A. Beck et al.; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995) 81-91.