Literêre komposisie van Josua 3:1–17

Abstract

Joshua 3 and 4 confront the attentive reader with several literary problems, especially with regard to chronology. This article attempts to provide a solution to the problems in Joshua 3. The author reconstructed narratives, namely a Deuteronomistic and a post-priestly narrative. The Deuteronomistic narrative forms part of the original narrative of the Jordan crossing. It also forms part of an exilic Deuteronomistic History. The aim of this exilic Deuteronomistic History is to explain the loss of the land during the Babylonian exile. The post-priestly narrative of Joshua 3 and 4 most probably came into being when the priestly material (Gen–Num) was linked with the Deuteronomistic History. Thus, the post-priestly narrative of Joshua 3 and 4 elaborates on and expands the original Deuteronomistic narrative of the Jordan crossing. The merging of these two narratives is the cause of the chronological and other literary problems in Joshua 3.