Originally Posted by Monterrey
Joshua spoke truth and God is true. Nothing I said contradicts these facts, right? The example you are using, ie deliverance from the inhabitants, was conditional upon the people obeying. Agreed. I wrote because the Biblical facts written in Jos seem to contradict themselves. Not sure what you are meaning about hyperbole. I would subscribe to the dictionary definition: noun. exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. It kinda appears that you are misunderstanding the context. Maybe not. I was attempting to explain that various passages by the same writer were contradictory and therefore needed an explanation as to why, or Joshua has the appearance of being a liar. I would confront those who say he is and oppose them. Yet still, an explanation is needed why he appears to lie.
Jos23.1,14 Jos speaking: Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old, advanced in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them: “I am old, advanced in age.not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.
Jos21.43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
Those verses appear to be contradicted by the following:
Jos13 Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed. 2 This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites, 3 from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites; 4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath; 6 all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the Brook Misrephoth, and all the Sidonians
It looks like Jos has said that God gave them all the land and they possessed it but it also says he has not. Is hyperbole the reason for this contradiction? Maybe.
Would you disagree that the Middle East people are said to speak with hyperbole?
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