Activities as Moses’ Successor. After Moses’ death Joshua prepared to enter the Promised Land. He dispatched officers so that these might instruct the Israelites about getting ready to cross the Jordan three days from then; he reminded the Gadites, Reubenites, and the half tribe of Manasseh of their obligation to assist in the conquest of the land; and he sent out two men to spy out Jericho and the surrounding area.​—Jos 1:1–2:1.

Thereafter, while near Jericho, Joshua met an angelic prince from whom he received instruction about the procedure to be followed in taking that city. Joshua handled matters accordingly and, after devoting Jericho to destruction, pronounced a prophetic curse on its future rebuilder, which was fulfilled over 500 years later. (Jos 5:13–6:26; 1Ki 16:34) Next he moved against Ai. At first, the Israelite force of some 3,000 men suffered defeat, Jehovah having withheld his aid because of Achan’s disobediently taking spoil from Jericho for personal use. Subsequent to Israel’s stoning of Achan and his household for this sin, Joshua employed an ambush against Ai and reduced the city to a desolate mound.​—Jos 7:1–8:29.

After returning to their Gilgal camp, Joshua and the chieftains of Israel had a visit from Gibeonite messengers. Recognizing that Jehovah was fighting for the Israelites, the Gibeonites, through trickery, succeeded in concluding a covenant of peace with Joshua. When the actual facts came to light, however, Joshua constituted them slaves. News of what the Gibeonites had done also reached Adoni-zedek the king of Jerusalem. For this reason he and four other Canaanite kings launched a punitive expedition against them. In response to an appeal from the Gibeonites for aid, Joshua staged an all-night march from Gilgal. Jehovah then fought for Israel in defense of the Gibeonites, indicating that he did not disapprove of the covenant that had earlier been made with them. More of the enemy forces perished as a result of a miraculous hailstorm than died in the actual warfare. Jehovah even listened to Joshua’s voice in lengthening the daylight hours for the battle.​—Jos 9:3–10:14.

Joshua followed up this God-given victory by capturing Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, thus breaking the power of the Canaanites in the southern part of the land. Next, the northern Canaanite kings, under the leadership of Jabin the king of Hazor, assembled their forces at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. Though faced with horses and chariots, Joshua was divinely encouraged not to give way to fear. Again Jehovah granted victory to the Israelites. As instructed, Joshua hamstrung the horses and burned the chariots of the enemy. Hazor itself was consigned to the fire. (Jos 10:16–11:23) Thus, within a period of about six years (compare Nu 10:11; 13:2, 6; 14:34-38; Jos 14:6-10), Joshua defeated 31 kings and subjugated large sections of the Promised Land.​—Jos 12:7-24; MAP, Vol. 1, p. 737.

Now came the time for distributing the land to the individual tribes. This was done initially from Gilgal, under the supervision of Joshua, High Priest Eleazar, and ten other divinely appointed representatives. (Jos 13:7; 14:1, 2, 6; Nu 34:17-29) After the tabernacle was located at Shiloh, the apportioning of the land by lot continued from there. (Jos 18:1, 8-10) Joshua himself received the city of Timnath-serah in the mountainous region of Ephraim.​—Jos 19:49, 50.