This article is about Joshua, the son of Nun. For other men named Joshua in Scripture, see the Joshua disambiguation page.
Joshua son of Nun succeeds Moses and leads Israel across the Jordan, conducting the conquest and allotment of the land. His life frames the movement from wilderness to inheritance, emphasizing covenant fidelity, courage, and the Lord’s war on Israel’s behalf.
After the exodus generation’s wandering, Joshua guides the new generation into Canaan (c. late 13th–12th c. BC, depending on chronology). The narrative spans from Joshua 1 to Joshua 24, with background in Numbers 27 and Deuteronomy 34.
Joshua the son of Nun was originally named Hoshea (הוֹשֵׁעַ), meaning “salvation” or “he saves.” According to Numbers 13:16, Moses renamed him Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), meaning “YHWH is salvation.” The text is explicit: “Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.” This is not a variant spelling, nor a reference to a second individual, but a deliberate renaming.
The addition of the divine name (YHWH) transforms the meaning of the name from a general concept of deliverance to a confessional statement: salvation belongs to the LORD. This renaming occurs in the context of Joshua’s commissioning as one of the twelve spies and anticipates his later role as Moses’ successor and the leader who would bring Israel into the land promised by God.
This pattern of covenantal renaming is consistent with other figures in Scripture whose vocation is clarified or intensified by a name change (e.g., Abram → Abraham, Jacob → Israel). In Joshua’s case, the change marks a transition from promise to instrument: not merely a man associated with deliverance, but the appointed servant through whom the LORD would act.
It is worth noting that Scripture later mentions another Hoshea—Hoshea son of Elah, the last king of the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17). This individual is unrelated to Joshua son of Nun, despite sharing the earlier form of the name. The distinction underscores that “Hoshea” is the original form, while “Joshua” is the theologically charged, mission-defining name given by Moses.
From the tribe of Ephraim (Num 13:8). Born “Hoshea” (Num 13:8), renamed “Joshua” by Moses (Num 13:16). Greek form Iēsous (Jesus) preserves the meaning “Yahweh is salvation.”