Disorienting Readers in Joshua 1.1–5.12

Abstract

Although the poetics of narrative in the Old Testament have been widely studied in recent years, Joshua has largely been marginalized, appearing only rarely in discussions of narrative. The reasons for this are uncertain, but it means that issues in interpretation remain unclear. Because of this, conflicting readings of parts of the book have emerged. This article notes three variant readings of Joshua 2 that in various ways contradict each other. But rather than arguing for one against the others, or rejecting them all, it argues each is plausible depending on the level at which the text is read. This emerges through the application of the concepts of anachrony and focalization as developed by Gérard Genette. From this, it emerges that these chapters deliberately create an unstable narrative world that readers cannot fully resolve until subsequent information is provided.