Philo's Interpretation of Joshua

Abstract

Philo, especially in De Vita Mosis, diminishes the role of Joshua as compared with that of Moses, whom he seeks to defend against the Greeks who belittled him. In the war with Amalek it is Moses who takes the lead. In the Golden Calf incident Joshua represents subjective feeling toward the tumult in contrast to Moses, who understands the true cause. In his version of the spying mission it is to Caleb that Philo gives greater importance. However, in the account in De Virtutibus of a choice of successor to Moses, Philo stresses that Moses did not select one of his own sons, although he says in De Cherubim that the seed in Moses' wife Zipporah was divinely planted.