Joshua is present with the Israelites BEFORE the 40 year wandering began. Yet as the Promised Land is about to be entered in Joshua 1, Joshua complains to God that he is 'too young' to lead the people. This seems like a clear example of redaction. Two traditions are being intermingled in written text.
Rahab is a prostitute who is accepted into God's people because of her willingness to help them. It is interesting how rare prostitution is really attacked as an evil institution in the Bible, when it clearly IS an evil institution. Perhaps God is more willing to consider the plight of people's actual circumstances than man is.
Rahab's story is also an example of a non-believer being saved for reasons other than faith.
There is some reason to believe that Joshua's splitting of the river pre-dates the actual construction of the story of the splitting of the Reed Sea. I don't accept that theory, but it is interesting. What is true is that the splitting of the River has deep theological significance (think about water as chaos and what a split river or see means). It is overshadowed by the Reed Sea story, but it is probably just as important. Joshua is another Moses, re-establishing the covenant with God.
The Jericho story, iconic as it is, probably isn't exactly historical. Jericho was never conquered by the Jews. It isn't even clear Jericho was there at the time Joshua was operating. It is clear from the story that the Ark is more than a relic, it is a weapon. God acts as a war God, fighting for His people.
The punishment of Achan's family alongside him, is bothersome. I just can never stomach or accept those stories that have God demanding the death of children. Ridiculous.
The Gibeonites trick the Jews into taking an oath protecting them. They are punished for this deception, but the basic oath cannot be broken. Oaths to God had great power among the Hebrews. The Gibeonites are put in a much more positive light in 2 Samuel. Again, signs of alternative traditions.
The entire Joshua-arc conquest stories conflict with the way the Canaanite conquest is presented in Judges. In Joshua it is a massive invasion, taking place rather quickly. Judges presents it as something more gradual, and including back-and-forth wars between the Israelites and Canaanites. Likely Judges is the more historical account.
Shechem was an ancient Canaanite place of worship. It's transformation into an Israelite worship center is significant. There can be no doubt that some of the Canaanite religion was absorbed into Israelite practice. There are several 'rededication ceremonies' in the Bible, and the one at the end of Joshua is one of the biggest. I have little doubt that these ceremonies actually took place. They are important moments in Israelite history, and represent rebirths of the worship of Yahweh.
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