c. 1406 – 1375 BC · Closer look · under Joshua
The Conquest of Canaan
The conquest is the brief, dramatic opening of Israel's life in the Promised Land — the years under Joshua when the people finally take possession of what God had promised Abraham centuries before. The book of Joshua tells it as a campaign of faith: when Israel trusts and obeys, the land is given; when it does not, defeat follows.
It begins at the Jordan, which God parts as he once parted the sea, and at Jericho, whose walls fall not by siege but by obedience and a shout. From there Joshua presses a southern and then a northern campaign, breaking the main Canaanite coalitions, before the land is divided among the twelve tribes by lot. The conquest is real but partial — Joshua is told that 'much land remains,' and the tribes fail to drive out every people, leaving the unfinished work, and the lingering idolatry, that will haunt the era of the judges.
The dates depend on the disputed Exodus date; on the early-date scheme the conquest falls around 1406–1375 BC, a generation later on the late date. The period's enduring theme is faithfulness rewarded and the danger of half-obedience. Joshua's farewell challenge — 'choose this day whom you will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD' — frames the whole settlement: the land is a gift, but keeping it depends on covenant loyalty. It is a closer look at the first phase of the broader Conquest & Judges era.
Written by the Selah Editorial Team. Dates are approximate; biblical chronology is debated and shown as ranges.
The Conquest of Canaan on the timeline
Events of the The Conquest of Canaan
The Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua, Israel crosses the Jordan and takes the Promised Land, beginning with Jericho.
The Age of the Judges
A cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance through judges like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson.
Key people of this period
Toggle the “People” layer on the chart above to see these lifespans laid out in time.
Key places of this period
Books covering this period
World context
Late Bronze Age Canaan was a patchwork of fortified city-states under nominal Egyptian oversight, with no unified power able to resist Israel's advance.
Frequently asked about the The Conquest of Canaan
What was the conquest of Canaan?
The period under Joshua when Israel crossed the Jordan, took Jericho and other cities, broke the main Canaanite coalitions, and divided the Promised Land among the twelve tribes.
How long did the conquest take?
The main campaigns spanned roughly a generation (about 1406–1375 BC on the early-date scheme), though the conquest was left incomplete and continued into the period of the judges.
Was the conquest complete?
No. Joshua was told 'much land remains,' and the tribes failed to drive out every Canaanite people — an unfinished obedience that led to the idolatry and cycles of the judges era.
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