who wrote the book of joshua

The Book of Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua himself, the son of Nun and Moses' successor. Tradition and internal evidence suggest that Joshua either wrote the entire book or supervised a significant portion of it. The text includes firsthand testimonies, such as the use of "we" in Joshua 5:1 during the crossing of the Jordan River, and detailed knowledge of Canaanite cities and events that would have been known to Joshua or his contemporaries. The book also contains farewell speeches by Joshua, which further supports the idea of his authorship. Some portions, particularly those detailing Joshua's death, were likely added by later scribes or contemporaries. While some modern scholars view the book as anonymous and part of a later compilation (the Deuteronomistic history), the historical and traditional consensus holds Joshua as the primary author or overseer of the text.