Joshua 10 tells of the war against five Canaanite kings and their execution. However, references to texts surrounding Saul and the downfall of the Jerusalem monarchy, evaluated for the first time in this scope, suggest that Joshua 10 actually stages a critique of the Israelite-Judean monarchy. What roles does the protagonist Joshua play in this multifaceted narrative? Using E. Goffman's role theory, as well as narratological and intertextual analyses, this study concludes that the prophetically acting Joshua and the kings in Joshua 10 introduce a constellation that will shape the portrayal of Israel's history in the Former and Latter Prophets: the conflict between prophecy and monarchy, revolving around loyalty and disloyalty to the Torah.

Dr. Philipp Graf studied Catholic theology and Latin studies in Freiburg i. Br. and Jerusalem. He is a research associate at the Chair of Old Testament Literature and Exegesis at the University of Freiburg.