Some years had passed since the people had settled in their possessions, and already could be seen cropping out the same evils that had heretofore brought judgments upon Israel. As Joshua felt the infirmities of age stealing upon him, and realized that his work must soon close, he was filled with anxiety for the future of his people. It was with more than a father's interest that he addressed them, as they gathered once more about their aged chief. "Ye have seen," he said, "all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is He that hath fought for you." Although the Canaanites had been subdued, they still possessed a considerable portion of the land promised to Israel, and Joshua exhorted his people not to settle down at ease and forget the Lord's command to utterly dispossess these idolatrous nations.

Der var gået nogle år, siden stammerne havde bosat sig i deres forskellige områder, og nu dukkede de onder op igen, som Israel tidligere var blevet straffet for. Josua kunne mærke, at alderdommens svagheder begyndte at gøre sig gældende, og forstod, at han snart måtte nedlægge sin arbejdsbyrde. Tanken om folkets fremtid bekymrede ham dybt. Med mere end faderlig omsorg bragte han dem sit budskab, da de endnu en gang fylkedes om deres aldrende høvding: "I har selv set alt, hvad Herren Eders Gud har gjort ved alle disse folkeslag foran Eder; thi det var Herren Eders Gud, som kæmpede for Eder." Skønt kanaanæerne var blevet undertvunget, besad de stadig en anselig del af det land, der var lovet Israel, og Josua opildnede sit folk til ikke at slå sig til ro og glemme Herrens befaling om at fordrive disse afguderiske folk fuldstændig.