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Joshua

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Moses’ successor who led the Israelites into Canaan, famed for the battle of Jericho and covenant renewal at Shechem (Book of Joshua).

Detailed Definition
Jehoshua (Yehoshua) means “Yahweh saves” and is the original Hebrew form of Joshua, who conquered Canaan and renewed the covenant at Shechem. In poetry, Jehoshua represents divine deliverance, courageous leadership in transition, and the fulfillment of promised inheritance through obedient action.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Joshua’s conquest (Joshua 1–12) illustrates faith in action; In William Blake’s "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell," Joshua symbolizes the warrior of promise; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Joshua’s sun standing still prefigures divine intervention; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Joshua’s farewell speech models covenantal faithfulness; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Joshua represents the successor who completes the mission; In Christina Rossetti’s "Advent," Joshua’s crossing of Jordan prefigures baptism into rest.

In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Jehoshua (variant of Joshua) is part of the conquest narrative; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Jehoshua symbolizes the leader who brings people into rest; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Jehoshua’s name (“Yahweh saves”) prefigures Christ; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Jehoshua represents the successor to Moses; In Christina Rossetti’s "Advent," Jehoshua’s crossing of Jordan prefigures baptism; In T.S. Eliot’s "Four Quartets," Jehoshua’s battles illustrate the cost of promise.
Additional Notes
Joshua: Moses’ successor; led conquest of Canaan, renewed covenant at Shechem. In poetry, Joshua symbolizes faithful leadership, the fulfillment of promise, and the challenge of maintaining zeal (“as for me and my house…”). His encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:13–15) adds mystical dimension—ideal for poems on transition, holy war, or the burden of inheritance.

Jehoshua: Variant spelling of Joshua (Yehoshua); appears in some translations and genealogies. In poetry, Jehoshua emphasizes the full theophoric name (“Yahweh saves”)—ideal for exploring the christological link (Jesus = Greek form of Joshua) and the theme of salvation through leadership. Use to highlight the linguistic and theological continuity between Old and New Testament saviors.
Also Known As
Joshua son of Nun Jehoshua Jesus (Greek form) Jehoshua son of Nun
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