The New Student's Reference Work/Joshua

Josh′ua, the son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim, is first mentioned in Exodus xvii: 9  as commanding Israel at the battle of Rephidim.  He was sent out as one of the 12 spies from Kadesh to get information about the strength of the Canaanites.  When the others returned disheartened, he and Caleb alone retained their courage.  These two, therefore, out of all the grown men of Israel, were exempted from the divine sentence that because of their want of faith they should fall in the wilderness.  After the death of Moses Joshua became the leader of Israel, and the book that bears his name tells of his conquest and the settlement of Canaan.