Why Moses Added a Yod to Hoshea to Make Joshua

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Sh'lach 9:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Numbers 13:16:) "AND MOSES CALLED HOSHEA BEN NUN JOSHUA." And what did Moses see <fit> to add a yod to the name of Joshua? Rather, Caleb took his reward from the land, as it is said (Joshua 14:9): "SURELY THE LAND ON WHICH YOUR FOOT HAS TROD <SHALL BE AN INHERITANCE FOR YOU>," and so on. And Joshua <took> the reward of the ten spies, so that a yod, <which stands for> ten, was added to his name. <Therefore> "AND MOSES CALLED HOSHEA BEN NUN JOSHUA." [Another interpretation:] When Moses saw that they were very wicked, Moses said to him: May Yah save you from this evil generation.

Themes

JoshuaMosesDivine JusticeWarPrayer

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Bamidbar RabbahWhy Moses Changed Hoshea's Name to JoshuaThe Torah tells us, "Moses called Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]" (Numbers 13:16). But here's the question: why did Moses change Hoshea's name to Joshua? Midrash TanchumaPrayer Is Designated by Many Names 11 Sifre to 3 23 Rabbi 2 1. Prayer(Deut. 3:23:) “I besought the Lord.” This text is related (to I (Kings 8:30) // II Chron. 6:21), “And may You harken unto the prayer of Your servant and to his Ben SiraAccount of MosheYehoshua Ben Nun – Joshua, son of Nun – a figure who embodies that very idea. Ben Sira, in his wisdom, paints a vivid picture of Yehoshua. He calls him "a warriBen SiraJoshua Raised His Javelin Against the CityBen Sira turns to Joshua Raised His Javelin Against the City. Ben Sira, in his wisdom, certainly did. He paints a picture of Joshua in chapter 46 that's nothingBook of JudithJoacim and the Promised LandIt all starts with preparation. And that's exactly what we see in the Book of Judith. When faced with a looming threat, what's the first thing you do? You prepaBook of JudithHolofernes and the Promised Land"Now these men will wipe clean the face of the earth, for neither the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, are able to bear their weight." It's a dec