The interpretation timeline

Josh 11:23

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

Josh 11:23 · Douay-Rheims
“So Josue took all the land, as the Lord spoke to Moses, and delivered it in possession to the children of Israel, according to their divisions and tribes. And the land rested from wars.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
254
A.D.
Origen Patristic
c. A.D. 184–253
“It did not say that by war Jesus [Joshua] took some and did not take others but that he took all into his possession, that is, he captured and destroyed all. And, indeed, the Lord Jesus has purged every kind of sin and destroyed all. For we all "were irrational, unbelieving, errant, serving various desires, acting in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another," and [we possessed] every type of sin that is found in persons before they believe. Therefore, it is well said that Jesus kills all who have gone to war. For Jesus—who is the Word and the "wisdom of God"—is greater than any kind of sin, no matter how terrible. For he overcomes and conquers all sins. Or do we not believe this, that every kind of sin is carried away when we come to the saving bath? For the apostle Paul also alludes to this, who, when he had enumerated the whole class of sins, adds something after them all and says, "And indeed you were these; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ." Therefore, in this way, Jesus [Joshua] is said to have seized all in battle and to have destroyed all. It happened that, through the work of the Lord, their heart predominated and they hastened into battle against Israel and were exterminated.”
Source
254
A.D.
Origen Patristic
c. A.D. 184–253
“I do not see that Jesus [Joshua] the son of Nun took possession of all the earth. For how much of the earth does one take who seizes only Judea? But our Lord Jesus truly took possession of all the earth, because a multitude of believers from all over the earth and out of all the nations flock to him. After these things, after "Jesus [Joshua] took possession of all the earth," it is also added, "And the earth rested from wars." How will this phrase—that "the earth rested from wars"—seem to have been uttered truthfully concerning the son of Nun, when the earth never entirely rested from wars in his time? This is fulfilled in my Lord Jesus Christ alone. Consider yourself—you have come to Jesus and through the grace of baptism have attained the remission of sins; and now in you "the flesh" does not "fight against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh." Your land has ceased from wars if you still "carry around the death of Jesus Christ in your body" so that, after all battles have ceased in you, you may be made "peaceable" and you may be called "a child of God."”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.