According to Marten Woudstra in this latest volume of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, the central theme in Joshua, to which everything in the book has been made subordinate, is the fulfillment of God's promise to the patriarchs regarding the promised land Subordinate themes include the parallels between Joshua and Moses, the tension between complete and incomplete fulfillment of God's promise regarding the land and "rest" the participation of "all Israel", the people's fear and God's reassurance; God's revelation, commemoration of the "giving" of the land and the hope and joyful optimism fostered by God's everlasting faithfulness.

To support his understanding of the book's central theme. Woudstra repeatedly emphasizes the nature of the Hebrew narrative. It is both proleptic, offering provisional summaries of events to be taken up later in considerable detail, and programmatic, indicating that the book was written close to actual events. Also essential to Woudstra's approach is his understanding of biblical historiography.

Recognizing that Old Testament studies today are in a state of flux as never before, and that the book of Joshua seems to be at the crossroads of this animated discussion, Woudstra takes into account the various views represented by recent scholarship as well as Hebrew usage and text-critical concerns.

The commentary is supplemented by an extensive bibliography and six maps depicting topographical features, tribal territories, and significant campaigns.