Canaanite Conquest & Period of the Judges
From the Crossing of the Jordan and Jericho to Othniel, Ruth, and Samuel
After forty years in the wilderness, Joshua and Caleb lead Israel across the Jordan River into Canaan , followed by the era of the Judges —from Othniel to Samuel —and the Moabite- Bethlehem narrative of Ruth and Boaz .
Crossing the Jordan, Jericho, and Hebron
Following the death of Moses on Mount Nebo ( Abarim , Deuteronomy 32:49 ), Joshua led Israel across the Jordan into Gilgal and Jericho ( Joshua 3:14 , Joshua 6:1 ). Caleb son of Jephunneh received Hebron as his inheritance ( Numbers 13:6 , Joshua 14:13 ), and his nephew Othniel son of Kenaz became Israel 's first judge, delivering the nation for 40 years ( Judges 3:9 ).
Ruth, Boaz, and the Transition to Monarchy
In the days when the judges ruled ( Ruth 1:1 ), Ruth the Moabitess came to Bethlehem with Naomi and married Boaz (son of Salmon and descendant of Perez and Hezron , Ruth 4:19 ), becoming the great-grandmother of King David through Obed and Jesse ( Ruth 4:21 ). Samuel the prophet anointed first Saul and then David ( 1 Samuel 16:13 ).