Biblical Leadership, the Example of JoshuaSample

Leadership in the Bible: Bearing the Burden of a People

“Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth…” (Numbers 11:28)

When we think about leadership in the Bible, the example of Moses immediately springs to mind.

He had been appointed by the Lord God to lead the people of Israel through a turbulent period of their history. The people had lived in Egypt for generations, but were treated progressively more badly there. They cried out to God for help, and He appointed Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, across the desert to the land of Canaan. God had already promised that land to their forefathers. There they would live in safety and freedom.

It was no easy matter to lead such a large group of people, who encountered all kinds of difficulties on their journey and held Moses responsible for everything that went wrong. Moses could not handle his task alone. Therefore, he was advised to select 70 men to help him. “They shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone,” God said (Numbers 11:17).

In verse 28 we read about “Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses.” The text does not make it clear whether he was one of these 70 men, or an additional personal assistant to Moses. Either way, he helped Moses to “carry the burden of the people.”

Do you think this is an apt description of leadership? Or would you find other words more appropriate? Which words would you use?