King Jokab was a rather stupid man. He was able to put problems out of his mind instantly, and with a smile he walked across the room toward the dark-skinned woman.
****
“We would have been in poor shape if any enemy attacked us, Joshua.”
Joshua looked over at Caleb, who had come into his tent and now sat on the floor across from him. Caleb’s face was drawn tight, and Joshua at once asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I think you know.”
“You mean the matter of circumcising all the males?”
“I know you thought it was the right thing to do, but if anybody would’ve attacked us, we’d have been annihilated.” The expression on Caleb’s face was gloomy, but it brightened as he said, “I know the Lord told you to do it.”
“That’s right. He told me that the old generation of men that had been circumcised, the ones who came out of Egypt, were dead. But those born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. The Lord said it was something we had to do. It’s the mark, Caleb, that identifies us as Hebrews and the servants of the most high God.”
“Well, there was a lot of complaining about it, but the men are well now. So we can talk about strategy.”
Joshua laughed shortly and shook his head. “Strategy? I don’t have any strategy.”
Caleb stared. “You must have, Joshua. We can’t just go aimlessly wandering around the country. You know how strong some of the enemies are.”
“I know that well, but I have no idea what we are to do—except that our first target will be Jericho.”
“Well, that’s going to be difficult. I haven’t seen that wall, but from what my son and nephew report, it is tremendous.”
Joshua moved his shoulders restlessly. He changed the subject by saying, “We’ve got to do something about food now that the manna has ceased.”
Caleb’s eyebrows went up and he shook his head in a gesture of astonishment. “That was a great miracle, the manna. It came from the hand of God when our people needed it, but now that we’ve crossed the Jordan and we’re in the land that God promised our fathers, it has just stopped. The people are wondering about that too.”
“They’ve taken God for granted,” Joshua said shortly. “Now they’ll have to plant seed and harvest grain to make their bread.”
The two men talked for a while, and finally Joshua got up and said, “I’m going out to think. If you can come up with a way to breach the walls of Jericho, I wish you’d let me know.” Without another word he turned and left the tent rapidly. He walked through the camp, ignoring those who spoke to him, for his mind had leaped far ahead to the city of Jericho.
The sun was high in the sky and beat down on Joshua, but he ignored the heat. Finally he was out of sight of the camp and walked aimlessly along the rocky pathway. He had come to a slight rise when suddenly he looked up and there stood a man, a stranger, with his sword drawn.
In a flash Joshua drew his own sword. His first thought was that the man was a spy from Jericho. As he approached, he studied the man’s features and saw strength and fearlessness. If they’re all like this, he thought, we’re in trouble. Aloud he said, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
The stranger was tall and well built and wore a simple garment with a belt about his waist. His eyes were clear, and Joshua could not make out the color. They seemed gray at times or blue, but they were deep-set and were fixed intensely on Joshua. When he spoke, the voice was quiet and yet struck Joshua with a force almost like the blow from a sword.
“As the commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
Instantly Joshua knew he was standing in the presence of one of the servants of the most high God, an angel, perhaps, and a high-ranking one at that! Dropping his sword, Joshua fell on his face and struggled to speak, for great fear had come over him. “What message does my Lord have for His servant?”
“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
The man waited until Joshua had taken off his sandals and then began to speak, and Joshua did not raise his head as he listened to the word of the Lord. “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.”
Joshua waited for the man to go on, but there was a silence almost as thick as rock. Fearfully he lifted his eyes and saw no one. “It was the Lord or one of His angels,” Joshua whispered, as he put on his sandals. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed his sword, shoved it into his sheath, and turned. He headed for the camp at a dead run, and as soon as he was within hearing distance, he began to shout, “Caleb—Caleb! Where are you?”
He found Caleb rushing to meet him, and Joshua’s eyes were glowing with excitement. “You asked for strategy for defeating Jericho. Well, I have it!”
“Tell me,” Caleb demanded, his eyes blazing with excitement. He listened as Joshua related what he had heard from the man with the sword.
Finally Caleb said, “Was that all?”
“Was that all? What else could it be?”
“Let me get this straight,” Caleb said. “All we do is march around the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day we march around the city seven times, and then the priests blow the trumpets, the people shout, and the walls fall down.”
“Yes, isn’t it wonderful?”
Caleb reached up and scratched his gray hair. “It doesn’t sound like any battle I’ve ever heard of. You’re going to have trouble explaining it to the people.”
“It’s the word of the Lord, Caleb, and God has given us the victory. Come, we have plans to make. When those walls fall down, the city must be taken.”
****
“Well, it looks silly to me,” Achan grumbled. He was walking alongside Othniel. The two of them were part of the mass of people who were circling the walls of Jericho. Achan and Othniel had listened as Joshua had given one simple command: “Walk around the walls of Jericho. Do not make a sound.”
Achan glanced up at the walls and shook his head. “Does Joshua think we’re going to frighten them?”
“I don’t know what he thinks,” Othniel said shortly, trying to keep his voice down. It disturbed him that Joshua had not shared his plan except that they were to walk around the wall. He glanced up at the wall and saw that the walls were lined with archers. The flash of weapons reflecting the light of the sun was brilliant, and he shook his head. “There’s a lot of them in there and we’re out here. I think we ought to just let them alone and occupy the rest of the land.”
Achan laughed curtly. “You don’t think they’d let us do that, do you? The city has to be taken. Even I can see that.”
Othniel looked ahead where the priests bearing the ark were marching in a stately fashion. Behind them Joshua and Caleb walked slowly. There was not a sound of a single voice raised, for Joshua’s commands had been strict. “No talking,” he had said. “No whispering. Absolute silence. The man or woman who makes a noise will answer to me.”
His orders were not kept, of course. There was whispering. “People don’t like not knowing what’s going to happen,” Achan complained.
“We just have to believe that Joshua does.”
Achan glanced up the wall. “I’ll wager that’s a rich city inside there. Full of gold and silver and treasure of all kinds. Once we get in, we’re going to grab all the stuff we can.”
“I don’t think that’s the object, Achan.” Othniel grinned slightly. “It’s to conquer them.”
“We can do both, can’t we? When they’re all dead, I’m going to get my family, and I’m going to haul off all the gold and silver I can lay my hands on.”
“Yo
u can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You heard what Joshua said. He said that all the gold and silver in Jericho are for the Lord.”
“Oh, Joshua always talks like that.”
“He means it, Achan. He said that anyone who takes any spoil from the city for himself will be cursed, and a curse will fall on the whole nation.”
“That’s just scare talk,” Achan said. His round face was coated with perspiration, and he grinned slyly. “You just watch. Everybody will be taking things. If you’ve got any sense, you’ll take some yourself.”
“Not me,” Othniel said, “and I’m going to see to it that you don’t take anything either.” He reached over and put his arm around the short man. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you, old friend.”
****
When the seventh day came, everyone somehow understood that this was going to be different from the other days. The air of mystery that surrounded the tactics had caused much talk, but as the days passed by, there was something impressive about the silence of the nation as they encircled Jericho. Othniel knew that the silence troubled the dwellers in the city. They had shouted insults and curses, and when not a single voice was raised, they had finally fallen silent themselves. Othniel had heard Joshua say, “They don’t know what to make of it. They’ll know even less on the seventh day.”
Joshua was now standing on a little rise. It was just before dawn, and he was preparing the people. He spoke again of the power of God and reminded them of how God had delivered them over and over since their fathers had left Egypt, and he encouraged them to be courageous and true.
After the speech he motioned to Othniel and Ardon. They came straightaway to stand before him, and he said, “Go in and bring the woman who saved you when I sent you as spies. Bring out her family and take special care of her. She has been a great blessing to Israel.”
“Yes, Joshua,” Othniel said, brightening up at once.
The two turned, and then Joshua lifted his voice to the people: “Now we will march around the city seven times.”
It took a long time to march around the city, and the nation of Israel remained solemnly silent on each circuit. Finally, on the seventh time around, Joshua shouted to the priests, “Now sound the trumpets and let all the people shout!”
The trumpets blared out with their brazen voices, and at the same time every soul in Israel shouted at the top of their lungs. It made an awesome din, and even as the voices were on the air, Othniel was shocked to see a crack develop right in front of his eyes. It ran from the ground all the way up to the top of the wall. Other cracks began springing up, and the shouting increased.
“The wall, it’s falling!” one of the soldiers shouted.
The wall was indeed falling. Down it came with a thunderous crash, the roar of it almost drowning out the screams of the archers on the wall as they fell and were crushed by the huge blocks. The houses that were on the wall fell too, and Othniel grasped Ardon’s arm. “God is destroying the walls!” he cried.
“But not that part. Look!”
Othniel saw that part of the wall was still standing and that from one of the houses the scarlet rope on which they had escaped from Jericho was dangling. “Come on. We’ll get them out.”
Othniel drew his sword along with the other soldiers. They were all screaming and running straight for the wall. The cries of the dying who had been crushed by the wall were soon joined by the shouts of the remaining soldiers who were met by the flashing swords of Joshua’s army.
****
Joshua led one wing of the army in and Caleb the other. Joshua saw a man running out of a fine house.
“I’m Shalmanezer! I have much wealth,” the man cried.
Joshua ran straight at him. “A curse on you and your wealth,” he said. He struck one mighty blow, and the head of Shalmanezer, who had ruined so many women and men fell on the street. Joshua did not even pause.
****
Othniel and Ardon scrambled up the stairway that was left in the part of the wall still standing. They reached the top and saw a few of the soldiers left cowering there, staring at the battle that was raging below them.
“At them!” Ardon cried, and at once he and Othniel ran straight at the soldiers. Ardon killed two instantly, and Othniel engaged in a furious duel with one rather fat soldier. He finally managed to kill the man, and then he ran toward Rahab’s house.
He beat on the door and cried out, “Rahab, open the door!”
The door opened, and Rahab came out, her face pale but radiant. “God has destroyed the wall,” she whispered. “He is the great God.”
Ardon heard this and stared at her. He could not understand how a heathen woman, a harlot and an idolatress, could feel so strongly about a God who could never be her own—no matter what Joshua claimed.
“Come,” he said. “Our commander has told us to bring you and all of your family and all that you have.”
“We are ready,” Rahab said. She ran inside, and soon the whole family was carrying out those things they held most precious. Othniel helped carry part of the burden, and they went down the stairs. The battle was still raging and death was everywhere. Othniel saw Achan lifting a bloody sword and grinning at him. “Come on, Othniel.”
“No, I cannot. You be careful, Achan.”
“I’ll be careful. Is that the woman that saved you?”
“This is the one.”
Achan grinned and shouted, “Well, woman, you saved a good man! Take care of him.” He turned then and plunged back into the fray that was going on in the heart of the city.
“Come, Rahab,” Othniel said, “you must get away from here.”
Ardon said, “You take care of her. I’m going to join the fight.”
Othniel knew that Ardon had little opinion of his soldiering ability, and he nodded, “Come along, Rahab. You are safe.”
“It’s the God of Israel. He has done it,” she said simply, and she and her family followed Othniel out of the city of Jericho, which had become a place of death.
As they moved away and the sounds of battle faded, Rahab turned and looked back. Surprised, Othniel stopped also. “What is it?” he asked.
“He hates me, doesn’t he?”
“Who?”
“Ardon.”
Othniel was embarrassed. “No, he’s just a strange fellow. You have to get used to him.” Othniel knew his cousin’s ways well and how straightlaced he was with all women. He thought of trying to explain this to Rahab but knew that it was useless. “Come along,” he said. “I’ll take you to my cousin. She’ll take care of you until we can find you a permanent place.”
****
Ariel had been waiting along with the other women in the camp. When she saw Othniel walking along carrying a bundle and leading what appeared to be refugees, she at once knew that this was the woman she had heard of—Rahab the harlot.
“Ariel, this is Rahab and her family,” Othniel said. He named them off and then nodded. “This is my cousin Ariel. She’s the daughter of Caleb, one of the leaders of Israel.”
“Is the battle still going on, Othniel?” Ariel demanded after nodding briefly to Rahab and the others.
“Yes, and really I ought to get back. Will you take care of my friends?”
“Of course.”
Othniel turned and said, “Rahab, my cousin will take care of you. Joshua has given special instructions that you’re to be well cared for. When the battle’s over, I’ll be back and we will make more permanent arrangements.”
“Was Ardon all right when you left him?”
“He was fine. He went back to join in the battle after we got Rahab out.”
Ariel’s lips curled with disdain. “I might have known you’d find a way to romance a woman and leave the battle.”
At that moment Rahab knew that Ardon’s sister was no friend of hers. She could not think of a word to say, but she watched as Othniel trudged away. Feeling lonely now, she wished that he had left her and her
family in the care of someone else.
“Come along,” Ariel said to Rahab’s family. “You all must be hungry.”
“I sure am,” Oman piped up.
“Well, we have some stew ready.”
Rahab offered to help, but Ariel said curtly, “No, I’ll fix it.” So Rahab sat down between her sister and brother-in-law and waited until the food was served.
As they began to eat, Ariel said, “I’ve heard all about you. Rahab. You did a great service in saving my brother and my cousin.”
“I’m glad that I was able to help,” Rahab said. She studied the woman covertly and was impressed at her beauty. She saw that some of Ardon’s characteristics were in Ariel as well, for she was as tall as he was, with a fair complexion and the same black hair and gray-green eyes.
“Tell me about the battle,” Ariel commanded.
Rahab began haltingly telling how the walls had fallen down, and finally she said, “We would be dead by now if it hadn’t been for your brother and your cousin.”
Ariel kept pressing for details, but Rahab was depressed. She had lost her home, the only one she had ever known, she was living amid strangers, and she knew that her reputation had been brought back to Israel by Ardon and Othniel. Everyone knew she had been a prostitute, and there was no way to get around that. She had a sudden impulse to weep, which was strange, for she had endured great humiliation and shame and hardship in her life, but now she felt so alone she wanted to cry out. But there was no one to cry to.
Chapter 14
By the time Othniel made his way back to the city, the battle was basically finished. He could hear the sound of triumphant cries as he approached, and as he made his way over the rubble that had once been the proud wall of Jericho, the sight that met his eyes was astounding. He saw his fellow Israelites waving bloody swords and knives, and the streets were littered with the bodies of the dwellers of Jericho. The slaughter was not completely over, however, for down some of the streets he could see men and women and children trying to escape. Their cries of terror were cut short as the keen weapons of the Israelites cut down the terrified inhabitants of Jericho.
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