by Brian Godawa
Rahab blurted out, “No longer of Jericho.”
Joshua smiled at her anxiousness. “Indeed.”
He stepped closer to them, within a few feet. “I understand that it was you who hid my spies, and provided intelligence of the city.”
“Yes, my lord,” she said with shaking voice. She felt so unworthy.
“Well then, I believe gratitude is in order.”
She would not look Joshua in the eye.
“Rahab,” said Joshua. “Look at me.”
She looked up, expecting wrath, but found only peace and strength.
“I want to thank you on behalf of Israel and Israel’s god, Yahweh. What you did was a righteous deed, and it will not be forgotten. I will send guards to accompany you and your family to any village you desire.”
“My lord,” said Salmon, “She will not need to go anywhere. She wants to become an Israelite.”
Joshua was shocked. He was not prepared for this. Few were prepared for this. It was a rarity.
Joshua did not like the idea. He scowled.
“Is there a problem, sir?” asked Caleb. He knew Joshua’s sense of holiness was so overwrought, he could not conceive of such unclean persons becoming a part of the holy people of Yahweh. But it was part of Yahweh’s word and his law to allow for repentance and forgiveness. Only the most self-righteous would not see their own faults when compared against the standard.
“Well,” said Joshua, “I am not sure what appreciation you may have of our ways, Rahab, but—“ He paused. “There is no room for the traditions of the Canaanites. Yahweh detests them.”
“So do I,” she blurted out hastily. Then remembered whose presence she was in. “My lord, Commander.”
Joshua sighed. It was too much for him to consider. He said, “Prostitution is not allowed in Israel.”
Rahab was too humble, so Salmon said it for her, “She is no longer a harlot, sir. She has repented from that as well.”
Joshua appeared incredulous, “I am concerned about the morale and trust of the congregation. If we are entering into Canaanite cities and devoting all their inhabitants to destruction, it would create a disastrous contradiction if I allow this entire Canaanite family in our midst. I would not be upholding the holiness of Yahweh.”
Rahab wiped the tears that lagged down her cheek. She was crushed.
Then Caleb spoke up, “Commander, did Moses uphold the holiness of Yahweh by accepting repentant Midianites into your midst after the exodus? Did he uphold the holiness of Yahweh by accepting my Canaanite tribe into your midst? If not, then I should leave right now because I am no different than this woman.”
Joshua was cornered and he knew he was wrong. His pride would not let him admit it.
Salmon threw on the final sack that broke the camel’s back. “She carries my child. I will marry her according to Yahweh’s Law.”
Joshua looked at Salmon with more shock. But so did Caleb.
After an uncomfortable moment of thought, Joshua turned and said dismissively, “Very well. But not until after our next battle.”
“I can wait, my lord,” said Salmon.
Joshua added, “And she must shave her head and mourn for a month outside the camp. According to Yahweh’s Law.” He would stick that back in Salmon’s face.
Rahab and Salmon hugged each other with joy.
Caleb smiled. “Thank you, Commander. I knew you would affirm Yahweh’s gracious provision for converts. Faith is the beauty of holiness.”
A couple of Israelite spies entered the tent. One of them said, “Commander. We have reconnaissance on the city of Ai.”
Joshua became distracted again and barked, “Everyone is dismissed. My commanders, prepare for counsel.”
Chapter 40
“The city of Ai is a couple miles into the hills,” said the captain of the spies. “As its name suggests, it is a fortress of ruins that is being rebuilt by citizens of nearby Bethel. There are few inhabitants. We will not need but a couple company units of men to take it.”
Othniel asked, “Then why bother? If it is already in ruins.”
Joshua and Caleb were surrounded by a dozen of their highest commanders of thousands and hundreds.
The three prophets of Israel were not with them as they usually were. Joshua had not bothered to call on them because it seemed such a minor skirmish.
Caleb answered Othniel first, “Ai is the northernmost fortress for the southern Canaanite city-state coalition. It is the bridgehead to our southern campaign.”
Joshua added, “Our goal is to capture the hill country. It is the spine of Canaan. If we control the hills and valleys, we control access to the entire region. But just as importantly, the Canaanites are masters of chariot warfare. They are made of iron and are too formidable to face on open fields and plains. But chariots and heavy armor cannot be used in the hills.”
Othniel was smiling now. He was following completely.
Joshua finished, “Because of our small numbers, light armor, and complete lack of chariot forces, our best strategy is to control the hill country to our advantage. We make the spine of the land our spine.”
The spy captain asked, “What are your orders, sir?”
“Take three companies and secure Ai. We can take Bethel from there.”
Caleb interrupted, “Excuse me, Commander, but should we not be more cautious and send a larger force? Just to be sure.”
“Three units should be plenty,” said Joshua. “That is seven hundred men for a barely inhabited city of ruins.”
“What say the prophets?”
Joshua answered, “They are in prayer. I did not want to bother them with such a trivial need.”
Caleb thought it was unwise to take the advice of spies who were only trained in gathering information, not in field tactics. But he could see Joshua had made up his mind. He prayed that his Commander had not become overconfident with pride.
• • • • •
Caleb led the forces toward Ai. Othniel accompanied Caleb, and Salmon joined him as one of the commanders of hundreds.
When they arrived in sight of the city, Caleb could see why the spies had reported Ai to be an easy target. The area of the city was several acres. Its walls were mostly reduced to rubble and the interior of the city was just as ruinous and in need of rebuilding.
But the Bethelites from nearby were rebuilding it. Caleb could see the builders working on the stone wall of the exterior, and laying bricks and timber for the interior structures.
The armed force looked small. They would not populate the fortress until it would be restored to its former strength.
Caleb waited until night to attack. He led his men against the most open part of the wall so their entry would be the easiest.
They breached the low stone rubble easily and entered the city. But when they began the raid, the soldiers of Ai did not fight. They rather ran back into the city and hid amidst the wreckage and ruins. Another sign that they were too few.
The Israelite warriors broke up into several units to chase down the fleeing Bethelites. Othniel took one of them. This was turning into a troublesome search and destroy mission that Caleb did not relish.
Caleb was with Salmon as they led a unit of a hundred that chased some soldiers down a dark street into a large square that appeared to house the governmental structures at one time. They were large stone edifices crumbling and vacant.
They had lost the band of soldiers. And then Caleb realized they were out in the open, surrounded by too many dark and unlit buildings. There was too little light in this city to see well.
Moments in advance, he discerned what had happened.
But it was moments too late. They had been tricked into an ambush.
They were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of warriors who came at them from everywhere. The Bethelites were using the ruins of the city as a cover to engage in guerrilla warfare tactics.
The Israelites instinctively withdrew into a circle of defense. Caleb knew enough
to have his hornsman blow the sound of retreat. If the other units had not been trapped yet, they might avoid a catastrophe of defeat.
Salmon drew his sword and stood near Caleb. His experience with him as both spies and deliverers in Jericho had endeared him to his commanding officer. He saw himself as a bodyguard for Caleb.
“MOVE TOWARD THE EXIT!” yelled Caleb to his men.
The Bethelites were already upon them, slashing, hacking and thrusting.
But the Israelites were seasoned fighters. And they had learned to move as one. They began to defend themselves in their circle, but moved back toward the way which they had entered.
They were being pounded on all sides. Shields were starting to weaken. They were outnumbered three to one. But they kept moving and pushing, until they fought their way back to the broken wall where they had entered.
Caleb saw Othniel’s unit under the same kind of fire. But they too were able to make it back to the wall to escape.
But as they were launching themselves over the rubble to break from their ambush, an arrow struck Salmon through his back.
He had just stepped behind Caleb. A second later or a second earlier, and it would have been Caleb now on the ground.
Caleb picked Salmon up with the help of another soldier and they made it out of the city walls to regroup with the other units.
Now, as one, they found more strength and were able to hold off the Bethelite forces long enough to make their retreat back down the hill.
The Bethelites stopped chasing them and the Israelite forces paused to count their losses and gather their breath. It had been a frightful hour of the most heated battle they had seen since Edrei.
They had lost about thirty-six men.
Salmon would be one of them. He was dying in Caleb’s arms.
The arrow had pierced his back and lodged in his heart. Caleb could not pull it out. He could only try to make Salmon as comfortable as possible.
Salmon was sputtering, trying to get his words out to Caleb. “Commander – I am – honored – to serve – with you.”
“And I with you—gibbor.”
It was a compliment of the highest order to call a man a gibbor, as it meant they were a mighty man, the equal of a giant.
“Please – please take care – of Rahab – for me.”
“She and her family will be safe. I will not allow them to be cast out of Israel.”
“Tell Rahab to call our child—Boaz.”
“I promise you, soldier,” said Caleb.
Then he added, “Friend.”
And Salmon breathed his last.
Chapter 41
Joshua was prostrate with his face on the ground before the Holy of Holies. Outside the Tent of Meeting, the elders lay on the ground, their clothes torn in anguish, and dust thrown over their heads in despair. The judges and prophets were beside them in the same posture.
Joshua cried out, “Adonai Yahweh, why? Why have you brought us over the Jordan at all, if you are only going to give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had dwelled beyond the Jordan. Do you not care that all the inhabitants of Canaan will hear of this defeat and will surround us and cut off our name from the face of the earth? Do you not care for the reputation of your own name? Is this not what Moses himself had begged from you?”
Suddenly, the voice of Yahweh broke Joshua out of his weeping. “Get up, Joshua. You sound more like the pathetic Israelites wishing they could go back to Egypt than their leader Moses in pleading for them.”
Joshua was terrified. He did not get up.
“Joshua, get up, will you.”
Joshua got up.
“Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant and taken some of the devoted things of herem. They have lied and taken them for their own possession. Therefore the people of Israel have become herem, and devoted to destruction. I will be with you no more unless you destroy the devoted things in your midst.”
“Who, my lord and god?” said Joshua. “Who is it who has taken these devoted items?”
• • • • •
Caleb entered Rahab’s tent. She and all her family were bald shaven and in their thirty day period of lamenting. Her mother and father were there, as well as her sisters and brothers. They had been in bed for a short time already, but few were sleeping. And certainly not Rahab.
When she saw Caleb at the tent entrance, she instantly knew the fate of her betrothed Salmon.
She rose from her bed, approached Caleb and embraced him with trembling.
Then she stepped outside and bowed low to the ground and began to wail. It was the tradition of women’s response to tragedy. She also threw dirt upon her head and tore her bedclothes. But it was her wailing that would be heard throughout the camp, blending into the wailing of the dozens of other women who had lost their husbands, fathers, and brothers.
Caleb noticed Donatiya, her head also shaven, get out of her bedroll and make her way out to the side of Rahab.
She knelt with her, tore her bedclothes, and threw dirt on herself as well. Donatiya did not fully understand the Israelite ways, but she sought to be beside her mistress.
• • • • •
The next morning, Joshua had called all Israel to meet just outside the camp in a large open area.
He shouted to the masses, “Thus says Yahweh Elohim of Israel! You cannot stand before your enemies unless you rid yourselves of the devoted things in your midst!”
The people murmured with anxiety, not knowing whom amongst them had done so.
He then proceeded to call before him each tribe by name and drew lots. Yahweh would show him, by means of the lots, which household, in which clan, in which tribe was the offender.
When he had come to Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites, the lot fell to Achan, son of Zabdi.
Joshua said, “My son, give glory to Yahweh Elohim and tell me what you have done.”
Achan was a simple man, stout with full beard, and mostly kept to himself. His wife, three sons and two daughters stood behind him trembling with fear.
Achan fell to his knees and spoke with a shaking voice, “I have sinned against Yahweh, Elohim of Israel. I saw some spoils that I coveted, and I took them and hid them in the earth in my tent.”
“What did you take, Achan?”
“A cloak. A beautiful cloak of Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold. But that is all. I have nothing else. I will return them.”
“There is no need for that,” said Joshua.
A group of men were sent to his tent to dig them up.
Joshua turned to Caleb and said, “Take them to the Valley of Achor, stone the entire family and burn them with all his possessions and animals.”
“But my Commander,” said Achan. “Please have mercy.”
“We are to have no mercy on the herem. By disobeying Yahweh’s holy commands, you have made all of Israel herem. You have endangered all of Israel by your selfish action. You are herem. Yahweh has spoken.”
Achan screamed and his family begged for their lives as they were dragged away.
• • • • •
Caleb stood before Achan and his family, tied to poles in the Valley of Achor. Thousands of Israelites came to the stoning. Hundreds participated. It was a gruesome affair. Caleb could barely watch the family crying out, and ultimately dying under the crushing blows of hundreds of stones hitting them all over their bodies. They became bloody pulps surrounded by a pile of rocks.
And then wood was stacked around their dead bodies to burn them along with all their sheep and oxen.
They were burning the evil from their midst.
Caleb’s mind wandered to the cloak of Shinar that Achan had stolen and was one of the causes of this entire tragic scene before him. Shinar was in Mesopotamia, the land of Babel. The cloak had been traded or stolen as war spoils and found its way all this distance to Canaan. Caleb had seen it spread out when the men brought it from Achan’s tent. And it was a truly beautiful
cloak.
The image haunted his mind. It was a colorful tapestry dominated by lapis lazuli blue, like the bricks on the walls of Babylon. It had golden thread interwoven through it with expert craftsmanship. It was a depiction from the scene of the Babylonian creation epic, the Enuma Elish. A glorious kingly figure in bright colors, the god Marduk, carried his weapons of bow and mace. He stood on the neck of the fleeing sea dragon of chaos, the goddess Tiamat, ready to cut her in two to create the heavens and the earth.
He was captivated by its beauty. He had never seen anything so colorful and artistic since he left Egypt so many years ago. Desert living was not conducive to the fragility of beauty.
And yet, in this somber justice before him, that beauty became hideously ugly. It was like a smooth and graceful serpent that reared its head to bare its fangs and bite. A flood of terror came over him and he understood, like he had never before, the true nature of beauty without holiness.
It was the seduction of the gods.
It was the lie of the Garden.
And it was evil. Monstrous evil.
The meaning of the tragedy before him became clear. The judgment Achan was receiving was not an extreme punishment for a minor misdemeanor. It was not the significance of the criminal act that warranted the consequences. It was the significance of the one against who the act was committed that made it so serious. This puny created man defied the everlasting creator of the heavens and earth, and threatened the lives of thousands of his countrymen, and the existence of his nation.
The final thought that struck Caleb was that humanity does not consist of isolated autonomous individuals unconnected to others. We are all connected to our communities in inextricable consequences. Our choices and actions affect not only ourselves but also all those around us.
It was time to get back to camp. Joshua had planned an immediate second attack on Ai.
Chapter 42
As it turned out, the city of Bethel must have heard about Israel’s victory over Jericho and had fortified the ruins of Ai with their forces as a buffer from the approaching Israelites.
Joshua had made a mistake he would never make again. He had let his pride blind him into trusting in his own military strength. This time, he would use his full force. But this time, he would also inquire of Yahweh before moving hastily ahead with his human plans.