everyone laughed. They were all men. They really did not know the difference.
Othniel said, “Lust is gratification, love is sacrifice.”
Caleb was amazed to hear his brother, a man who was too fearful of revealing his own interest in Caleb’s daughter Achsah, speak so eloquently of love. Perhaps he was maturing after all. Something Caleb dreaded.
Salmon said, “I would sacrifice my life for Rahab. I do not lie. I am in love with her.”
Joshua said, “You are a loyal warrior, Salmon, I will grant you that. But love without holiness creates lawlessness and chaos. God has made us to obey him, and when we do not, we sow the seeds of our own destruction.”
Salmon and the commanders remained silent, chastised.
Then Caleb finally spoke up, “And what does holiness without love create, Commander?”
Caleb and Joshua had had this discussion many times in private. Of course Caleb did not condone sexual immorality. But he often felt that Joshua had lost his love when he lost Hasina. He had become hard and bitter. His dedication to discipli ne, rules, and order had become almost intolerable after his loss.
Hasina had been a n influence of grace on him. She had softened his rough edges and had calmed his cantankerous spirit. It was not that she made him soft or less of a warrior, but rather that she made him a whole human being. Without that influence, he had become a cruel taskmaster, a warrior who only knew force and judgment without persuasion and grace.
Joshua ignored Caleb’s question and told them, “ Tomorrow will be our victory.” He gave an angry look at Caleb and added, “But it will be a holy victory. For Yahweh has declared that the city and all that is within is herem , devoted to Yahweh for destruction.”
The men gave each other somber looks. Joshua continued, “Only Rahab the harlot and all her family with her in her house shall be spared because she has helped Israel. All items of silver and gold, bronze , and iron are to be brought to the tabernacle. They shall be cleansed and placed in the treasury of Yahweh. But every living thing, men and women, young and old, as well as the oxen, sheep, and donkeys shall be put to the sword. There can be no compromise in this herem .
It was a solemn moment. The commanders were silent. They had not understood how they were going to attack the city, but they could see in Joshua’s fiery eyes that he was certain of Yahweh’s course.
Then Joshua said, “I want to tell you exactly what Yahweh has told us to do tomorrow.”
Chapter 38
Early the next day, the Israelites arose and circled the city again as they had been doing for the past six days. Their actions went almost unnoticed as they blew their ram’s horns and paraded around the city one more time.
But today would be different. Today they circled the city seven times instead of one.
It started to draw a crowd of onlookers on the walls around the fifth time. They jeered and yelled insults at the Habiru. They thought that the Israelites had truly gone insane.
Even Alyun had mounted the inner wall to see what was going on. He stood with his five Anakim towering around him , and Jebir by his side.
By the seventh time around, the Israelites stopped in their procession near the south walls of the city.
The priests stopped blowing their horns.
The priests toted the Ark away back to camp, followed by the prophets. The soldiers closed in the gap.
Joshua then rode out on his horse and yelled at the top of his lungs, “SHOUT, FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!”
With that, the sound of several thousand Israelites yelling a war cry reverberated all the way up to the Commander’s post. It was also accompanied by the ram’s horns again. But this time it was a long blow that lasted the length of the battle cry.
And then all was silent.
Alyun waited for something to happen. But nothing did.
He turned to Jebir and remarked, “Well this really takes the dessert for the most mentally deranged people
Othniel said, “Lust is gratification, love is sacrifice.”
Caleb was amazed to hear his brother, a man who was too fearful of revealing his own interest in Caleb’s daughter Achsah, speak so eloquently of love. Perhaps he was maturing after all. Something Caleb dreaded.
Salmon said, “I would sacrifice my life for Rahab. I do not lie. I am in love with her.”
Joshua said, “You are a loyal warrior, Salmon, I will grant you that. But love without holiness creates lawlessness and chaos. God has made us to obey him, and when we do not, we sow the seeds of our own destruction.”
Salmon and the commanders remained silent, chastised.
Then Caleb finally spoke up, “And what does holiness without love create, Commander?”
Caleb and Joshua had had this discussion many times in private. Of course Caleb did not condone sexual immorality. But he often felt that Joshua had lost his love when he lost Hasina. He had become hard and bitter. His dedication to discipli ne, rules, and order had become almost intolerable after his loss.
Hasina had been a n influence of grace on him. She had softened his rough edges and had calmed his cantankerous spirit. It was not that she made him soft or less of a warrior, but rather that she made him a whole human being. Without that influence, he had become a cruel taskmaster, a warrior who only knew force and judgment without persuasion and grace.
Joshua ignored Caleb’s question and told them, “ Tomorrow will be our victory.” He gave an angry look at Caleb and added, “But it will be a holy victory. For Yahweh has declared that the city and all that is within is herem , devoted to Yahweh for destruction.”
The men gave each other somber looks. Joshua continued, “Only Rahab the harlot and all her family with her in her house shall be spared because she has helped Israel. All items of silver and gold, bronze , and iron are to be brought to the tabernacle. They shall be cleansed and placed in the treasury of Yahweh. But every living thing, men and women, young and old, as well as the oxen, sheep, and donkeys shall be put to the sword. There can be no compromise in this herem .
It was a solemn moment. The commanders were silent. They had not understood how they were going to attack the city, but they could see in Joshua’s fiery eyes that he was certain of Yahweh’s course.
Then Joshua said, “I want to tell you exactly what Yahweh has told us to do tomorrow.”
Chapter 38
Early the next day, the Israelites arose and circled the city again as they had been doing for the past six days. Their actions went almost unnoticed as they blew their ram’s horns and paraded around the city one more time.
But today would be different. Today they circled the city seven times instead of one.
It started to draw a crowd of onlookers on the walls around the fifth time. They jeered and yelled insults at the Habiru. They thought that the Israelites had truly gone insane.
Even Alyun had mounted the inner wall to see what was going on. He stood with his five Anakim towering around him , and Jebir by his side.
By the seventh time around, the Israelites stopped in their procession near the south walls of the city.
The priests stopped blowing their horns.
The priests toted the Ark away back to camp, followed by the prophets. The soldiers closed in the gap.
Joshua then rode out on his horse and yelled at the top of his lungs, “SHOUT, FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!”
With that, the sound of several thousand Israelites yelling a war cry reverberated all the way up to the Commander’s post. It was also accompanied by the ram’s horns again. But this time it was a long blow that lasted the length of the battle cry.
And then all was silent.
Alyun waited for something to happen. But nothing did.
He turned to Jebir and remarked, “Well this really takes the dessert for the most mentally deranged people
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