This Scarlet Cord by Joan Wolf

Canaanite girl he had met two years before. He had never forgotten Rahab. Because of her, most of the girls in Ramac seemed dull and uninteresting. A picture of the fiery, brave little girl whom he had saved from a terrible fate would spring into his mind every time his father or mother sang the praises of someone they considered a good match for him. He knew he was being foolish. The chances of his meeting an Israelite girl who was like Rahab were nonexistent.
    He had given in to his parents at last, however, and agreed to become betrothed to the daughter of another wealthy merchant when he and his father returned to Ramac. He knew it was his duty to marry and carry on the family business. But for some reason, the thought of pretty, docile Dinah did not make him look forward to the time when she would be his wife.
    Sala and Lord Nahshon were forced to wait at Jericho’s huge gate while a chariot clattered through ahead of them, then they were allowed to lead their donkeys through the massive wall and into the streets of the city. They had expected to find an inn easily, but the choices turned out to be limited. Because Jericho was not located on any of the major caravan routes, it was largely self-sufficient. Most outlying farmers had family to stay with when they came into the city, and the few inns that did exist were already filled due to a religious celebration to be celebrated shortly.
    The two men finally found an available room on the north side of the city, in what was clearly a poor neighborhood. Many of the small mud-brick houses were built right up against the city wall, which actually functioned as the house’s fourth wall. Those houses not pushed up against the wall were crammed together on narrow dirt streets in which groups of children played noisily.
    It was not the kind of neighborhood or accommodation to which Sala or his father were accustomed, but they had little choice. They followed the innkeeper up to a tiny room with a ceiling so low Sala felt he should duck his head.
    “No sense in complaining, Father,” he said, when he saw the expression on Lord Nahshon’s face. “At least it looks clean.”
    Lord Nahshon’s expression did not change as he regarded the old rush sleeping mats with disapproval. “I’d rather sleep out under the stars than in here.”
    Sala felt the same way. He walked the few strides it took him to reach the back wall and looked out the small window, which was really just an opening cut through the mud bricks.
    The view of the Judean hills before him was lovely, but what immediately caught his attention was the wall itself. He leaned out to get a better look.
    “Be careful,” Lord Nahshon called. “You might fall.”
    Sala drew himself back into the room. “Come and look at this wall, Father. It’s only a single brick thick.”
    Lord Nahshon came to the window, looked, and turned to his son. “You’re right! This would be easy to knock down.” He leaned out a little himself and looked toward the hills. “We are on the north side of the city, am I right?”
    “Yes.”
    Lord Nahshon smiled. “It looks as if the whole north side of the wall is only a single brick thick. That is something we must let Joshua know about.”
    Sala smiled back. “Definitely. There is still the stone revetment to deal with, but this section seems vulnerable.”
    Lord Nahshon glanced around the tiny room once more and sighed. “Let’s get out of here, Sala. We should look first for that wine shop where we’re supposed to meet Joshua’s men. Perhaps we can even get some food there.”
    “An excellent plan, Father. I’m starving.”
    “Come along then,” Lord Nahshon said, and the two men exited the tiny room.

    For several days Sala and his father explored the city, walking down every street and checking the wall from every vantage point. They discovered Jericho was really two cities, the Lower City, where their lodgings were, and the Upper City, where the richer homes were located,