After crossing the Jordan River Joshua’s first military objective was to take the city of Jericho. This went smoothly. For six consecutive days the army, led by seven priests, walked once around the city. Then, on the seventh day, they marched seven times around the city with the priests blowing their rams’ horns. Then, on cue, the priests blew one long blast, the people gave a large shout, the walls fell and the city was razed to the ground.
Next came Ai. This seemed an easy task. Joshua’s spies reported back that it was a small town and it would only need two or three thousand soldiers, not the entire army. However it all went terribly wrong with Israel fleeing in fear. ‘Why God,’ cried Joshua. ‘Have you brought us this far only to abandon us?’
10 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. 12 That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction. (Chapter 7)
This was the failing of one man, Achan. God had given clear instruction before the fall of Jericho that everything was to be destroyed except ‘the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron’ which were to be set aside for God (Jos 6:24). By keeping some of the plunder for himself Achan brought sin on the entire nation. One man’s sin led to the defeat of the national army.
Previous posts have pointed out that the nation’s success was dependent on total obedience to all that God commanded. The failure at Ai demonstrates the consequences of disobedience. This being the case, how then do we understand the story of Rahab.
Rahab the prostitute was an inhabitant of Jericho. When Joshua sent spies out to reconnoitre Jericho Rahab hid them from the king’s men until, with her help, they could escape to safety. Before they fled Jericho Rahab and the two spies made an agreement. In return for her kindness Rahab and her extended family members, if gathered in her house, would be spared when the invasion took place. This was conditional on her leaving a red rope hanging from her window on the external wall of the city.
This pledge was honoured. The Book of Joshua records that as the priests gave a long blast on their rams’ horns ‘Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town! 17 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies’ (Josh 6:16-17).
We saw above that Israel was soundly defeated when one man out of the entire nation disobeyed God. In that context we must consider the following two statements. First, Deuteronomy 20:16-17 seems perfectly clear that no one living in the Promised Land is to be spared:
In those towns that the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing. 17 You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the Lord your God has commanded you.
Then, just before the people crossed the Jordan River Joshua was instructed to meditate on all that God had instructed day and night so as to follow all that God had commanded.
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do (Josh 1:7,8).
If we take this as read, there was no authority to spare Rahab or her family. Clearly they were part of the the all that was to be ‘completely destroyed’. There is no censure from Joshua. Rather, not only did he go along with the arrangement but took special care to make sure Rahab and her family were spared. More importantly, there is no censure from God who gave the victory He promised on the condition of obedience. Why?
That Rahab acted out of a concern to preserve her life and that of her family is noted, but that is not an excuse for the spies to act contrary to the command of God. Neither is the fact that in hiding the spies she was betraying her own people. God had no need of spies and there is no evidence that He instructed Joshua to send them out. If He wanted to protect them He could have done so without any help from Rahab.
Perhaps part of the answer is found in Rahab’s request of the spies in Joshua 2:9-12:
“I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.10 For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
12 “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13 when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”
Rahab moved from fear to action. She not only recognised that the Hebrew God was ‘the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below’, but she dared to reach out to Him to protect her and her family. In doing so she rejected the Canaanite Gods. In the culture of her day this meant she was probably no longer considered a Canaanite.
In a June 10, 2003 article found on the website ‘My Jewish Learning’, ‘Conversion History: Early Period,’ Lawrence J. Epstein claims that at the time of the Exodus and for some time after Israelites had no concept of religion as separate to national identity. God was theirs exclusively, concerned solely with their welfare and offering no protection to other nationalities. This understanding however did not exclude others being assimilated into the Israelite community. It therefore follows that Rahab’s desire to seek protection from God was seen by the Israelites at the time as a renunciation of her identity as a Canaanite and a desire to assimilate with Judaism.
This post has looked at two stories, both associated with the conquest of Jericho. One shows that God takes disobedience seriously. The other demonstrates God’s willingness to provide salvation for the condemned, remembering that without God’s mercy Rahab was condemned.
How does this relate to the charge of genocide? It certainly does not provide all the answers. However, it is part of the evidence that must be considered and must raise some doubt over the charge - see my last post, Joshua's Marching Orders - Confronting Genocide 5
It must be remembered that Jericho was the first city to fall to Israel. That may give the story greater significance that we realise. With one exception, that of the submission of the Gibeonites in chapters 9 and 10, the rest of the story is hardly more than a summary of what was taken.
So, is Rahab the exception? Or is this story included at the beginning of the invasion history as evidence that God extended the hand of mercy to all the inhabitants of Canaan?
Next post I will look at another story from a little later on the historic timeline that may throw more light on the subject.
Bible Quotes from the New Living Translation
No comments:
Post a Comment