The book of Joshua begins with the preparation of Joshua and the people of Israel for invasion of Jericho under the Lord’s presence and leadership. First, Joshua ordered thepeople who were to cross the Jordan to Jericho to prepare themselves. Then, he placedthem under strict orders of obedience to his authority (1:10-18). Next, he sent out two spiesto Jericho to retrieve information about the enemy. The spies went to the house of aprostitue name Rahab, as a cover for their actions. This plan did not work because the kingof Jericho sent men to Rahab’s house to try to find them. She had hidden the well, however,and was able to convince the king’s men that they weren’t in her house. Since Rahab’shome was on the wall of the city, she was able to let them down by a rope on the outside ofthe wall. Returning to Joshua, they gave their report (2:1-24). There followed another one of the events that Israel saw as a “wonder” of God. Theriver banks of Jordan were undercut in such a way, that they formed a natural dam thatholds the river in check for extended periods of time. According to the passage 3:14-16, thewaters were flooded when this was necessary, and the people boarded the ark of thecovenant and passed easily over opposite Jericho. The ark of the covenant, symbol of theLord’s presence with the Israelites, was carried to the midst of the riverbed to remind themthat it was the Lord’s workings that enabled them to cross the flooded river (3:17). A pileof stones was resurrected as a memorial to the event. The stones were to serve as a teachingaid for the elders. When asked by children of future generations what the stones meant, theelders would tell them of God’s deliverance of the people (4:1- 5:1). After crossing the Jordan, all the men and boys underwent circumcision as an act ofconsecration to the Lord (5:2-12). When they had recovered, preparations got under ...
