Daughter of Deliverance (16 page)

His orders were not kept, of course. There was whispering. “People don't like not knowing what's going to happen,” Achan complained.

“We just have to believe that Joshua does.”

Achan glanced up the wall. “I'll wager that's a rich city inside there. Full of gold and silver and treasure of all kinds. Once we get in, we're going to grab all the stuff we can.”

“I don't think that's the object, Achan.” Othniel grinned slightly. “It's to conquer them.”

“We can do both, can't we? When they're all dead, I'm going to get my family, and I'm going to haul off all the gold and silver I can lay my hands on.”

“You can't do that.”

“Why not?”

“You heard what Joshua said. He said that all the gold and silver in Jericho are for the Lord.”

“Oh, Joshua always talks like that.”

“He means it, Achan. He said that anyone who takes any spoil from the city for himself will be cursed, and a curse will fall on the whole nation.”

“That's just scare talk,” Achan said. His round face was coated with perspiration, and he grinned slyly. “You just watch. Everybody will be taking things. If you've got any sense, you'll take some yourself.”

“Not me,” Othniel said, “and I'm going to see to it that you don't take anything either.” He reached over and put his arm around the short man. “I couldn't let anything happen to you, old friend.”

****

When the seventh day came, everyone somehow understood that this was going to be different from the other days. The air of mystery that surrounded the tactics had caused much talk, but as the days passed by, there was something impressive about the silence of the nation as they encircled Jericho. Othniel knew that the silence troubled the dwellers in the city. They had shouted insults and curses, and when not a single voice was raised, they had finally fallen silent themselves. Othniel had heard Joshua say, “They don't know what to make of it. They'll know even less on the seventh day.”

Joshua was now standing on a little rise. It was just before dawn, and he was preparing the people. He spoke again of the power of God and reminded them of how God had delivered them over and over since their fathers had left Egypt, and he encouraged them to be courageous and true.

After the speech he motioned to Othniel and Ardon. They came straightaway to stand before him, and he said, “Go in and bring the woman who saved you when I sent you as spies. Bring out her family and take special care of her. She has been a great blessing to Israel.”

“Yes, Joshua,” Othniel said, brightening up at once.

The two turned, and then Joshua lifted his voice to the people: “Now we will march around the city seven times.”

It took a long time to march around the city, and the nation of Israel remained solemnly silent on each circuit. Finally, on the seventh time around, Joshua shouted to the priests, “Now sound the trumpets and let all the people shout!”

The trumpets blared out with their brazen voices, and at the same time every soul in Israel shouted at the top of their lungs. It made an awesome din, and even as the voices were on the air, Othniel was shocked to see a crack develop right in front of his eyes. It ran from the ground all the way up to the top of the wall. Other cracks began springing up, and the shouting increased.

“The wall, it's falling!” one of the soldiers shouted.

The wall was indeed falling. Down it came with a thunderous crash, the roar of it almost drowning out the screams of the archers on the wall as they fell and were crushed by the huge blocks. The houses that were on the wall fell too, and Othniel grasped Ardon's arm. “God is destroying the walls!” he cried.

“But not that part. Look!”

Othniel saw that part of the wall was still standing and that from one of the houses the scarlet rope on which they had escaped from Jericho was dangling. “Come on. We'll get them out.”

Othniel drew his sword along with the other soldiers. They were all screaming and running straight for the wall. The cries of the dying who had been crushed by the wall were soon joined by the shouts of the remaining soldiers who were met by the flashing swords of Joshua's army.

****

Joshua led one wing of the army in and Caleb the other. Joshua saw a man running out of a fine house.

“I'm Shalmanezer! I have much wealth,” the man cried.

Joshua ran straight at him. “A curse on you and your wealth,” he said. He struck one mighty blow, and the head of Shalmanezer, who had ruined so many women and men fell on the street. Joshua did not even pause.

****

Othniel and Ardon scrambled up the stairway that was left in the part of the wall still standing. They reached the top and saw a few of the soldiers left cowering there, staring at the battle that was raging below them.

“At them!” Ardon cried, and at once he and Othniel ran straight at the soldiers. Ardon killed two instantly, and Othniel engaged in a furious duel with one rather fat soldier. He finally managed to kill the man, and then he ran toward Rahab's house.

He beat on the door and cried out, “Rahab, open the door!”

The door opened, and Rahab came out, her face pale but radiant. “God has destroyed the wall,” she whispered. “He is the great God.”

Ardon heard this and stared at her. He could not understand how a heathen woman, a harlot and an idolatress, could feel so strongly about a God who could never be her own—no matter what Joshua claimed.

“Come,” he said. “Our commander has told us to bring you and all of your family and all that you have.”

“We are ready,” Rahab said. She ran inside, and soon the whole family was carrying out those things they held most precious. Othniel helped carry part of the burden, and they went down the stairs. The battle was still raging and death was everywhere. Othniel saw Achan lifting a bloody sword and grinning at him. “Come on, Othniel.”

“No, I cannot. You be careful, Achan.”

“I'll be careful. Is that the woman that saved you?”

“This is the one.”

Achan grinned and shouted, “Well, woman, you saved a good man! Take care of him.” He turned then and plunged back into the fray that was going on in the heart of the city.

“Come, Rahab,” Othniel said, “you must get away from here.”

Ardon said, “You take care of her. I'm going to join the fight.”

Othniel knew that Ardon had little opinion of his soldiering ability, and he nodded, “Come along, Rahab. You are safe.”

“It's the God of Israel. He has done it,” she said simply, and she and her family followed Othniel out of the city of Jericho, which had become a place of death.

As they moved away and the sounds of battle faded, Rahab turned and looked back. Surprised, Othniel stopped also. “What is it?” he asked.

“He hates me, doesn't he?”

“Who?”

“Ardon.”

Othniel was embarrassed. “No, he's just a strange fellow. You have to get used to him.” Othniel knew his cousin's ways well and how straightlaced he was with all women. He thought of trying to explain this to Rahab but knew that it was useless. “Come along,” he said. “I'll take you to my cousin. She'll take care of you until we can find you a permanent place.”

****

Ariel had been waiting along with the other women in the camp. When she saw Othniel walking along carrying a bundle and leading what appeared to be refugees, she at once knew that this was the woman she had heard of—Rahab the harlot.

“Ariel, this is Rahab and her family,” Othniel said. He named them off and then nodded. “This is my cousin Ariel. She's the daughter of Caleb, one of the leaders of Israel.”

“Is the battle still going on, Othniel?” Ariel demanded after nodding briefly to Rahab and the others.

“Yes, and really I ought to get back. Will you take care of my friends?”

“Of course.”

Othniel turned and said, “Rahab, my cousin will take care of you. Joshua has given special instructions that you're to be well cared for. When the battle's over, I'll be back and we will make more permanent arrangements.”

“Was Ardon all right when you left him?”

“He was fine. He went back to join in the battle after we got Rahab out.”

Ariel's lips curled with disdain. “I might have known you'd find a way to romance a woman and leave the battle.”

At that moment Rahab knew that Ardon's sister was no friend of hers. She could not think of a word to say, but she watched as Othniel trudged away. Feeling lonely now, she wished that he had left her and her family in the care of someone else.

“Come along,” Ariel said to Rahab's family. “You all must be hungry.”

“I sure am,” Oman piped up.

“Well, we have some stew ready.”

Rahab offered to help, but Ariel said curtly, “No, I'll fix it.” So Rahab sat down between her sister and brother-in-law and waited until the food was served.

As they began to eat, Ariel said, “I've heard all about you. Rahab. You did a great service in saving my brother and my cousin.”

“I'm glad that I was able to help,” Rahab said. She studied the woman covertly and was impressed at her beauty. She saw that some of Ardon's characteristics were in Ariel as well, for she was as tall as he was, with a fair complexion and the same black hair and gray-green eyes.

“Tell me about the battle,” Ariel commanded.

Rahab began haltingly telling how the walls had fallen down, and finally she said, “We would be dead by now if it hadn't been for your brother and your cousin.”

Ariel kept pressing for details, but Rahab was depressed. She had lost her home, the only one she had ever known, she was living amid strangers, and she knew that her reputation had been brought back to Israel by Ardon and Othniel. Everyone knew she had been a prostitute, and there was no way to get around that. She had a sudden impulse to weep, which was strange, for she had endured great humiliation and shame and hardship in her life, but now she felt so alone she wanted to cry out. But there was no one to cry to.

By the time Othniel made his way back to the city, the battle was basically finished. He could hear the sound of triumphant cries as he approached, and as he made his way over the rubble that had once been the proud wall of Jericho, the sight that met his eyes was astounding. He saw his fellow Israelites waving bloody swords and knives, and the streets were littered with the bodies of the dwellers of Jericho. The slaughter was not completely over, however, for down some of the streets he could see men and women and children trying to escape. Their cries of terror were cut short as the keen weapons of the Israelites cut down the terrified inhabitants of Jericho.

As he picked his way forward and arrived on the flat surface just inside the wall, Othniel heard a faint cry. Turning quickly, he saw the upper body of a soldier of Jericho who had been crushed when the walls fell. He was obviously dying, and Othniel heard him plead, “Kill me! Kill me!”

Othniel drew his sword and approached, but the soldier was no more than seventeen or eighteen and blood ran down his mouth and had pooled under his head. One of his arms was trapped. It was broken and set at an oblique angle, and the shadow of death was on him. Once again he cried out, “Please—kill me!”

Othniel reluctantly advanced and raised his sword, but somehow he could not bring it down.

At a sudden yell from behind him, he jumped back, thinking an enemy soldier might be at his back. It was, however, a man he knew—a young fellow from the tribe of Dan. His hands were bloodied up to the elbow, and his eyes were wild. He swung his sword and severed the throat of the man. “What's the matter with you, Othniel?” he yelled. “We're to kill them all!”

Sickened, Othniel shook his head and turned away. He had steeled himself to take part in the battle, but now nothing remained as he roamed the streets but executions. He saw a small girl no more than seven or eight running, her arms outstretched, her eyes wild with terror. She did not get far, for a burly Israelite cut her down with a wild swipe of his sword.

Othniel turned away from the sight and continued to search. He was determined to fight, but there was no one to fight except helpless people. The soldiers, for the most part, were dead, and at the orders of Joshua, the army was slaughtering every human that breathed in the city of Jericho.

Many of the soldiers had turned from the work of slaughter to pillaging the city. They came out bearing all sorts of treasures—golden statues, silver chains, jewelry with precious stones of red and green and blue. Finally Othniel saw Achan. He called out to him, “Achan!” and ran toward him.

Achan had his arms full of plunder. His eyes were shining, and he yelled, “Where have you been? Go in there. We won the battle!”

“I know. I wish—”

When Othniel broke off his speech, Achan stared at him. “What's the matter?”

“I don't like all this killing.”

“They're the enemy.”

“Some of them are women and children. They're not much of an enemy.”

Achan shook his head. “Come on. We're filling up that wagon over there with treasure. Joshua is going to burn the city, but first we're taking out all the gold and silver, everything valuable.”

Othniel found it easier to help with this task than with the task of mopping up survivors. He worked with the others to load up several wagons, which were then towed off by oxen.

Finally Joshua appeared with Caleb at his side. He was shouting orders, “Get those wagons out of here! All the rest of you start firing the city. Burn it to the ground, everything that will burn.”

Othniel never forgot the sight that followed. The city was set on fire in a thousand places. The victorious warriors yelled with delight as the flames rose higher and higher. Finally the heat grew intense, and all the soldiers withdrew at Joshua's command.