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These are the ancient Israelites.
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Relentless warriors described in the
Bible as soldiers of God.
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They are fierce, unwavering,
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and ruthless.
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Their leader is Joshua, a brilliant
military strategist, poised to bring the
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Israelites into the promised land, the
land of Canaan.
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To fulfill this mission, Joshua and his
army fight some of the most brutal
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battles described in the Bible.
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Perhaps none is more well known than the
Battle of Jericho.
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An intricate tale of espionage,
psychological warfare,
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and the extermination of an entire
population.
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But Jericho was only the first in a long
military campaign designed to conquer
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the land of Canaan.
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A campaign filled with blood and water.
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Joshua's military might is first
described in the Bible during the great
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campaign out of Egypt in the 14th
century BC.
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Soon after the Israelites cross the Sea
of Rean, they are ambushed by a
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Canaanite group called the Amalekites.
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The Israelite leader at the time is
Moses.
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He handpicks his fiercest warrior, the
young Joshua, to be his field commander.
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Joshua fights brilliantly and leads the
Israelites to victory.
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But both he and Moses realize the
Israelites need to be a more effective
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fighting force if they are going to
invade and conquer Canaan and its dozens
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fortified city -states.
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The Israelites are light infantry
guerrillas.
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They can't engage the enemy on the open
plains.
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The Canaanites have chariots.
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and they could easily cut them down.
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So they stay in the desert for 40 years,
creating a strong and more powerful
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army.
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Joshua is impatient to invade Canaan,
but accepts the wisdom of Moses, who
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believes the Israelites should stay in
the desert longer and train a new and
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larger fighting force.
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After 40 years, the army's number swells
to around 8 ,000.
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A force...
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whose time has finally come.
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The first step is to leave their camp at
Kadesh Barnea.
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But walled Canaanite cities block the
route north.
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So Moses and Joshua lead some 35 ,000
men, women, and children south, then
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into the Jordan Valley.
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The Israelites pass peacefully through
the land of the Edomites and the
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Moabites. But soon, they encounter an
unfriendly tribe who refuse to let them
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pass. The Ammonites.
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In this first test of the newly trained
Israelite army, Joshua shows he hasn't
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lost his military power and leads his
army to victory.
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The Bible says Moses, Joshua, and the
Israelites then attacked several other
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tribes in the Jordan Valley on their way
to Canaan.
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They marched on and went up the road to
Bashan and King Og of Bashan with all
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his people.
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came out to engage them in battle. They
defeated him and his sons and all his
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people until no remnant was left.
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Why the need for this kind of brutality?
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And the answer from a military
perspective is quite simply.
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The Israelites have no intention of
living in the Jordan Valley.
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Their intention is to move their army to
the border of Canaan.
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So that the area along the Jordan River
becomes a strategic launching point for
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the future attack on Canaan. One cannot
leave significant hostile forces in
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one's rear.
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The Bible tells us that Moses dies
before ever reaching the promised land.
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And God chooses Joshua to command the
Israelites.
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So far, it's taken 40 years and
thousands of deaths to get to where
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the Israelites are.
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But understanding where Joshua has been
gives us a pretty good insight into
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what's coming next in his story.
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Because as difficult as it has been so
far, the next part of getting to Canaan
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is going to be even bloodier.
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Joshua, now solely in charge, develops a
strategy to conquer Canaan.
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He needs to gain control of the mountain
chain that runs through the center of
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the country.
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Once on that mountain spine, he not only
controls all the passers across the
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country, but he's free from counter
-attack from Canaanite armies, which are
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chariot -heavy, whereas Israelite armies
are essentially light infantry.
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The Israelite army is perfectly suited
for hit -and -run tactics over rugged
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terrain, and they're going to play to
their strength.
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Joshua calls together his 8 ,000
soldiers and announces the location of
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first attack.
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It will be against one of the world's
oldest cities, the fabled city of
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Joshua attacked Jericho because this is
the first step in an Israelite war of
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extermination.
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The Israelites have no intention of
settling in Canaan as long as there are
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other people still in Canaan. They
intend to attack cities and drive them
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and to replace their populations with
their own.
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Jericho is fairly small, has a small
population, almost defenseless.
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But Jericho does have its famous walls,
which are actually two walls about 12
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feet apart that run parallel to each
other.
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The walls are believed to be about 30
feet tall, stretching 1 ,400 yards
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Some of the people of Jericho live in
the space between the two walls.
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Understanding the layout of Jericho is
crucial to the success of overtaking the
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city.
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He doesn't just stroll right in with his
army. Like any good commander, he
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performs a reconnaissance of the
objective.
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And here he sends two spies into the
city of Jericho to check out its
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and to see what else is going on.
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He's taking this army into Canaan for
the first time. The one thing he can't
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avoid is a defeat or a colossal screw
-up. He wants to make sure that this
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becomes a military success.
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The spy sneak inside Jericho and head to
a brothel.
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A cunning decision.
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Choice of an inn or house of
prostitution is absolutely brilliant.
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small city.
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Strangers would immediately be
recognized.
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The only place they could, if not hide,
but have a good excuse for being there
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would be in a house of prostitution.
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That's also where tongues wag a lot. And
a lot of loose gossip could be picked
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up about troop dispositions, morale,
etc.
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They find a prostitute willing to help
them. Her name is Rahab.
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Rahab tells the Israelite spies about
the conditions in Jericho.
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And what's very clear is that the morale
of the people is shot.
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The tales of great slaughter during the
Jordanian campaign have reached their
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ears. So they're literally scared to
death that they're going to be attacked.
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The Bible states that Rahab lives in
between the parallel walls.
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Now, this is important because, as we'll
see, there are some who believe that
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the location of Rahab's house is the key
to how the Battle of Jericho went down.
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It's now dark, and the Israelite spies
are prepared to leave.
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and to return to Joshua with their
intelligence report.
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But their cover is blown.
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The king of Jericho's intelligence
service picks up the fact that the
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spies are in the city and track them to
Rahab's apartment and go to
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Rahab and demand that she turn over the
Israelite spies.
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According to the Bible, Rahab covers for
the Israelites.
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It is true, she said, the men did come
to me, but I didn't know where they were
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from. And at dark, when the gate was
about to be closed, the men left, and I
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don't know where the men went.
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Quick, go after them, for you can
overtake them.
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And apparently, they're happy with his
explanation.
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One assumes they might have done a
search, but given Rahab's profession,
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probably pretty persuasive.
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So, where were the spies?
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Well, the Bible tells us she actually
hid them on the roof.
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Now, under the cover of darkness, the
spies must escape the city and return to
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Joshua.
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But before they go, they say to Rahab,
because you have helped us, when the
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attack comes to the city, we want you
and your family to be spared.
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So, in order that we know that this is
your house, take a red cord and tie it
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the window.
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and no harm will come to you or your
family.
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Rahab ties the red cord in the window,
and the spies slide down the rope on the
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outside of the wall.
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The men report to Joshua with important
intelligence.
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Jericho's small population is terrified
and therefore vulnerable.
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The information gives Joshua the
confidence that now is the time to
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city.
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Joshua leads his army across the Jordan
River toward Jericho.
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This is a big army. Our estimates are 8
,000 to 9 ,000 men.
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One of the largest armies that's ever
been put to the field in Canaan.
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Inside the walls, the citizens of
Jericho were terrified.
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Here comes the army they've heard about
that has just slaughtered their way
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through the Jordan Valley.
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Jericho is a small city, only about
eight acres.
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roughly the size of eight football
fields.
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To estimate the population of ancient
Jericho, based on the rough benchmark
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historians use of about 240 inhabitants
per urban acre times about 8 .5 acres,
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you arrive at a population of about 2
,500, somewhere in there, about 20%,
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can be mustered to defend the city.
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The perimeter walls are almost a mile in
circumference.
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So you have an army outside of 8 ,000 to
9 ,000 men surrounding a city that can
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mount no more than 500 defenders on the
wall.
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That's about one every three meters.
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The Israelite army could encircle
Jericho, one with a man one
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meter apart, six men deep.
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But this huge army doesn't attack.
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For six days, Joshua marches his men
around Jericho.
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The biblical description of the plan
seems, on the face of it, absurd.
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According to the Bible, Yahweh says to
Joshua, You shall march around the city
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for six days.
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According to the Bible, on the seventh
day, the Israelites are supposed to blow
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their shofars, or battle horns.
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and the walls shall come tumbling down.
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And everyone knows the old song of
Joshua at the Battle of Jericho, and the
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walls came tumbling down.
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Joshua commanded the people, Shout, for
the Lord has given you the city. At the
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sound of the trumpet, when the people
gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed.
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every man charged straight in, and they
took the city.
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The walls fall down, and Jericho's
defenses crumble.
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Is it a miracle?
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Or is there another explanation?
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The walls of Jericho come tumbling down.
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Joshua and the Israelites have their
first victory in Canaan.
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But there's got to be a more pragmatic
military explanation. And I think the
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Bible actually reveals it, if you know
where to look.
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And the secret is Rahab the prostitute.
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Remember how the Israelite spies got out
of Rahab's apartment?
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She let them down on a rope that she
had.
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They also told her to tie a red cord to
the windowsill. And the reason for that,
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ostensibly, was that the Israelite army
would know that this was her apartment
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and no harm would come to her.
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But once inside the city walls, the
Israelite soldiers obviously won't be
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to see a marker visible only from the
outside.
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So now you have to ask, what is a red
cord signifying hanging from a window
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two or three stories up the wall?
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And I think that's the answer to how the
walls came tumbling down.
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The red cord may be a signal, but if the
story is looked at from a military
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perspective, a completely different
motivation becomes apparent.
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What if the Red Corps is not there to
say, hey, don't attack us? What if it's
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invitation up?
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Who's to say that Rahab doesn't lower
the same rope out the window that the
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spies used to climb down?
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But now Israelite soldiers are climbing
up it.
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The Israelite army creates the perfect
cover for these soldiers by marching
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around the city perimeter and loudly
blowing their battle horns.
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When the noise was going on, it would
have been a simple task to take 8, 10,
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guys at a time and climb up the rope
using the red cord as an indicator of
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her apartment was and hide in her
apartment or on the roof.
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For six days, 10 men at a time, give or
take, at 60, 50, 60 special ops guys are
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now inside the wall.
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On the seventh day, the army is still
marching around the city.
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Joshua gives the command, and once again
the Israelites blow their horns, one
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last time.
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What that noise was, was probably a
signal to the special ops guys. And what
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they would have done is emerged from
hiding quickly, and attacked the
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from the inside, threw open the gate,
and the walls came tumbling down.
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Given that there were so many men
outside relative to the number of
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they could have easily cleared a section
of the wall.
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This would have made it easy for
Israelite soldiers to scale up over the
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and the walls, metaphorically speaking,
would have come tumbling down.
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With the city firmly in Joshua's hands,
what he does next has actually
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horrified people who read the Bible. He
puts the entire city to the sword.
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The term in Hebrew is Kol HaNesema.
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To go up upon the city and to kill every
breathing thing.
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The massacre is up close and personal.
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This is a war of extermination.
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Joshua is sending a message to the
other.
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kings of Canaan. This is your fate if
you do not leave.
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They killed every man, every woman,
every child,
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every goat, every sheep, every jackass,
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literally every living thing.
227
00:17:10,079 --> 00:17:13,319
And then they burned the city.
228
00:17:16,619 --> 00:17:22,800
It's a horrible, horrible fate that he
visited upon the poor people of Jericho.
229
00:17:22,940 --> 00:17:28,339
Joshua is a fine tactician and a fine
strategist.
230
00:17:29,380 --> 00:17:34,940
But one suspects as well that he's also
a God -intoxicated man.
231
00:17:35,460 --> 00:17:41,360
He's prepared to visit this horror on a
completely innocent population in order
232
00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:47,170
to achieve not only military goals, but
perhaps to achieve the promise of
233
00:17:47,170 --> 00:17:52,370
Yahweh, that you shall go upon the land
of Canaan and take those cities that I
234
00:17:52,370 --> 00:17:54,410
have given you for your inheritance.
235
00:17:54,730 --> 00:17:59,690
The price of the inheritance, in human
terms anyway, is very high indeed.
236
00:18:04,930 --> 00:18:07,350
But the bloodshed has only just begun.
237
00:18:08,350 --> 00:18:11,650
Joshua's reason for destroying Jericho
was primarily psychological.
238
00:18:12,550 --> 00:18:14,770
Strategy determines his next target.
239
00:18:17,230 --> 00:18:21,910
The city of Bethel, about 10 miles north
of modern Jerusalem, controls the key
240
00:18:21,910 --> 00:18:23,010
path into the mountains.
241
00:18:23,730 --> 00:18:28,290
From here, Joshua can begin to control
the central mountain spine of Canaan.
242
00:18:29,090 --> 00:18:33,570
Bethel represents one of the few places
on the spine where...
243
00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:37,260
an invading force can grab a foothold.
244
00:18:37,460 --> 00:18:42,760
So they need that pass before Joshua can
put the rest of his strategy in effect
245
00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,300
by being able to move onto the spine
itself, move in both directions, and
246
00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:48,180
neutralize all the Canaanite city
-states.
247
00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:53,940
Before Joshua's 8 ,000 -man army moves
ahead, he sends a small reconnaissance
248
00:18:53,940 --> 00:18:58,840
force to Bethel. On their way, they come
across an urban ruin called Ai.
249
00:19:00,490 --> 00:19:03,830
I was a highly fortified town about a
thousand years earlier.
250
00:19:04,330 --> 00:19:07,330
But during Joshua's time, it's just a
ruin.
251
00:19:07,970 --> 00:19:12,570
But the ruin plays an important role in
the next phase of Joshua's conquest.
252
00:19:14,270 --> 00:19:18,530
Joshua's recon team reports that Bethel
and I will be easy to defeat.
253
00:19:20,730 --> 00:19:24,210
And they give him the advice not to send
the whole army up to the ruin because
254
00:19:24,210 --> 00:19:26,550
there's not much point to it.
255
00:19:27,420 --> 00:19:32,600
Trusting the information, Joshua sends
only a small force of about 600 men to
256
00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:37,440
Ai. He has no idea that the Bethelite
army lies hidden in the ruin.
257
00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,140
At Ai, Joshua makes one of the few rare
mistakes.
258
00:19:41,540 --> 00:19:46,020
The function of a reconnaissance platoon
is to report the situation on the
259
00:19:46,020 --> 00:19:48,540
ground, not to make operational
suggestions.
260
00:19:49,700 --> 00:19:54,100
While the rest of the platoon remains
outside, a small reconnaissance team
261
00:19:54,100 --> 00:19:55,100
enters the ruin.
262
00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,880
What probably happened is the place
looks deserted and they stumble into the
263
00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:09,880
ruin and they're ambushed.
264
00:20:19,140 --> 00:20:23,860
Most of the reconnaissance team is
slaughtered. The remaining Israelite
265
00:20:23,860 --> 00:20:26,560
outside the ruin panics and retreats.
266
00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:31,640
The ambush at Ai becomes Joshua's first
defeat.
267
00:20:37,850 --> 00:20:42,350
Joshua's victory at Jericho is blunted
an eye where the Israelites suffer their
268
00:20:42,350 --> 00:20:44,330
first defeat since they invaded Canaan.
269
00:20:49,330 --> 00:20:53,890
A small platoon of Israelite soldiers
are ambushed and then slaughtered by a
270
00:20:53,890 --> 00:20:55,970
Canaanite group called the Bethelites.
271
00:20:59,290 --> 00:21:03,150
Now it's interesting what Joshua does or
what's going through his mind at this
272
00:21:03,150 --> 00:21:04,750
time. He's concerned.
273
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,280
Not so much about the small battlefield
defeat, but he's concerned about the
274
00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,640
effect on the psychology of the
Canaanites.
275
00:21:13,420 --> 00:21:19,300
He had destroyed the city of Jericho,
the psychological shockwave, through the
276
00:21:19,300 --> 00:21:22,280
Canaanite city -states, and now his own
forces have been defeated.
277
00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:28,720
The Bible tells us he's concerned that
he had lost that psychological
278
00:21:28,980 --> 00:21:33,980
and so in order to compensate, he
quickly decides to move into the attack.
279
00:21:35,180 --> 00:21:40,360
The next morning, Joshua mobilizes his
entire 8 ,000 -man army and marches them
280
00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:41,360
to Ai.
281
00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:47,060
Joshua's march on Ai takes most of the
day, and they arrive at dusk. The army
282
00:21:47,060 --> 00:21:50,380
maneuvers into a position behind some
hills to the east of the urban ruin.
283
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,840
Between Joshua's army and Ai is a
shallow valley in the shape of a saddle.
284
00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,400
Joshua sets up the Israelite camp so
it's out of view of the Bethelites.
285
00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,200
After surveying the ruin himself, He
understands how his men were ambushed.
286
00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:12,960
The ruins of Ai make a chaotic
battlefield, 14 acres of rubble enclosed
287
00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:13,960
collapsed wall.
288
00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:19,320
It's a jumble of debris and caved -in
buildings, perfect ambush territory.
289
00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,480
If you look at the city of Fallujah
after the Marine Division got through
290
00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:29,800
it, we look like that. So you can see
the tactical advantage is that you can
291
00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:33,680
spread your troops, even a small number
of troops, in that urban environment
292
00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,420
where they can take advantage of that
rubble.
293
00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:39,960
And it means your adversary cannot bring
his numbers to bear as he can in the
294
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,040
open field. He's got to funnel them down
little corridors where they're subject
295
00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:44,540
to hand -to -hand combat.
296
00:22:46,140 --> 00:22:47,980
Joshua sets a new plan into motion.
297
00:22:48,540 --> 00:22:50,860
one that shows off his tactical
brilliance.
298
00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,620
It will be a deception that will draw
the Bethelites into committing a
299
00:22:55,620 --> 00:22:56,620
blunder.
300
00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:03,100
He immediately sizes up the situation
and understands that the army that is in
301
00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:07,200
Ai is probably most of the army from
Bethel, but not all of it.
302
00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:11,380
And so if he decides to attack that
ruin, he's going to leave his flank or
303
00:23:11,380 --> 00:23:15,760
his rear open up to a possible relief
column moving down the road from Bethel.
304
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:21,040
Instead of attacking the Bethelites in
the ruin, Joshua positions some of his
305
00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,640
troops on the plain in front of the
ruin, challenging the Bethelites to
306
00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:26,640
the open.
307
00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,060
But he only lines up about 1 ,000 of his
men.
308
00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,940
One can imagine the Bethelite commander
saying, this whole Israelite threat has
309
00:23:34,940 --> 00:23:38,800
been overblown with the siege of
Jericho. This is all they can muster? We
310
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:39,800
deal with this.
311
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,120
But what the Bethelite commander doesn't
understand...
312
00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:48,760
is that Joshua has left several thousand
soldiers out of sight in the back of
313
00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:49,760
the hills.
314
00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,440
He's also concealed another special
operations force of a few thousand on
315
00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:55,440
other side of Bethel.
316
00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:01,920
Convinced that their 2 ,500 -man army
can easily beat the small Israelite
317
00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:06,240
they see in front of them, the
Bethelites move most of their fighters
318
00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:07,800
ruins and onto the plain.
319
00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:13,880
Thus giving up the tactical advantage of
the defense in the ruins where they
320
00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,740
would have had the advantage of ambush
and hand -to -hand combat.
321
00:24:18,500 --> 00:24:21,020
The two armies battle on the open plain.
322
00:24:49,070 --> 00:24:53,290
Its blood, hair, and eyeballs up close,
and the battle rages.
323
00:24:53,930 --> 00:24:57,530
The bronze sickle sword is the primary
weapon of both armies.
324
00:25:01,010 --> 00:25:05,550
Its foot -long blade and handles are
cast from a single solid piece of bronze
325
00:25:05,550 --> 00:25:06,590
for extra strength.
326
00:25:10,210 --> 00:25:13,190
Both also carry six foot -long wooden
spears.
327
00:25:14,630 --> 00:25:17,230
Rusting weapons are tipped with
sharpened bronze.
328
00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:26,660
The Israelites also use slings that turn
small rocks into deadly projectiles
329
00:25:26,660 --> 00:25:27,920
that kill like bullets.
330
00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,700
Quickly, the battlefield at Ai becomes a
death zone. The Israelites, still
331
00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:37,620
standing on the battlefield, are
overwhelmed and retreat.
332
00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:42,760
Now, at this point, the Bethelites, of
course, break into Iran and begin to
333
00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:47,390
pursue. But the real interesting fact is
that the reserve units... that the
334
00:25:47,390 --> 00:25:52,970
Bethelites had left behind, Enai also
abandoned the ruin and began to join in
335
00:25:52,970 --> 00:25:56,330
the pursuit, figuring to catch up with
the Israelites and make a great
336
00:25:56,330 --> 00:26:00,890
of it all and put this vague Israelite
threat of invasion to rest once and for
337
00:26:00,890 --> 00:26:01,890
all.
338
00:26:01,970 --> 00:26:07,470
As Joshua reaches the top of the hill,
he stops, turns, and flashes his sickle
339
00:26:07,470 --> 00:26:12,010
sword in the sun, sending a signal to 1
,000 Israelites hidden west of the ruin.
340
00:26:13,810 --> 00:26:18,170
As soon as he held out his hand, The
ambush came rushing out of their
341
00:26:19,930 --> 00:26:24,710
Joshua signals the force, and they come
out of their hidden position and burn
342
00:26:24,710 --> 00:26:26,870
the Bethelite camp in eye to the ground.
343
00:26:34,450 --> 00:26:38,890
Now you have the Bethelites on the open
plain, look to their rear, and their
344
00:26:38,890 --> 00:26:44,270
camp is on fire. They now realize that
they're caught from behind as well.
345
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:47,320
But Joshua is not finished.
346
00:26:47,980 --> 00:26:53,520
He flashes another signal, this time to
the main body of his army, about 5 ,000
347
00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:54,520
soldiers.
348
00:26:55,020 --> 00:26:56,900
They've been waiting behind the ridge.
349
00:26:59,220 --> 00:27:05,020
One can only imagine the terror of
Bethelite soldiers as suddenly...
350
00:27:05,470 --> 00:27:09,610
An enormous host of 4 ,000 to 5 ,000 men
who had been hidden to this time
351
00:27:09,610 --> 00:27:14,830
appears over the edge of the saddle and
now begins with Joshua's forces who turn
352
00:27:14,830 --> 00:27:18,070
around, join up, and begin to attack
downhill.
353
00:27:19,530 --> 00:27:22,590
The Bethelites are caught between two
Israelite forces.
354
00:27:23,710 --> 00:27:27,510
Outnumbered three to one, the Bethelites
are trapped in slaughter.
355
00:27:34,220 --> 00:27:38,680
At the Battle of Ai, the Israelite
military commander Joshua uses superior
356
00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:42,600
battlefield tactics to defeat a
Canaanite group called the Bethelites.
357
00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:50,640
Joshua does it Ai as he bluffs. He
doesn't show his full hand, and he gets
358
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,220
opponent to go all in.
359
00:27:52,420 --> 00:27:54,380
Then he takes him for all he's worth.
360
00:27:58,520 --> 00:27:59,660
We'll see throughout.
361
00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:05,860
Joshua's life. These indications of a
brilliant tactician of an individual and
362
00:28:05,860 --> 00:28:10,400
strategist of an individual who has a
firm grasp of military reality.
363
00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:16,680
The Israelites are experienced warriors
who have numbers and Joshua, a brilliant
364
00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,020
commander in their favor.
365
00:28:20,740 --> 00:28:23,240
The result is an absolute slaughter.
366
00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,300
The Bethelites are quickly enveloped and
they're just massacred.
367
00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:34,240
Joshua orders the extermination of all
of them. And again, you see what Joshua
368
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:35,240
is doing.
369
00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:40,200
You know, it's a very cruel story, but
he has a dual purpose here. One, again,
370
00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:44,120
he wants to regain that psychological
edge by striking terror in the remaining
371
00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:45,120
Canaanite kings.
372
00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:52,060
Secondly, he cannot simply allow the
Bethelite forces to remain behind his
373
00:28:52,060 --> 00:28:52,759
of communication.
374
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,840
They all have to die, and they all do.
375
00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,220
and that includes the Bethelite king who
is captured alive.
376
00:28:59,980 --> 00:29:04,260
Joshua orders his men to bring the king
to the gates of Bethel, where he is
377
00:29:04,260 --> 00:29:05,260
hanged.
378
00:29:08,580 --> 00:29:12,420
He hung the king on a tree and left him
there until evening.
379
00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:21,280
With the public execution of the
Bethelite king and its army destroyed,
380
00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,260
strategic city of Bethel surrendered.
381
00:29:51,060 --> 00:29:57,340
So Joshua now has regained the strategic
initiative and tactical initiative.
382
00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:03,460
He's destroyed Jericho. He's moved his
army successfully to grab the opening to
383
00:30:03,460 --> 00:30:09,240
the mountain spine, which runs
longitudinally in Israel. And he also
384
00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:14,120
psychological edge reestablished again.
Once more, he has struck fear in the
385
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,720
hearts of the Canaanite kings, whose
kingdoms guard that mountainous ridge
386
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:22,660
is the prime strategic target of
Joshua's military operations.
387
00:30:24,229 --> 00:30:26,130
Joshua's next move is diplomatic.
388
00:30:26,570 --> 00:30:31,570
He convinces Canaanite tribes in the
mountains to join the Israelites as
389
00:30:33,590 --> 00:30:38,570
These are tribes that are armed with
their own military forces, much like the
390
00:30:38,570 --> 00:30:39,570
Israelites are.
391
00:30:40,110 --> 00:30:43,430
And they're outside the influence of the
Canaanite city -states.
392
00:30:44,190 --> 00:30:47,490
This conveys upon him an enormous
military advantage.
393
00:30:47,770 --> 00:30:51,190
First of all, now, he can move along the
spine.
394
00:30:52,050 --> 00:30:56,530
at least to the north, without having to
deal with these tribes. They're now his
395
00:30:56,530 --> 00:30:59,450
allies. Secondly, they make his
logistics easier.
396
00:30:59,870 --> 00:31:05,430
They, too, have supply depots. They,
too, have crops and animals that he can
397
00:31:05,430 --> 00:31:06,409
draw on.
398
00:31:06,410 --> 00:31:10,770
They have no vested interest, of course,
in protecting the Canaanite states, so
399
00:31:10,770 --> 00:31:12,910
they sign on to Joshua's army as
mercenaries.
400
00:31:14,590 --> 00:31:17,350
These are population data. We can
estimate that.
401
00:31:17,550 --> 00:31:18,950
Joshua's army at Jericho.
402
00:31:19,630 --> 00:31:21,510
was about 8 ,000 men.
403
00:31:21,730 --> 00:31:26,090
And while the Bible doesn't tell us how
many additional men were added here,
404
00:31:26,310 --> 00:31:29,570
it's not unlikely that it was at least 3
,000 to 4 ,000.
405
00:31:29,790 --> 00:31:34,250
So now you're looking at a military
force with a manpower strength of about
406
00:31:34,250 --> 00:31:35,250
,000 soldiers.
407
00:31:36,690 --> 00:31:42,530
With his strengthened army, Joshua
marches to his next target, Gibeon, a
408
00:31:42,530 --> 00:31:44,710
mountain city that's strategically
located.
409
00:31:45,650 --> 00:31:48,050
Gibeon controls a key east -west pass.
410
00:31:48,700 --> 00:31:50,480
and a major north -south trading route.
411
00:31:52,100 --> 00:31:55,980
Here is where Joshua cashes in his
psychological chips.
412
00:31:56,900 --> 00:32:03,060
The word of the slaughter of Jericho and
at Ai has reached Gibeon. As the Bible
413
00:32:03,060 --> 00:32:04,800
tells us, they were frightened to death.
414
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,880
They suggest to Joshua, there's no need
for a battle here.
415
00:32:10,580 --> 00:32:11,760
We'll become your allies.
416
00:32:13,380 --> 00:32:18,460
Joshua's plan is falling into place. He
signs a pact with Gibeon and adds their
417
00:32:18,460 --> 00:32:19,940
fighting force to the Israelites.
418
00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:26,560
Together, they cut off important
Canaanite trade routes on the central
419
00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:27,560
spine of the country.
420
00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:34,900
This is not a situation that the
Canaanite kings can tolerate for very
421
00:32:34,900 --> 00:32:38,760
so the Jebusite king of Jerusalem,
Adonizek,
422
00:32:40,010 --> 00:32:45,730
sends a message to the five other great
kings of the area to come up and join me
423
00:32:45,730 --> 00:32:46,730
against Gibeon.
424
00:32:46,970 --> 00:32:53,850
And the armies of all five kings begin
to converge on Gibeon,
425
00:32:53,850 --> 00:32:57,690
and they surround it and bring it under
sea.
426
00:32:59,070 --> 00:33:04,070
The five Canaanite kings command a
combined force of nearly 15 ,000 men.
427
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,200
They are a powerful army of heavily
armored infantry and chariots.
428
00:33:12,460 --> 00:33:16,800
Outgunned and surrounded, the Gibeonites
send a message to Joshua about the
429
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:17,800
siege.
430
00:33:20,060 --> 00:33:24,300
The people of Gibeon thereupon sent this
message to Joshua in the camp of
431
00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:29,840
Gilgal. Do not fail your servants. Come
up quickly and aid us and deliver us,
432
00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,200
for all the Amorite kings of the hill
country have gathered against us.
433
00:33:36,370 --> 00:33:37,770
Joshua honors the pact.
434
00:33:37,990 --> 00:33:42,350
It's only been two months since the
Battle of Ai, but the Israelite military
435
00:33:42,350 --> 00:33:44,210
machine is on the move again.
436
00:33:47,350 --> 00:33:52,290
They begin an 18 -mile night march
across some of the most rugged terrain
437
00:33:52,290 --> 00:33:53,290
of Canaan.
438
00:33:54,630 --> 00:33:58,570
Going from Gilgal to Gibeon, you climb 1
,500 feet in altitude.
439
00:33:59,310 --> 00:34:03,910
And you're talking about moving a large
amount of people, upwards of 12 ,000,
440
00:34:03,910 --> 00:34:05,210
through very rocky terrain.
441
00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:10,420
and doing it all with command and
control in order to bring that force
442
00:34:10,420 --> 00:34:15,020
position where it can strike and do so
by achieving tactical surprise.
443
00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:20,780
At some point in the middle of the
night, the Israelites reach the east
444
00:34:20,780 --> 00:34:21,780
Gibeon.
445
00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:27,179
To understand what's going on, you have
to understand the kind of topography in
446
00:34:27,179 --> 00:34:28,219
which Gibeon is located.
447
00:34:29,199 --> 00:34:33,880
Gibeon is actually located in a valley,
but in the center of the valley is the
448
00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:37,239
Reznal. And the city is located on the
Reznal.
449
00:34:38,699 --> 00:34:42,440
The combined Canaanite armies surround
Gibeon in the valley below.
450
00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:49,880
Joshua's army arrives behind the hills
outside of Gibeon at about 3 o 'clock in
451
00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:50,438
the morning.
452
00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:53,580
They're exhausted from the march.
They're hungry. They're thirsty.
453
00:34:54,500 --> 00:34:59,160
But... They can't have fires to cool, to
warm themselves. They can't have fires
454
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,860
to cook. They can't even make a lot of
noise. And the reason is they're in a,
455
00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:06,860
essentially, at the final coordination
line before going into the attack.
456
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:12,680
Joshua designs a clever new battle plan
that combines the element of surprise
457
00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,220
with a precise timing for his attack.
458
00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:22,380
Any noise, any mistake, any braying of a
donkey, certainly any firewood, would
459
00:35:22,380 --> 00:35:25,960
give away their position and completely
squander the advantage of tactical
460
00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:28,940
surprise that Joshua has worked so hard
to bring about.
461
00:35:30,420 --> 00:35:34,960
Many historians believe that Joshua
waits until the break of dawn to launch
462
00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:35,960
attack.
463
00:35:37,340 --> 00:35:43,520
The Bible says that Joshua prayed to the
Lord to make the sun stand still.
464
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:49,680
Joshua said to the Lord in the presence
of Israel, O sun, stand still over
465
00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:54,740
Gibeon. O moon, over the valley of Ilon.
So the sun stood still and the moon
466
00:35:54,740 --> 00:35:59,560
stopped. There has never been a day like
it before or since. A day when the Lord
467
00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:00,660
listened to a man.
468
00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:07,000
What probably happened in just physical
terms was that we've all seen early
469
00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,160
mornings where the sun is coming up and
the moon is still present.
470
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:14,500
in the sky and that's apparently what
happened it gives us an idea of the time
471
00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:21,160
of day at which this thing was for the
time of day is
472
00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:27,220
crucial because he's using a force of
nature as an ally the sun
473
00:36:27,220 --> 00:36:33,340
joshua leads this army up over the hills
474
00:36:33,340 --> 00:36:40,270
it strikes downhill with the sun at his
back takes the Canaanite armies
475
00:36:40,270 --> 00:36:44,010
who were still in their camp, still
having breakfast, still in their tents,
476
00:36:44,010 --> 00:36:47,490
asleep, and just smashes into them.
477
00:36:48,250 --> 00:36:49,950
The carnage begins.
478
00:36:57,890 --> 00:36:58,890
Sunrise.
479
00:36:59,150 --> 00:37:03,450
Joshua and the Israelite army attack
Canaanite forces near the town of
480
00:37:05,210 --> 00:37:07,270
Here come 12 ,000 screaming Israelites.
481
00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:13,200
down a hill at full speed. You can
imagine a Canaanite soldier awakened by
482
00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:17,920
screams of battle, stumbling out of
their tent with no armor, no weapons,
483
00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:21,900
then looking up, trying to gain their
senses about them, only to be blinded by
484
00:37:21,900 --> 00:37:24,480
the low -lying sun shining right into
their eyes.
485
00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:29,480
Behind the hot spots in their eyes is
nothing but Israelite swords.
486
00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:35,460
The Canaanites are unarmed, half asleep,
and temporarily blinded.
487
00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,180
Joshua has rendered his enemy
defenseless.
488
00:37:48,940 --> 00:37:53,740
We see again his knowledge of terrain
and tactics. Joshua, you know, he'll
489
00:37:53,740 --> 00:37:57,200
surround all of Gibeon. He could have
put this army anywhere. He put it in a
490
00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:01,240
position so that when the sun rose in
the morning, it would be at his back.
491
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:05,720
Plus he'd be attacking downhill against
an enemy that had not yet been fed or
492
00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:06,720
even fully awake.
493
00:38:07,070 --> 00:38:12,790
taking advantage of all about terrain,
geography, and even the movement of the
494
00:38:12,790 --> 00:38:17,170
sun, and bringing them all to bear as
advantages on one tactical objective.
495
00:38:18,290 --> 00:38:19,970
It's wholesale slaughter.
496
00:38:20,290 --> 00:38:22,410
Those who aren't killed run.
497
00:38:23,710 --> 00:38:25,170
But there is no escape.
498
00:38:26,190 --> 00:38:30,190
The Israelites hunt them down,
determined to leave no survivor.
499
00:38:31,830 --> 00:38:36,230
What Joshua has in mind is nothing less
than the extermination.
500
00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:41,740
of the armies of some of the most
powerful city -states in all Canaan.
501
00:38:42,180 --> 00:38:44,260
They're not going to live to fight
another day.
502
00:38:46,340 --> 00:38:51,080
They keep chasing and pursuing the
Canaanites who are fleeing in all
503
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:52,320
until sunset.
504
00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:58,700
Then they rest that evening, get up at
the crack of dawn again, and continue
505
00:38:58,700 --> 00:38:59,700
pursuit.
506
00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:20,260
You're talking about an infantry force
that moved 30 miles in
507
00:39:20,260 --> 00:39:25,640
48 hours, two -thirds of the time, being
engaged in combat.
508
00:39:25,860 --> 00:39:30,900
That's a magnificent military
achievement for any military force, even
509
00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:37,080
one. But to see this done in the days of
the Bible really gives a kind of
510
00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:38,220
sense.
511
00:39:39,070 --> 00:39:45,850
of how militarily sophisticated a
commander like Joshua was. He fought one
512
00:39:45,850 --> 00:39:50,150
the greatest and most studied battles in
the history of the world.
513
00:39:50,930 --> 00:39:55,490
It's a crucial, strategic victory for
the Israelites and a critical turning
514
00:39:55,490 --> 00:39:57,870
point in Joshua's invasion of Canaan.
515
00:39:58,850 --> 00:40:03,190
At this point, Joshua has achieved many
of his strategic objectives.
516
00:40:03,470 --> 00:40:05,990
He's in control of the central mountain
spine.
517
00:40:06,670 --> 00:40:11,890
He has either made agreements with or
destroyed major Canaanite city -states
518
00:40:11,890 --> 00:40:12,749
that spine.
519
00:40:12,750 --> 00:40:15,490
So for the most part, Joshua succeeded.
520
00:40:17,150 --> 00:40:21,510
According to the Bible, Joshua goes on
to defeat dozens of Canaanite kingdoms.
521
00:40:22,410 --> 00:40:25,110
But he fails to capture all of the
promised land.
522
00:40:26,970 --> 00:40:32,210
At the end of the day, Joshua simply
lacks both the size and mix of force
523
00:40:32,210 --> 00:40:35,470
would make it possible to bring about
the complete conquest of Canaan.
524
00:40:36,300 --> 00:40:38,280
and its resettlement by the Israelites.
525
00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:44,020
The result is that even if the Bible
tells the story, Joshua was never able
526
00:40:44,020 --> 00:40:46,180
do this, and he dies a rather bitter
man.
527
00:40:49,460 --> 00:40:54,680
Toward the end of his life, Joshua
retires from combat and fades into
528
00:40:57,580 --> 00:41:03,280
And he was buried alone on a place which
translates from Hebrew, Angry Mountain.
529
00:41:03,870 --> 00:41:06,450
And it is said in the Bible that no one
attended his funeral.
530
00:41:06,750 --> 00:41:11,410
And it's one of an unfitting end for one
of history's great commanders.
531
00:41:12,570 --> 00:41:17,170
More than 300 years later, Joshua's
bloody conquest of the promised land,
532
00:41:17,350 --> 00:41:21,650
particularly the Battle of Jericho,
remained one of the Bible's most popular
533
00:41:21,650 --> 00:41:22,650
tales.
534
00:41:24,750 --> 00:41:30,150
There's a certain mythology about
Jericho. It has all the elements of a
535
00:41:30,150 --> 00:41:31,490
thriller. There's spies.
536
00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:38,280
psychological warfare, there's strategy,
suspense, and of course violence. It
537
00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:39,640
stays with you.
538
00:41:42,380 --> 00:41:45,780
The story of Jericho has been burned
into the human consciousness.
539
00:41:46,220 --> 00:41:50,720
When you think about the wholesale
slaughter of civilian population,
540
00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:55,120
with God's blessing, it raises some deep
questions about what that says about
541
00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:56,120
the Bible.
542
00:41:58,220 --> 00:42:03,040
Joshua's military strategies of
encirclement and psychological warfare
543
00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:04,040
throughout history.
544
00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:13,300
In April 1975, the army of communist
North Vietnam, under the command of the
545
00:42:13,300 --> 00:42:20,060
famous general Nguyen Gap, was closing
in from all sides on the South
546
00:42:20,060 --> 00:42:21,120
capital of Saigon.
547
00:42:21,420 --> 00:42:27,640
Ahead of the armed forces were a wave of
rumors that were sapping the will.
548
00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:30,100
of Saigon's people to fight.
549
00:42:30,860 --> 00:42:34,100
Like Joshua, Giop encircles Saigon with
his troops.
550
00:42:34,580 --> 00:42:39,320
He basically ties a noose around the
city and slowly tightens it.
551
00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:42,660
At the same time, Giop's reputation
precedes him.
552
00:42:43,100 --> 00:42:47,760
The people of Saigon remember his Tet
Offensive seven years earlier with mass
553
00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:50,460
executions of thousands of South
Vietnamese civilians.
554
00:42:50,900 --> 00:42:56,380
Some say that the Viet Cong had
operatives in Saigon in 1975 who helped
555
00:42:56,380 --> 00:42:57,380
the rumor mill.
556
00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:01,160
building up the horrors that would
befall the civilian population, like
557
00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,440
getting their nails yanked out and other
torture. Just awful stuff.
558
00:43:05,820 --> 00:43:10,060
Joshua is best known as the man who
brought the Israelites home to the
559
00:43:10,060 --> 00:43:14,160
land of Canaan, a land that continues to
be drenched in blood.
560
00:43:15,660 --> 00:43:20,520
Ancient Canaan comprises what is today
Israel and the occupied territories.
561
00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:23,040
The land disputes are still ongoing.
562
00:43:23,360 --> 00:43:24,860
Blood is still being shed.
563
00:43:25,670 --> 00:43:30,850
3 ,500 years after Joshua first led the
Israelites into what is to be their
564
00:43:30,850 --> 00:43:34,590
biblical home, a legacy of violence
endures in the promised land.
565
00:43:36,290 --> 00:43:41,630
It was God who promised the land to the
Israelites, but it was a man who
566
00:43:41,630 --> 00:43:43,230
ultimately brought his people home.
567
00:43:43,630 --> 00:43:47,470
The cunning and brutal military genius,
Joshua.
54517
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