Daughter of Deliverance (18 page)

“He hasn't shown it to me.”

“As I say, it's as if he's afraid for anyone to see that side. Be patient with him, Rahab. About this other matter. You are doing the right thing. If any man persists, come and tell me. I'll see to it.”

Rahab hesitated, then said, “I heard what you did when the plague was among the people, how you killed the two who had shamed Israel with their adultery.”

“It happened so fast. I knew that people were dying everywhere,” Phinehas said, his eyes cloudy. “And then the voice of God came and told me to kill them. If I had time to think about it, I might not have been able to. I had never hurt anyone before.”

“I know so little about God, sir. I'm so ignorant.”

“You have a hungry heart, Rahab, and that's all that God requires. I'm very proud of the progress you've made.”

“Moses left so many laws. I'll never learn them all.”

“Oh, yes you will, because you're eager to learn. True, there are many laws. Laws about what we can eat. Laws about the family. God is protecting us by giving us these laws. So you must be patient and study and ask God to help you.”

“I will do that, sir, and I thank you for your help.”

“Were you ever married, Rahab?”

“No. I never was.”

“Likely you will be someday. Men are drawn to your beauty now, but as you grow to know more about the ways of God, they will be drawn to the inner woman.”

“I hope so, sir, but I don't think I'll ever marry. Men could never forget what I was.”

“A good man could forget. We're all flawed vessels. Every one of us. We have to learn to forgive each other.”

The two spoke for a while, and after Rahab left, Phinehas went to find Ardon. When he did, he said, “I wanted to give you a report on Rahab. She's doing very well. She has a good heart.”

“You think that about everyone, Phinehas.”

“I wish I could, but I'm afraid I don't.” He hesitated, then went on, “Why are you so hard on her, Ardon?”

“You know what she is.”

“No. I know what she
was
. You've got to understand people better.”

“I understand well enough what a harlot is.”

“If you hate everybody who has ever sinned, you're going to have a narrow circle of friends,” Phinehas said wryly.

“I don't understand you, Phinehas. You're too easy.”

“God is merciful. We know that. You remember what He told Moses on the mount? How He was a God full of mercy and that He was tenderhearted?”

Ardon was silent, for he could not argue that. Moses had told the people that often enough.

“But Moses could be hard too. And God can be hard.”

“Oh yes. God is good and just. He chastises us as we would chastise a child, for our own good.”

Ardon listened, but it was clear to Phinehas that he had shut his heart. “One of these days,” he said, “you're going to grow up. Until you do, you're just a spoiled boy.”

Ardon was angry at his friend's words, but he did not argue, for he respected Phinehas, as did everyone.

“You may be the one who's surprised,” he said. “She'll go back to her old ways. There are men looking at her.”

“No question about that. She's a beautiful woman. But is she looking at them?”

In all honesty Ardon could not answer yes, for he had watched Rahab closely and had seen nothing like this. “She'll fall. You'll see.” He turned and left Phinehas standing there.

Phinehas called out after him, “Grow up, Ardon. Learn to be a man with a heart.”

Ardon did not answer, but the conversation troubled him. He went about his work that day until finally he went home. He found Ariel waiting for him.

She greeted him affectionately, as she always did, for the two were very close. “Well, how's the mighty warrior today?”

“I don't feel much like a warrior. I am having a hard time putting the destruction of Jericho behind me, Ariel.”

“It just about sickened Othniel. He told me about it.”

“He's not much of a soldier. Too tenderhearted.”

“He's different from most men. I don't really understand him.” She waited until Ardon was seated, then brought him some meat she had just cooked. “Eat a little of this. I found some greens. They'll be good when they've simmered awhile.”

She sat down at his feet and studied him. “Othniel told me about watching a soldier killing a little girl. It made him sick.”

“Nobody likes that, but it was God's commandment.”

“So I told him.” She hesitated, then went on, “You know, Othniel likes me. He told me he's cared for me since we were children.”

Instantly Ardon shook his head. “Don't let him romance you, Ariel. He's good with women. You know that. But he's a weak man.”

“Maybe he could change.”

Upset, Ardon put the meat aside. “Listen to me, Ariel. People don't change. He's a weak man and he always will be.”

“I think you're too hard sometimes.”

“That's not hardness, Ariel. That's strength.”

Ariel was disturbed by this attitude. She studied her brother's face and then said quietly, “Someday, Ardon, you're going to make a mistake. When you do, you'll find out what it's like to be weak.”

“I hope God strikes me dead before I turn against Him and disobey Him.”

Ariel suddenly felt a love for her brother. “You're so odd,” she said. “You're such a strong man and yet that strength is a weakness that could hurt you badly. Try to be more understanding.” She got up and left him, and Ardon watched her go. He did not like to see her disturbed, for he loved her greatly, but he knew he was right.

“You'll see, Ariel. Rahab will fall, and poor Othniel is no man. He'll fall too. Then you'll see.”

****

“Well, you two fellows did so well working together I'm going to give you a chance to do it again.”

Joshua was smiling as Othniel and Ardon stood before him. He was in very good spirits. The victory of Jericho had given him hope that he had never dreamed he would have. Joshua had been convinced he could never take over leadership for Moses, but now God had spoken in the victory of Jericho. “There's a little city called Ai. It's beside Beth Aven to the east of Bethel. I sent some scouts to view it, and they've brought me back word that it will be easily taken. I'm sending just three thousand men up, not the whole army. I want you two to go.”

“Of course, sir,” Ardon said at once. “So you don't think it will be a hard battle?”

“Not at all. After Jericho,” he said somberly, “anything else will seem easy.”

“When do we leave, sir?” Othniel asked. He was not at all excited about going, for he still had some doubt about his capabilities as a soldier. He felt the eyes of both men on him, as if he had asked an inappropriate question.

But Joshua only said, “You'll leave tomorrow morning. It shouldn't take long. Remember, I'm very proud of both of you.”

****

As the two young men left the tent, Ardon said, “Well, here's a chance to get out of here and do something. I'm bored stiff, aren't you?”

“I'm not the soldier you are, Ardon.”

“You could be if you tried. You're a good swordsman and you're strong. You've just got a bad attitude when it comes to battles.”

“That's a nice way of saying I get scared, isn't it?”

The admission startled Ardon. He himself was fearless in battle. “Why should you be afraid?”

“Because I might get killed.”

“Well, of course—every soldier risks that. If you sit around and think about it, it'll drive you crazy. Just put it out of your mind and go at the enemy with all you've got.”

“Doesn't it ever occur to you that you might get killed, Ardon?”

“If the thought comes to me, I push it away and fight all the harder.” Ardon was disturbed by his friend's admission. “Just stick close to me in the battle. We'll make a soldier out of you yet. Like Joshua said, this one should be easy.”

“All right, but these things don't always turn out like people plan.”

****

The battle, indeed, did not turn out as anyone in Israel had planned. There was a carefree sort of attitude in the soldiers as they had approached the city. It was as if they were going to a banquet. They were laughing and joking—all except Othniel.

“This is a pretty cocky bunch,” Othniel said.

“What's wrong with that? It shows they're good soldiers, doesn't it?”

“These fellows we're attacking might be tougher than Joshua thinks. That was a rumor I heard.”

“If you listen to rumors, you'll never get anything done.” Ardon was in high spirits. He reached over and punched Othniel on the arm, then seized his hair and gave it a tug. “You're going to be a hero. We all are. When we go back, there'll be dancing and singing and feasting, and this time I think Joshua will let us keep some of the spoils for ourselves. Why, we might be rich enough to take wives.”

Othniel managed a smile, but he was worried. “Don't you think we should circle around and try to catch them by surprise? Attack from different angles?”

“No. We should just go right at them,” Ardon said, his eyes glittering with excitement. “Come on. It's time to attack.”

Othniel ran forward to keep up with the line that was headed toward Ai. They had to go through a valley, and they were exactly in the middle of it when a cry of agony split the air. Both Ardon and Othniel turned to see one of their better soldiers with an arrow driven through his neck. He had fallen to the earth clawing and kicking, his blood pooling beneath him.

“It's an ambush!” Ardon yelled. “Protect yourselves!”

But there was no way to protect themselves from the excellent archers of Ai. They had hidden themselves in the rocks at the top of both sides of the valley, and the men of Israel were trapped below.

Ardon yelled, “Come. We'll charge up that hill and take them!”

“We won't have any chance!” Othniel protested. “We'll be in the open, and those archers are hidden.”

“We'll overrun them,” Ardon yelled. “Come on.”

Othniel thought it was foolhardy, but he and the others followed Ardon up one side while another soldier led an attack on the far side.

Both attacks were failures. The arrows came whizzing down, men started falling, and before they had reached half the height of the summit, even Ardon saw the hopelessness of it. “Retreat!” he yelled. “Get out of here!”

That began the rout. The survivors made their way back down into the valley and were attacked by infantry that came charging out of hiding. There seemed to be thousands of them, and Othniel cried out, “We've got to get away from here! We don't have a chance!”

Ardon wanted to fight, but he saw the foolishness of putting up a struggle. “Retreat!” he yelled. “Every man retreat back to the camp!”

They made their way back to the camp, fighting a rearguard action. When the men of Ai broke off the attack, the Israelite soldiers staggered back into the camp, where Ardon took a count.

When Joshua met them and listened to the report, he asked, “How many men did we lose?”

“Over thirty.”

“How did this happen?” Caleb asked, astounded.

“We were beaten,” Ardon said, his head down.

“It should have been easy,” Joshua said. “Something is wrong.” He turned and walked away. The victory of Jericho had lifted his spirits. Now he fell on his face and rent his clothes before the ark of the Lord. He stayed there until evening, and the elders of Israel put dust on their heads. Cries of mourning and grief for the slain filled the camp.

Othniel went back to his tent and found Ariel there.

“Where's Ardon?” she asked anxiously.

“I don't know. We were beaten. We lost a lot of good men.”

“How did it happen?”

Othniel shook his head. “I don't know, Ariel, but it could have been worse. They could have killed all of us. I think we were overconfident.”

Ariel was upset. “So you have no idea where Ardon is?” she demanded again. “Is he wounded?”

“No. I think he's helping to tend to some of the wounded.”

“I'm going to him.”

“He probably won't be too glad to see you. He's angry with himself, and he doesn't like to lose.”

“He never did,” Ariel said bitterly, “but I'm thankful you're both back, Othniel.”

“Even Joshua was shaken by it. I've never seen him like this,” Othniel said. “He's in front of the ark now, tearing his clothes and throwing dust into the air. He's crying out for God. Well,” he said bitterly, “we needed God then and I think we need Him now.”

The dirt on Joshua's face was creased by the tears that had made tracks down his cheeks. He had torn his clothes and was still crying out in agony. “Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!”

Joshua did not care that many of his soldiers were close enough to hear his voice. His heart was broken, and he continued to cry out, “O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

Joshua had prayed like this for many hours and the heavens seemed to be made of brass. There was no answer from God.

Finally, totally exhausted, Joshua lay on his face. He had cried out to God with all of his heart, and now he had completely run out of anything to say. A silence had fallen upon the camp, at least the part where Joshua lay before the ark. Then the voice of the Lord came to him. Joshua lay very still, afraid to move.