Joshua 6
Thoughts of an Israelite Spy
I was assigned to the rear guard, behind the priests. Our orders simply said: guard the rear, don't talk. That's all we did the first day--march--march--march around the city of Jericho.
The rest of the day we played games with our families, made our meals, laughed, and sang. This was not what I expected for our first battle in the Promised Land.
On the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth days we did the same thing--marched once around the city of Jericho then returned to the camp.
While doing my duty, I looked way above my head to the top of the wall. Soldiers and citizens leaned over the edge staring down at us. Each day more people gathered to watch us march. I couldn't understand their words, but some screamed with angry voices, some sobbed and cried with fear, and a few mocked us.
I was surprised they didn't throw anything down at us. No one dropped stones on our heads or shot arrows at us. Why didn't Jericho's army even try to defend itself? Rahab, the woman who help my friend and I escape from the city soldiers, said Jericho's king and all the people were afraid of us. Then why didn't they attack from their city wall?
On the seventh day we awoke early and prepared to leave. We lined up and marched around Jericho once, twice, three times. Old people children and women from the city squeezed in between soldiers on the city wall watch us march around. Some laughed, others shouted, but no one threw anything down at us.
We continued our march a fourth, fifth, and sixth time around the city. The noise from the people on the wall grew as loud as a roar. We ignored them and followed commander Joshua in silence the seventh time around the city, as the he commanded.
As we completed the seventh march the priests stopped and faced the city walls. We did the same. The priests blew a long, loud blast from their trumpet for all of Israelites to hear. That was the signal! I smiled at the guards next to me then shouted with them and all the other Israelites as loud as I could. We shouted until we couldn't shout any more.
The wall in front of me rumbled and cracked. I looked to the right and left and saw those walls split, too.The people on top of the city wall leaped off the wall toward the inside of the city. With a thunder and roar the entire city wall crumbled to the ground. A cloud of dust rose into the air.
The Israelites knew their duty. Conquer the city! My friend and I hurried to the place where a red chord hung, leaping over fallen bricks from the wall. We found the door to her home and yanked it open. "Rahab?"
"My family and I are here, my Lord."
I held my hand out to her, like she did when she hid us. "Come. we'll take you to safety."
Once Rahab and her family reached safety, we joined other Israelites, and conquered the city of Jericho in the name of the Lord.
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1. How many times did the Israelites march around the city of Jericho all together?
(hint, more than 7)
2. What did Joshua command the soldiers to do while marching?
3. What was the signal?
4. What special job did the Israelite spies have assigned?
5. Why was Rahab and her family saved?
2 comments:
Thirteen marches around the city.
Not make any noise.
Priests blow the horn.
They needed to save Rahab and her family.
She helped the two spies to safety.
This was written by the fourth and fifth grade Patriots of Mrs. McConnell
Right on, fourth and fifth graders. Well done:)
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