It's no coincidence that the Amorite kings' hearts melted when Israel passed the Jordan. Okay, admit it: it would be pretty scary to know that an invading army has just come onto your territory, one that (as far as you know) has never been beaten, who is impossible to curse, and who apparently the water of an overflowing river is willing to stop for. But the timing here is perfect: we learn that the Israelites failed to circumcise their children along the way in the wilderness, leaving an entire generation uncircumcised (actually more than that, because the children of the children of those who left Egypt were also of fighting age). Which meant that an entire army needed to be circumcised and consecrated to the Lord before they went off on the Lord's orders. If the Amorite kings hadn't been so afraid of them there might have been another Shechem (Genesis 34), where the Amorites could have destroyed the Israelites during the convalescence as the sons of Jacob did to Shechem and his people. Instead, the Israelites were protected to undergo this all-important ritual by the fear instilled in the surrounding peoples.
It also allowed them to celebrate the Passover in peace, an excellent observance on the eve of battle. Consider the correlations: Israel celebrated Passover to remind them of what the Lord did to bring them out of Egypt, how they escaped the plagues and how their firstborn were spared. They would remember that day they departed from Egypt, plundering the Egyptians for the asking, and all the miracles that the Lord performed to help them escape the pursuing Egyptian army. I would think this would be an awesome reminder, and a heartening one, as they set out to begin their conquering of the land. And perhaps it would keep them from questioning the Lord's instructions regarding Jericho. After all: it would seem pretty silly, walking in silence around the walls of Jericho for seven days. The Pea's song in The Veggie Tales: Josh and the Big Wall may be spot on. Then again, consider what the residents of Jericho may have felt in seeing it. They were already shut up in the city because of the Israelites. They feared Israel and their God, and to see them silently marching around their city each morning. Regardless, the outcome was decidedly in favor of the Lord. I would hope this would spur the Israelites on to greater obedience than what they had just performed through their own circumcisions and the Passover feast. I might be wrong.
Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 7:1-8:29
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