completely shut up it points back to 2:7, reminding us that Rahab’s story is not yet resolved. Second, it indicates that Israel now faces a new challenge—siege warfare. Clearly prepared for a difficult siege, Jericho allows no-one out or in, so there are not even foraging parties bringing in grains to sustain the residents. However, as somewhere completely closed up there is no easy access for Israel, and as a people who have previously been in the wilderness they have no military experience in dealing