and before the people embarked on their campaigns, a unity in this task needed to be assured (1:12–18). The story of Rahab in chap. 2 shows that the Canaanites were ripe for the taking, since they had heard of Israel and its God and were terrified of them. But Rahab stands as a shining example of a true believer, a Canaanite convert, and she was spared. The Jordan River was a natural barrier that needed to be crossed. However, the story of the crossing in chap. 3 emphasizes two things: (1) God’s