Joshua had said in absolute terms that this could not be done. Any interpreter who overlooks this positive statement does a basic injustice to the author’s intention. Of course, the author’s comment does contain a hidden note of future trouble. But this is not Judges, where the same statement occurs in quite a different context (Judg. 2:7). Each book must be permitted to make its own contribution to the ongoing revelation of God. A major component of the book, and one with rich theological implications,