gone out on a secret reconnaissance mission to see for himself the state of affairs at Jericho and to plan his strategy for the attack. He wasn’t inactive. He decided to do what he could to get a thorough look at the issues. It’s a sensible move, but it has a most unexpected and dramatic outcome. Looking up, he encounters “a man … standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand” (v. 13). This impressive figure is ready for military action—his sword is drawn—but on whose side will he fight? Joshua’s