WEBVTT - The Bronze Serpent 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.239 Previously on the Chosen people. 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:07.480 The Edamites already told us in no uncertain terms, they 0:00:07.480 --> 0:00:08.639 would meet us in battle. 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:14.520 I had hoped that hearing our light and drawing on 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:19.600 our shared lineage with Esol's descendants would sway their minds. 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:23.480 Or do they mean to finish what they started thirty 0:00:23.520 --> 0:00:28.480 eight years ago? Well, technically we started it. Perhaps we 0:00:28.520 --> 0:00:32.040 should prepare ourselves for war. They seem intent on finishing it. 0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:36.640 Either way, Eliza cut in decisively and interrupted his brother. 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.320 If you want to be haunted by our past, then fine, 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:43.000 let it be our teacher. Why did the campaign against 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:46.320 the Canaanites fail? Why were we crushed against the walls 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:49.800 of a rod. Our forefathers went without the presence of 0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:54.040 the Lord. I remember the ark of the Covenant sat 0:00:54.120 --> 0:00:57.960 idle in Kadesh, or they ventured up without a second thought. 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:00.560 No one thought to pray in us Lord to be 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:03.840 with them. No one thought about anything but the fear, 0:01:04.560 --> 0:01:05.959 and that is why they failed. 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:09.399 I propose we changed that. Joshua. 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:12.040 Draw up your plans and make the changes you need 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:15.760 to our defenses. But first let us pray in us 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.240 the Lord to be with us, and let us go 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:21.839 a step further, and remember the warnings he gave about 0:01:21.880 --> 0:01:25.400 conquering the land of Canaan. We must make a holy vow. 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:29.160 If the Lord should hand our enemy over to us, 0:01:29.640 --> 0:01:34.760 we must completely destroy their city, no half measures. We 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:38.120 cannot allow ourselves to be led astray or tempted to 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:42.920 follow their ways. Now let us go. Let us go 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.240 and defeat our enemies and win back our captives. 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:52.240 Beaming with approval and paternal pride, Moses rallied the man. 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:54.720 To war, man to war. 0:01:55.000 --> 0:01:55.559 It is. 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:07.000 Victory begins when we stop looking down at our pain 0:02:07.240 --> 0:02:12.120 and we start looking up to the God who heals Shelloh, 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:14.359 my friends, from here in the holy land of Israel, 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:18.120 I'm l Exstein with international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:22.280 and welcome to the Chosen People. The desert is a 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:27.120 place of testing. Israel is tired and thirsty. Complaints rise 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.239 like dust in the wind. The people of Israel speak 0:02:30.320 --> 0:02:35.079 against God, and he responds with serpents whose bites are 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:40.680 swift and deadly. But mercy is never far behind. A 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:46.200 bronze serpent is lifted high, and whoever looks at it lives, 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:51.000 and their journey continues, leading them to battle and victory, 0:02:51.639 --> 0:02:56.240 all under the watchful eye of the God who saves. 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:04.680 The temperature in the tent was sweltering, however, it was 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:08.320 the only place Moses could discuss the matters of Israel 0:03:08.400 --> 0:03:13.440 with his trusted advisers in privacy. Sweat beaded on Caleb's face, 0:03:13.800 --> 0:03:17.400 who was now officially installed as a council member, as 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:21.800 he led Israel's vanguard. The days since their victory over 0:03:21.840 --> 0:03:26.239 the Canaanites at Ormar had been grueling and relentless. Done 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:29.920 were their days of wandering, and Israel pressed forward with 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:33.919 a new found purpose. But it had also taken its toll. 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:37.840 A warm spring had given way to a blistering summer, 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:40.760 and the people were weary for months on the road. 0:03:41.480 --> 0:03:44.680 Moses cleared his throat and called the meeting to order. 0:03:45.360 --> 0:03:48.760 Let's hear the reports from the kingdoms of Moab and 0:03:48.920 --> 0:03:55.960 ammon ithamar In gersham Ah, faithful emissaries, we see that 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:59.720 you had returned to us safely. We have also seen 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:04.320 the ron's iron and horses. You have returned with your 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:09.800 dipromises to be commanded. It seems that our kinsmen responded 0:04:09.800 --> 0:04:13.120 well to our gifts and promises of peace. 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:17.719 Gersham nodded respectfully to his father and began. 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:21.400 Yes, father, They were very receptive to our envoy. They were, 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:23.520 of course pleased that we meant them no harm. 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:27.320 If Amar never want to go without sharing the spotlight 0:04:27.560 --> 0:04:29.320 cut in with his retort. 0:04:29.320 --> 0:04:33.159 Oh, yes, it went very well. I've spent so much 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:36.920 time in foreign lands lately that my wife likely thinks 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:39.840 I've run off to become a bard. I was singing 0:04:39.839 --> 0:04:41.960 a new song in a different chort every week. 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:44.839 I'm surprised the meetings went as well as they did, 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:48.400 considering your infamous charm, if Omar. 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:53.039 Well, it's not my charm they enjoy. It's my grasp 0:04:53.120 --> 0:05:00.360 of our finances. Everyone respects the man holding the purse strings. 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.799 A good thing. Gersham thought to bring the coin counter. 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:07.520 Then the men around the table laughed. Caleb's playful and 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:13.520 good natured spirit softened Lithamar's prickly temperament, Moses sighed. It 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.400 also had the added benefit of keeping the far more 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:20.200 serious High Priest Eliezer from pulling out his hair at 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:24.880 his brother's sarcastic remarks. Every day, this new generation of 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:28.960 leadership was learning how to work together, how to trust 0:05:28.960 --> 0:05:33.039 one another. Moses had gathered his counsel to discuss their 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:35.719 plans as they moved out of Moab and into the 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:40.520 viciously contested region on the Moabite Plains. It had once 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:44.279 belonged to Moab, but it was now held by the Amorites, 0:05:44.600 --> 0:05:48.240 a cunning and formidable enemy to all the kingdoms. Descended 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:52.479 from the patriarch Abraham. They were known for their depraved 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:57.039 customs and the vile practice of child's sacrifice to their 0:05:57.080 --> 0:06:01.320 cruel god. Moleek Ithamar picked up the discussion once the 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:02.320 table quieted. 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.360 Well, now that you've heard of our sweeping success abroad, 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:08.839 tell us how are things at home. 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:12.880 The men around the table looked at one another. No 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:16.840 one seemed to know where to start. Joshua leaned forward 0:06:16.880 --> 0:06:20.240 and rubbed his brow. He put it as delicately as 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:20.680 he could. 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:25.839 People are restless Moses, the tired and irritable. They are 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:27.800 whispers of descent across the tribes. 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:34.400 Eliezer, the newly appointed high priest, snorted and replied more directly, 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:36.359 cutting to the heart of the matter. 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:40.040 That's putting it mildly. The people are towing the line 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:44.560 of rebellion. They're unsatisfied with the manner they grow impatient 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.800 with the desert. It stems from their frustration with our 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:50.640 plans to abandon Canaan instead of circuit Moab. 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:55.279 Joshua quickly stepped in to clarify, and Moses could sense 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:57.839 that he was doing so out of a deep loyalty 0:06:58.120 --> 0:06:59.680 and desire to protect him. 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:03.120 They believe we should have pressed north crossed into Canaan 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:05.920 after Omarh. They don't see the wisdom in waiting. 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:12.760 They It's all right, Joshua, I can explain. It is true. 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:16.760 The people cannot understand why we've taken the long way 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:19.840 when we were at the doorstep to the promised land. 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:23.960 They are also confused about why we take the time 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:28.040 to send emissaries and ask before we enter land peacefully. 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:32.000 We've won one battle, and they think that we're now 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:36.320 a nation of conquerors. They look to the kingdoms of 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:42.480 Moab and Ammon and their eyes get greedy. The temptation 0:07:43.040 --> 0:07:47.320 is to take their lands and wealth. But the Lord 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:52.320 has been clear, we are not savage plunderers. We must 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:56.280 not harm the descendants of Lot, for Moab and Ammon 0:07:56.400 --> 0:08:01.000 are his children and this land is their possession. We 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.520 are not to raise a hand against them. We must 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:07.760 focus on claiming the land that has been promised to us. 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.080 One day, we may be grateful that we kept the 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:13.840 peace with our neighbors. 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:18.840 It was quiet for a moment, but then Moses's eldest Gersham, 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:22.120 spoke up, saying what he knew. Most of Israel was 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:23.400 probably thinking. 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:26.800 Forgive me, father, But I have to ask why didn't 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.560 we just press north after Hermah. Then we wouldn't be 0:08:29.600 --> 0:08:31.840 going through the millbiten Ammonite kingdoms at all. 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:35.200 The Lord forbid it. 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:37.280 We are not ready. 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:41.800 Moses knew his answer was vague. He knew the younger 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:45.080 men would likely not be satisfied with that answer. He 0:08:45.200 --> 0:08:48.800 wished Aaron was still alive to share this burden with him, 0:08:49.120 --> 0:08:52.760 the burden of being barred from the promised land he 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:56.600 had told no one. He could only assume that Aaron 0:08:56.640 --> 0:09:01.040 had not either before he died. Eliezer and Athama certainly 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:04.320 didn't seem as if they knew. Moses was trying to 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:07.400 be grateful for the time he still had with this generation. 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:13.439 He had time to prepare them, nurture them, but his positions, loneliness, 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:18.840 and uniqueness were crushing on his soul. Joshua met Moses' eyes, 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:22.640 gave him an encouraging smile, and then turned to rally 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:23.040 the men. 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.439 We must trust the Lord's timing, and we must prepare. 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:29.680 We are now about to enter our enemy's domain. I 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:32.080 do not think the Amorites will be as receptive to 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:34.280 our gifts as Egyptian hairlooms of copper. 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:40.920 You're right, Joshua, but we will still try near them. 0:09:40.920 --> 0:09:45.160 Ah and Gersham go to King Sihon of the Amorites anyway, 0:09:46.000 --> 0:09:50.160 We will come across his territory first. He is a 0:09:50.160 --> 0:09:53.640 fierce protector of the land that they have stolen away 0:09:53.640 --> 0:09:58.439 from the Moabites. But hopefully he will see our amicable 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:01.480 dealings with them and allow us to pass through their 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:02.840 lands in peace. 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.760 Doubtful, same message as before, Father, Yes we will not 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:08.280 veer O. 0:10:10.280 --> 0:10:10.920 What was that? 0:10:11.400 --> 0:10:14.440 Joshua and Caleb sprang to their feet and drew their 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:17.720 weapons as they charged out of the tent. The others 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:20.640 were on their heels, but the scene outside moses tent 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:26.360 caused them all to stop dead in their tracks. Pand ammonium. 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:30.320 The people were screaming and running in every direction. Men 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:33.840 had weapons drawn and were looking around at the ground wildly. 0:10:34.360 --> 0:10:37.240 Women clutched their children as they ran sobbing through the 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:41.079 pathways between the tents. It didn't take long to realize 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:46.040 the source of their fear. Snakes. Snakes were slithering and 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:50.640 hissing every hundred feet or so. Their triangular heads and glossy, 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:55.719 sinuous bodies told Moses everything he needed to know. Poisonous 0:10:55.840 --> 0:11:01.000 vipers deadly and by the hundreds. Moses council stood paralyzed 0:11:01.000 --> 0:11:04.560 with indecision. Should they attack the snakes, attempt to drive 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:08.400 them back, help usher the people to safety. The serpents 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:12.600 seemed to be everywhere already. The snake's victims littered the ground, 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:16.120 writhing and crying out of burning pain as the poison 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:19.720 took immediate effect. The snakes were supple and could press 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:23.800 under tent walls and squeeze through openings and entryways. One 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:27.000 serpent raised its head and poised to strike a woman 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:30.280 beside Joshua, but he swiftly drew his blade and cut 0:11:30.320 --> 0:11:30.920 off its. 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.040 Head, being a slash all them in time. 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:37.560 When the do Moses shuddered, there would be no escaping them. 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:40.520 The tents blocked his view, but he had a sneaking 0:11:40.600 --> 0:11:44.280 suspicion that there were thousands more out there. Moses tents 0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:47.240 stood before the tabernacle, and from where they were standing 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:50.000 they could see a group of terrified people huddling by 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:54.400 the altar. Just then, a particularly robust snake well over 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:57.880 five feet long, slithered up to the entrance of the courtyard. 0:11:58.720 --> 0:12:02.240 Moses held his breath as he watched it lift its head. 0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:07.400 Fans beared tung the air before the entrance, turn away 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:11.480 and slither on. Moses let out a sigh of relief 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:16.200 and heard Eliezer do the same behind him, surely tracking Moses' thoughts, 0:12:16.760 --> 0:12:20.439 the snakes could not enter the holy space of the Tabernacle. 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:22.839 To the Tabernacle, I cannot enter. 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:26.239 It wouldn't decide what to do once we're inside the courtyard. 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:29.680 The council didn't need to be told twice. They broke 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:33.480 into a run as nearby snakes, tracking their sudden movement, 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:38.760 shot forward, jaws snapping. Joshua and Caleb had their blades drawn, 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:41.920 slashing back and forth like one would do to vines 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:46.000 in a dense forest. Ihamah made it over the threshold 0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:49.880 just as a snake's mouth snapped shut inches away from him. 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:54.400 It hissed in frustration, at being deprived of its prey. Ihamar, 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:57.760 wide eyed, slumped to the ground, panting. 0:12:58.080 --> 0:13:02.120 My family's out there, hide in here while they're in danger. 0:13:02.520 --> 0:13:06.160 Before anyone could answer, the frightened people swarmed them. 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:10.360 Please, Lord Moses, we have said by speaking against the Lord, 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:11.880 against you us. 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:19.200 Your Moses, needing no other encouragement, immediately fell on his 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:22.880 face and interceded on the people's behalf. The other members 0:13:22.920 --> 0:13:27.040 of his council joined. The Lord responded to Moses frantic 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:29.440 prayers over the desperate people's cries. 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:33.120 Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:38.400 When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover. 0:13:39.360 --> 0:13:43.400 Moses immediately turned to his council. The frightened shouts of 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:45.880 the people were unrelenting from the other side of the 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:50.680 courtyard walls. Moses stood up, steal eyed and determined to 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:51.640 make it all right. 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:56.160 Moses, where are you going? The Lord has spoken, eliezar 0:13:56.440 --> 0:13:59.240 item I. Gather the priests and have them meet me 0:13:59.280 --> 0:14:02.640 in the courtierd Caleb. Take some of the soldiers and 0:14:02.679 --> 0:14:06.960 have them carry the bit into me. Jojua hack every 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:08.040 snake you see. 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:12.840 Moses took a hammer in his trembling hands, he commanded 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:16.360 the blacksmiths to bring him the molten bronze. Like the 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:20.160 pounding of a heartbeat, Moses swung his hammer down to 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:24.120 form a coiling serpent of bronze. Its molten red hue 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:28.000 cooled into a dark bronze sheen. Moses attached it to 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:30.440 a large pole and took it out to the people 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:35.440 Caleb had assembled, hundreds of suffering people, people who had 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:40.000 been bitten, nearing death. Moses rose the pole high, then 0:14:40.080 --> 0:14:43.520 drove it down into the dirt. The sound of vibrating 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:47.320 metals silenced the crowd. All were still for a moment, 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:50.600 awaiting deliverance as they always had. 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:54.640 Look, Behold the very symbol of what's killing you. 0:14:55.280 --> 0:15:00.240 Behold it risen high for all to see. It is 0:15:00.360 --> 0:15:01.400 your salvation. 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:05.760 The people peered up at the serpent, its bronze frame 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:09.640 shimmering in the dying light of day. Their quivering faces 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:13.880 dripped with tears of anguish as they beheld the very 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:18.320 image of their sin. The sickness that plagued them subsided. 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:23.680 Their bodies, once racked with pain, were healed. This serpent 0:15:24.120 --> 0:15:28.720 high and lifted up before them, brought healing Moses looked 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:32.920 at it, wondering what it truly meant. He sensed deep 0:15:32.960 --> 0:15:36.160 in his bones that the Lord was working out something 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:40.920 for the future, a symbol of salvation to come. Moses 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:43.880 resolved to keep the bronze snake with them on their journey, 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:49.320 a tangible reminder of repentance. Each time they looked upon 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:52.720 it for healing, they would remember where that healing truly 0:15:52.800 --> 0:16:00.760 came from. The men were huddled together for warmth in 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:05.320 the foothills of the Pisca Mountain range. Their horses similarly 0:16:05.360 --> 0:16:10.480 grouped together, nickered softly in their sleep. Joshua had stationed 0:16:10.520 --> 0:16:15.640 their units, gone over orders, oversaw the distribution of rations, 0:16:15.680 --> 0:16:18.560 set shifts for the night's watch, and now there was 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:21.680 nothing to do but wait. Sleep would be hard to 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:25.000 find tonight, for they would attack the Amorites in the morning. 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:28.520 Joshua sat away up the hill from the other men, 0:16:29.000 --> 0:16:31.920 the distant peak of Mount Nebo at his back, to 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:35.840 keep an eye on the plains below. Israel's fires were 0:16:35.920 --> 0:16:39.480 like a night sky of warm, inviting stars that stretched 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:44.040 for miles. Joshua scanned the landscape for the thousandth time. 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:45.640 All was well. 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:50.640 Joshua's fingers tapped his dagger and repeated irregular patterns over 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.920 and over. A pile of wood shavings littered the ground 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:58.280 at Joshua's feet. He had started out shaping something, but 0:16:58.400 --> 0:17:02.400 then slowly whittled it away to nothing. Joshua didn't have 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:05.320 to look up to know that Caleb approached him, returning 0:17:05.359 --> 0:17:08.560 from his watch, his footfall and tread as familiar as 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:08.920 his own. 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:14.240 Ah, I'm surprised this part isn't getting any easier. 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:16.000 What do you mean. 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:18.480 The waiting. 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:21.840 True? I doubt it ever will. 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:26.159 Caleb sat heavily next to Joshua, letting his legs and 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.800 feet sprawl before him. He sighed as he leaned back 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:31.960 on his elbows and relaxed his shoulders. 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:32.760 How are the men? 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:37.960 Caleb gave Joshua a conspiratorial look and pretended to look concerned. 0:17:38.560 --> 0:17:41.840 Joshua bit back a smile. He would let Kleb play 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:42.560 out his joke. 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:48.199 They're telling ghost stories again? What about they say? The 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:51.480 blood in the waters we found earlier, the dead emeralds 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:56.760 are haunting us. The men fear they will take their vengeance. 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:57.359 On us tomorrow. 0:17:57.960 --> 0:18:01.440 Are the men actually worried interpreting the bodies we found 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:02.280 as a bad omen. 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:06.320 No, no, no, we all know was the Lord. He 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:07.280 cleared the way for us. 0:18:07.320 --> 0:18:08.200 It was a miracle. 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:11.760 Your plan will work, Joshua, it will work. 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:15.600 Joshua and Caleb took a detachment of men and horses 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:18.480 from the tribe of Judah. They broke off from the 0:18:18.560 --> 0:18:21.840 larger army a few days ago as it continued along 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:26.560 the King's Highway into Amorite held territory without them. Together, 0:18:26.960 --> 0:18:29.840 they led their unit through the foothills, where they would 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.800 travel parallel to the larger army on the road down 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:36.880 on the plains, they knew King Sihon was coming for them. 0:18:37.119 --> 0:18:40.479 He practically spat in Ishamar and Gersham's faces when they 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:45.040 delivered MOS's message. But Israel had marched forward and their 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:48.240 spies had reported that the Amorite king's army was now 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:51.760 headed to meet them. But when they did, the Amorites 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:55.000 were in for a surprise. The two armies would meet 0:18:55.000 --> 0:18:57.679 on the plains below, and Israel would drive them to 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:00.840 the foothills, where Joshua and Caleb would be waiting on 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:04.800 the higher ground with a cavalry. Joshua smiled. It was 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:08.760 a good plan, but it was not an original one, 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.800 as it turned out. When the men stopped to water 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:15.040 the horses yesterday, they noticed the blood in the water. 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:18.119 They followed the trail of blood until they found the 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.840 crushed bodies of a unit of Amorite soldiers, men who 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:26.040 clearly had the same idea Joshua had. They were planning 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:28.639 to wait in the foothills when the scattered army was 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:32.840 sent their way, and they were in the foothills before Joshua. 0:19:33.480 --> 0:19:35.840 The Amorites would have seen them coming and could have 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:40.040 quickly taken the manawares. The Lord, however, had something else 0:19:40.119 --> 0:19:44.200 in mind. Joshua shivered at the memory of their mangled bodies. 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:47.520 They had been crushed by large rocks that had fallen 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:51.040 from higher up the peaks, but the Israelites had not 0:19:51.240 --> 0:19:54.639 felt the earth shake or heard the rocks shift, and 0:19:54.720 --> 0:19:57.200 they were never more than a few miles away from 0:19:57.240 --> 0:20:01.600 these unfortunate Amorites, and Joshua as keen eyes saw that 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:05.800 all the men had been lethally crushed, despite inconsistencies with 0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:08.960 how the rocks had fallen or how near or far 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:12.600 away they were from each other. Joshua shook off the 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:15.560 memory and gripped Caleb's shoulder affectionately. 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:18.040 The mortar has already gone before us and stopped the 0:20:18.040 --> 0:20:21.800 first man. We oppressed the advantages laid before us tomorrow 0:20:22.160 --> 0:20:22.679 and strike. 0:20:22.760 --> 0:20:23.640 The second. 0:20:28.720 --> 0:20:32.040 Morning arrived swiftly, but Joshua, Caleb. 0:20:31.680 --> 0:20:32.800 And their men were ready. 0:20:33.320 --> 0:20:39.160 The battle unfolded as Joshua had envisioned. The vanguard tribes Judah, Isakar, 0:20:39.280 --> 0:20:44.040 and Zebulun led the eastern unit. They fought valiantly, driving 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:48.119 a powerful wedge through the Amorite army and breaking their lines. 0:20:48.680 --> 0:20:52.000 The tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were securely placed 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:55.280 at the center of the formation, protected by the southern 0:20:55.400 --> 0:21:00.639 unit and the Levite clans. The western unit, Ephraim, Manassa 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:05.280 and Benjamin herded the shattered enemy toward the foothills, that 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:09.600 is where Joshua and Caleb's cavalry awaited them. The Amorites, 0:21:09.880 --> 0:21:13.399 thinking they were retreating toward their allies, showed shock in 0:21:13.440 --> 0:21:18.160 their eyes as the cavalry smashed into their scattered lines. Meanwhile, 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:23.000 the northern unit and Israel's rear guard ensured no stragglers escaped. 0:21:23.440 --> 0:21:27.320 The battle was fierce yet swift. It was a decisive 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:34.120 victory for Israel. The killing calm had settled into Joshua's bones. 0:21:34.680 --> 0:21:38.000 His breath was steady as his arm blocked and cut 0:21:38.119 --> 0:21:42.840 down his opponents with masterful ease. The motions were a practiced, 0:21:42.880 --> 0:21:46.760 familiar rhythm. Years of training and the wilderness with their 0:21:46.920 --> 0:21:50.719 army had shaped him. His calloused hands knew the handle 0:21:50.760 --> 0:21:53.399 of his blade as if it were an extension of 0:21:53.440 --> 0:21:57.320 his arm. His mind filtered out the gruesome dicing of 0:21:57.359 --> 0:22:01.040 his sword and the contorted faces of his life dying enemies. 0:22:01.760 --> 0:22:05.000 Any empathy he might have felt for this butchery was 0:22:05.080 --> 0:22:09.639 quickly set aside when he beheld the city's altars. Though 0:22:09.680 --> 0:22:14.240 hastily abandoned while the city fortified itself, the remains of 0:22:14.359 --> 0:22:19.800 small charred, undeniably juvenile bones still adorned the pias. The 0:22:19.840 --> 0:22:24.119 sight of the remains of sacrificed children twisted Joshua's stomach 0:22:24.200 --> 0:22:27.240 with a haunting memory, one that would stick with him 0:22:27.280 --> 0:22:31.640 for a lifetime. His enemies all fell before him. As 0:22:31.720 --> 0:22:35.480 the Israelites smashed their forces against the walls and fought 0:22:35.520 --> 0:22:39.480 their way into the city, Joshua focused solely on the 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:42.880 repetition of his breath and the motion of his arm. 0:22:43.160 --> 0:22:47.760 After seeing the altars of child's sacrifice, Joshua felt the 0:22:47.800 --> 0:22:51.280 weight of his mission. This wasn't just about getting to 0:22:51.320 --> 0:22:55.480 the Promised Land. This was about exacting justice for the 0:22:55.560 --> 0:22:59.240 innocence they had slaughtered and the atrocities they committed on 0:22:59.320 --> 0:23:04.879 behalf of them false gods. In haile, guard exhal cut 0:23:05.440 --> 0:23:12.399 in hal guard, exhale, frust repeat for hours. Joshua lost 0:23:12.480 --> 0:23:15.600 himself in the cycle as the bodies fell before him 0:23:15.760 --> 0:23:19.879 and his feet steadily advanced through the city's narrow streets. 0:23:20.600 --> 0:23:23.919 It wasn't until Joshua yanked his blade free from a 0:23:23.920 --> 0:23:27.680 weak spot in his opponent's armor, watching him fall lifeless 0:23:27.720 --> 0:23:30.680 to the ground with a soft thud, that he realized 0:23:30.760 --> 0:23:34.440 no more soldiers were left to fight. The thick wooden 0:23:34.520 --> 0:23:38.480 door of the keep stood before him. Joshua wasn't surprised 0:23:38.520 --> 0:23:40.919 when he saw his men were already bringing up a 0:23:40.960 --> 0:23:45.199 battering ram. Joshua finally paused to catch his breath and 0:23:45.320 --> 0:23:47.600 wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of 0:23:47.640 --> 0:23:51.439 his hand. It came away stained with grime, gore, and 0:23:51.480 --> 0:23:55.040 who knows what else, matting his hair and dripping down 0:23:55.080 --> 0:23:57.800 the back of his neck. In the commotion of the 0:23:57.840 --> 0:24:01.120 men readying to work on the door, Joshua saw Caleb 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:02.040 trot up to him. 0:24:02.280 --> 0:24:06.560 There you all right, there, brother, didn't leave any men 0:24:06.600 --> 0:24:08.240 for the rest of us to kill. 0:24:08.960 --> 0:24:12.040 A grin tugged at the corner of Joshua's mouth at 0:24:12.119 --> 0:24:15.919 Caleb's surprisingly upbeat attitude in the middle of a killing field. 0:24:16.400 --> 0:24:20.280 But then he looked behind him. Israelites struggled to climb 0:24:20.320 --> 0:24:23.720 over the Amorites who had been in Joshua's path. The 0:24:23.840 --> 0:24:28.520 carnage was staggering. Crows were already circling and perching on 0:24:28.560 --> 0:24:32.080 the walls above them. Joshua looked back to Caleb as 0:24:32.119 --> 0:24:34.040 their men began battering the door. 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:36.879 Don't worry, Gallab, I've saved some for you as well. 0:24:37.240 --> 0:24:39.920 Beyond this door is the last of the guard protecting 0:24:39.960 --> 0:24:40.320 the king. 0:24:40.720 --> 0:24:45.040 A confident smile stretched across Caleb's face as he responded 0:24:45.160 --> 0:24:47.200 enthusiastically to his general. 0:24:46.920 --> 0:24:52.240 The last stand of king. Let's make it enough fight 0:24:52.560 --> 0:24:53.520 worth remembering. 0:24:54.359 --> 0:24:57.800 With that, the door shattered from the final slam of 0:24:57.840 --> 0:25:01.880 the battering ram. The Israelites soldiers cleared the splintered wood 0:25:01.880 --> 0:25:05.680 away to create an opening for their commanders. As one, 0:25:05.840 --> 0:25:09.439