Today is Maundy Thursday, a day when Christians remember and re-enact the last supper. Yet, sitting down with the enemy is often seen as a weakness by staunch militarists. Last year, the Obama administration endured intense criticism for brokering a nuclear deal with Iran. Talking with an avowed enemy was ruled out of bounds as a matter of principle, but also as a matter of security. His words applied not only to the conquest itself, but also to the way that Israel should relate to known Canaanite peoples once settled in the land.
Treaty-making with known enemies i. But the people do make treaties with the enemy. Are we to view these as violations of the Deuteronomic command? Should Israel have ideally rejected all discussion with the enemy in order to avoid contamination?
The last time Israel sent spies it was a total disaster. Twelve spies went on a reconnaissance mission from Kadesh-Barnea. They spied out the land and then 10 of them reported that it was unassailable. While the land was fertile and full of good things, it was heavily fortified and full of giants. This sent the people into a tailspin. They cried out and wailed the whole night, and then sought to appoint a leader to bring them back into Egypt Num According to Numbers, this was a complete failure, a lack of faith, an anti-Exodus.
So when Joshua appoints spies to go into the land, the reader has reason to furrow her brow. It looks like Joshua lacks faith. Remember all the guarantees Joshua had Josh 1? Why would he even need to spy the land?
Things look even grimmer when we consider the geography of these events. The spies go forth from Shittim. Ps ; Hos So Joshua sends the spies from Shittim. And what did his spies do? They went straight to the house of a prostitute! What were they thinking? As noted already, religious apostasy and sexual promiscuity were closely linked phenomena.
