P C Cowan

by Paul C.
(California)

Joshua didnt need an earthquake. I think the Jordan could be blocked by a cofferdam 10' x10' x100'
That would need 10000 cu ft of stone. If
Joshua had an army of 10000 each carrying a 1 cu ft stone they could build that causeway fast. They were after all the descendants of Egyptian slaves. It wouldnt last long but it just needed to be there long enough to get 40,000 people across an ankle deep stream in a hurry. Then the tribe could camp out in the plentiful plane of Jericho. Next, what did the spies report to Joshua ? The priests were the only literate ones and they didnt need to know much. The spies had to report the state of the walls and any weaknesses. There might heve been damage from previous earthquakes that could be expolited. The march around the walls had to be cover for a tunneling operation. The Egyptians had mines and Israelites had to have worked them.
The sound of marching feet could cover the sound of digging. The parade had people dropping in to the tunnel and people coming out loaded with dirt. When a wall section was undermined the wall would be supported by timbers. On signal the timbers were fired and a wall section would come down. Then a all out charge could carry the town. No need for an earthquake, it could have happened any time. Now in the. Subsequent battle of Ai the sun stopped in the sky. Well if it had done that we wouldnt be here. Still I have seen this. In the present fires in California the smoke can obscure the sky and the sun turns red or is even blotted out. In an age where there were no clocks you would think you saw sunset, then when the wind kicks up the sun comes back out. As for smoke Joshua had the cities of Jherico and Bethel burning.
The bible written by the priests records miracles but Joshua was a soldier who would not have planned a campaign expecting miracles. He was clearly an experienced commander who knew everything the Egyptians knew. We do know that many Israelites served in the Egyptian army from time to time.