For about 40 years thereafter little was heard about the freed nation, Israel. Then, news reached Canaan that the strong Amorite kingdoms east of the Jordan had fallen before the Israelites. How did the peoples west of the Jordan react?

The Bible quotes a woman of Jericho as saying to two young Israelite spies: “The fright of you has fallen upon us, and . . . all the inhabitants of the land have become disheartened because of you. For we have heard how Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea from before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, namely, Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. When we got to hear it, then our hearts began to melt, and no spirit has arisen yet in anybody because of you.”​—Josh. 2:9-11.

Yes, fear filled the inhabitants of Canaan. They felt a sickening dread within themselves. Their courage failed them. No one had any spirit to act. However, this did not move the Canaanites to fear Jehovah in a wholesome way. They faithlessly hardened their hearts against him, revealing this by calling out their armies for battle.

The woman was Rahab, a harlot whose house was situated atop the wall of Jericho. Based on what she had heard about Jehovah’s dealings, she was prompted to acknowledge the superiority of the true God. Rahab told the spies: “I do know that Jehovah will certainly give you the land. . . . Jehovah your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”​—Josh. 2:9-11.