A number of elements of God can be seen in the three battles
             mentioned. Most evident is the fact that, as the Israelites are fighting a
             Holy War, God is the most important part of each battle. God is also shown
             by the selected passages as both omnipotent and all-powerful, as the giver
             When choosing victory for his people, God expects their loyalty in
             return. This loyalty is based upon display of God's power in Egypt (Deut.
             6:24). This is used as a reminder to keep God's laws for the victories
             that he has and will provide for Israel. These are the conditions for God's
             continued support throughout the battles within the Holy War. A further
             element is the security that God provides in turn for following his
             conditions for fighting battles and living life. God provides security for
             his people while driving fear into the hearts of their enemies (Deut.
             The Holy War furthermore entails the requirement that God's people
             remain nationally and religiously pure. For this reason the element of
             complete destruction of all that is alien to Israel is one of the essential
             elements of engaging in God's battle. In order to curb the possibility of
             idolatry then, God commands that all human beings left alive in besieged
             towns should be killed so they cannot teach their idolatrous ways to God's
             Another interesting element is that God also at times strikes fear
             into the hearts of his own people. His role as provider of security is
             thus coupled with his role as punisher in the case of disobedience. Thus,
             obedience is rewarded with upliftment, supremacy and security, while the
             reward of disobedience is fear. God does not hesitate to make an example
             of the disobedient, for whom the punishment is often death (Deut. 21:21).
             Joshua's warning to Israel suggests this fear (Josh 24:26). God and Israel
             thus has a rather ambivalent relationship,
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