Inquire of the Lord

This sentence is so brief that it can be easily missed, but it is the key to the entire story: The men of Israel "did not inquire of the LORD."
Joshua should have known better--they were in a war. The Israelites were in the middle of a divine takeover of an entire region. They would need God's guidance every step of the way. The Israelites were fooled because they did not ask for God's guidance in deciding what to do.
Does this sound familiar? Do you ever get yourself into trouble because you fail to ask for God's wisdom and direction? The passage implies that if the Israelites had asked for God's direction they would have figured out what was really going on.
God wants to be part of your decisions, big and small. No issue is too insignificant to bring to God. He can see the big picture; you can't. Pray daily that the Holy Spirit will guide you in each decision you make.
Hugs and prayers
Izzy