1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in. 2 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor. 3 All your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him." 6 Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh." 7 They said to the people, "Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh's ark." 8 It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh advanced, and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them. 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went. 10 Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout." 11 So he caused the ark of Yahweh to go around the city, going about it once. Then they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 12 Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh. 13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them. The rear guard came after the ark of Yahweh. The trumpets sounded as they went. 14 The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days. 15 It happened on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times. 16 It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city! 17 The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh's treasury." 20 So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21 They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house, and bring out from there the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her." 23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel. 24 They burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh's house. 25 But Rahab the prostitute, her father's household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26 Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed is the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up its gates." 27 So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.
The inhabitants of Jericho close their gates, Joshua 6:1. Continuation of the discourse between the captain of the Lord's host and Joshua. He commands the people to march round the city six days, the seven priests blowing with their trumpets; and to give a general shout, while marching round it on the seventh, and promises that then the walls of the city shall fall down, Joshua 6:2-5. Joshua delivers these directions to the priests and to the people, Joshua 6:6, Joshua 6:7. The priests and people obey; the order of their procession, Joshua 6:8-16. He commands them to spare the house of Rahab, Joshua 6:17, and not to touch any part of the property of the city, the whole of which God had devoted to destruction, Joshua 6:18, Joshua 6:19. On the seventh day the walls fall down, and the Israelites take the city, Joshua 6:20, Joshua 6:21. The spies are ordered to take care of Rahab and her family - the city is burnt, but the silver, gold, brass, and iron, are put into the treasury of the house of the Lord, Joshua 6:22-24. Rahab dwells among the Israelites, Joshua 6:25; and the city is laid under a curse, Joshua 6:26.
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 6
In this chapter Joshua is assured, though Jericho was closely shut up, it should be delivered into his hands, Joshua 6:1; and he is directed, with the army, to go round the city six days together, seven priests bearing the ark of the Lord, with seven trumpets sounding; and on the seventh day to go round it seven times in like manner, when its wall should fall, Joshua 6:3; which order Joshua communicated to the priests, and to the people, and which was put into execution by them, with some other instructions he gave them, Joshua 6:6; particularly that the city, and all in it, should be devoted to the Lord, and none spared, but Rahab and her family, Joshua 6:17; the success was according to the assurance given by the Lord, Joshua 6:20; when all in the city were destroyed, and that was burnt with fire, and the gold, silver, brass, and iron, brought into the house of the Lord, and Rahab and her father's household were saved alive, Joshua 6:21; and the chapter is closed with an adjuration of Joshua, cursing the man that should rebuild the city; and with this observation, that the fame of Joshua upon this was spread abroad throughout the country, Joshua 6:26.
(Joshua 6:1-5) The siege of Jericho.
(Joshua 6:6-16) The city is compassed.
(Joshua 6:17-27) Jericho is taken, Rahab and her family are saved.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.