Jericho at first light seen from the plain: a small walled town on its rounded mound, a plain mud-brick wall on a sloping stone base, date palms around its foot and the pale hills of Moab behind.

The Book of

Joshua 6

A walled city, a silent army and seven rams’ horns. For six days nothing happened.

27 verses≈ 6 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–5Crossing overInto the land
6–12Taking the landThe LORD fights for IsraelChapter 6
13–21Dividing the landAn inheritance for each tribe
22–24Choose this dayServe the LORD

The Walls of Jericho

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

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And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.

God

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”

And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. While the horns continued to sound, the armed troops marched ahead of the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard followed the ark.

So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there.

Early morning: the whole procession small and far below on the plain at the foot of Jericho’s mound, a glint of the gold ark in the middle of the line, palms casting long shadows.

Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD. And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

0:24

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Question

Quick question

Six days of the same silent march, once around each day. The last day was different.

How many times did Israel march around Jericho on the seventh day?

Jericho: seven days

Whiteboard

Jericho was “tightly shut up,” but the LORD spoke before anyone moved: “I have delivered Jericho into your hand.” Then His plan: seven priests with seven rams’ horns before the ark, once around the city each day for six days, seven times on the seventh. No battle cry until Joshua gave the word: “Then you are to shout!” The wall fell at the shout, and Hebrews says it fell by faith.

Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times. After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!

Joshua

Joshua

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it. For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”

So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed.

Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it. With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

Reflect

Patient and just

God waited centuries before this judgment fell, and in the same hour He spared a house that had trusted Him: “Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live.” Which do you find harder to believe about God, His judgment or His mercy? Write down why. Then write what the cross of Jesus says about both.

Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”

So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

Joshua 6:25

At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath:

“Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up

and rebuilds this city, Jericho;

at the cost of his firstborn

he will lay its foundations;

at the cost of his youngest

he will set up its gates.”

Joshua 6:27

Pray

He keeps His word

Joshua sent the two spies back for Rahab “just as you promised her,” and “They brought out her whole family.” Thank God that He keeps every promise to everyone who trusts Him, whoever they were before. Then ask Him for the faith Israel needed at Jericho: faith that obeys when His way looks strange, and waits quietly for His time.

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Joshua 6

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A verse to carry with you

So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Joshua 6:27

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