God's Battle Plan for Jericho
Study note
Jericho had sealed its gates tight because of the Israelites. No one went in or out. The city was a heavily fortified stronghold. God told Joshua that he had already given Jericho to Israel. The battle plan was unlike any military strategy: the army was to march around the city in silence for six days with seven priests blowing rams' horn trumpets in front of the Ark. On the seventh day they would march around seven times, and at the final trumpet blast, the people would shout. God promised the walls would collapse.
1 Jericho was locked up tight because of the Israelites. The gates were barred shut -- nobody going in, nobody coming out. Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
2 The Lord told Joshua, "I am putting Jericho in your hands -- the city, its king, and all its tough soldiers." And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3 "Have your entire army march around the city one time each day. Keep this up for six days." And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
4 "Seven priests will march in front of the Ark, each carrying a trumpet made from a ram's horn. On day seven, march around the city seven times while the priests sound the trumpets." And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
5 "When you hear one long, sustained trumpet blast, have all the people let out a thunderous war cry. The city walls will collapse right where they stand, and your soldiers can charge straight in." And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye 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 ascend up every man straight before him.
Marching Around the City
Study note
Joshua organized the march exactly as God commanded. Armed soldiers went first, then seven priests blowing trumpets, then the Ark of the Covenant, and finally a rear guard. Joshua told the people not to shout, not to speak, and not to make any noise at all until he gave the command. For six days they marched around the city once each day and then returned to camp. The people of Jericho must have watched in confusion and growing fear.
6 Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, "Pick up the Ark of the Covenant. Seven priests should walk in front of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn trumpet." And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
7 He told the people, "Start marching! Circle the city, with the armed soldiers marching ahead of the Lord's Ark." And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
8 After Joshua gave the orders, the seven priests with the ram's horn trumpets marched forward in front of the Lord, blowing their trumpets. The Ark of the Lord's Covenant followed right behind them. And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
9 Armed soldiers marched in front of the trumpet-blowing priests, and another group of soldiers brought up the rear behind the Ark. The trumpets sounded constantly as they walked. And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rearward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
10 But Joshua had told the people, "Stay completely silent. Do not make a sound -- not even a whisper -- until the day I tell you to shout. On that day, let it all out!" And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
11 The Ark of the Lord circled the city once, completing one full lap. Then everyone went back to camp for the night. So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
12 Joshua was up early the next morning, and the priests lifted the Ark of the Lord. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
13 The seven priests with the ram's horn trumpets marched in front of the Ark, blowing the whole time. Armed soldiers marched in front of them, and the rear guard followed the Ark. The trumpets never stopped sounding. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rearward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
14 On the second day they circled the city once and went back to camp. They repeated this routine for six days. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
The Walls Come Down
Study note
On the seventh day, the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times. On the seventh time around, the priests blew the trumpets and Joshua told the people to shout. Joshua also gave important instructions: everything in the city was to be devoted to the Lord for destruction, except for Rahab and her family. No one was to take any treasure for themselves; all silver, gold, and metal objects were to go into the Lord's treasury. When the people shouted, the massive walls of Jericho fell down flat, and the army charged straight into the city.
15 On the seventh day, they got up before sunrise. They marched around the city the same way as before. But this time they went around seven times. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
16 On the seventh lap, right when the priests sounded the trumpets, Joshua yelled to the people, "Let out your war cry! The Lord is giving you this city!" And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
17 "Everything in the city must be set apart for the Lord and destroyed. The only exception is Rahab and everyone in her house, because she protected the spies we sent." And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
18 "But watch out! Do not take any of the things marked for destruction, or you will bring disaster and trouble on the entire Israelite camp." And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
19 "All the silver, gold, bronze, and iron items are dedicated to the Lord. They must go into the Lord's treasury." But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
20 When the trumpets blasted, the people let loose with a massive shout. The walls came crashing down flat, and the soldiers stormed straight into the city and took it. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that 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 wiped out everyone and everything in the city. Men, women, young, old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys -- they destroyed them all by the sword. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
Rahab Is Saved
Study note
Joshua sent the two spies who had visited Rahab to rescue her and her family, keeping the promise they had made. Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and everyone who belonged to her were brought out safely and given a place to stay outside the Israelite camp. The city was burned to the ground. Joshua then placed a curse on anyone who would try to rebuild Jericho, saying it would cost them their firstborn and youngest children. This curse was fulfilled hundreds of years later during the reign of King Ahab. Rahab went on to live among the Israelites and is listed in the ancestry of King David and Jesus Christ.
22 Joshua told the two spies, "Go to Rahab's house and bring her out with everyone who belongs to her. Do just what you promised." But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23 The young spies went in and brought out Rahab along with her father, mother, brothers, and all her relatives. They moved her entire family to a safe location outside the Israelite camp. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
24 Then the Israelites set fire to the entire city and everything in it. Only the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items were saved and placed in the Lord's treasury. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
25 Joshua let Rahab live, along with her father's whole family and everyone connected to her. She has lived among the Israelites ever since. She was spared because she hid the spies Joshua had sent to scout Jericho. And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26 At that time Joshua made the people swear a solemn promise: "The Lord will curse anyone who tries to rebuild this city of Jericho. Laying its foundation will cost him his oldest son. Setting up its gates will cost him his youngest." And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
27 The Lord was with Joshua, and Joshua became famous all across the land. So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.