Joshua 6 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
2 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 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 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 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.
6 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.
Joshua 6 (Old Testament, King James Bible)
7 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 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 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
10 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 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 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.
Joshua Chapter 6 (Old Testament)
13 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 rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
15 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
22 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 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 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 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 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 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| סָגַר — sagar | Verse 1 — “…Jericho was tightly shut up…” | “To shut,” close securely. | Sagar (“to shut”) emphasizes total lockdown (“shut”). It reflects Jericho’s fear-driven defensive posture. The word sets the stage for divine intervention. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| חָמַשׁ — chamash | Verse 3 — “…all the men of war…” | “Armed,” arrayed. | Chamash (“armed”) denotes military readiness (“armed men”). It shows Israel’s obedience to divine strategy over conventional tactics. The term reflects covenant warfare. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| תְּרוּעָה — teruah | Verse 5 — “…with a long blast… and all the people shall shout…” | “Shout,” blast, alarm. | Teruah (“shout/blast”) conveys triumphant war-cry (“shout”). It carries ritual and military significance. The term signals divine victory. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| חֹמָה — chomah | Verse 5 — “…the wall will fall down…” | “Wall,” fortification. | Chomah (“wall”) highlights Jericho’s strength (“wall”). Its collapse represents divine power overthrowing human defenses. The term emphasizes miracle rather than strategy. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| נָפַל — nafal | Verse 5 — “…the wall will fall…” | “To fall,” collapse. | Nafal (“to fall”) expresses total defeat (“fall”). It underscores the suddenness of God’s intervention. The word amplifies dramatic victory. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| חָרַם — charam | Verse 17 — “…the city shall be under the ban…” | “To devote,” ban, destroy. | Charam (“to devote to destruction”) signifies holy judgment (“ban/destroy”). It expresses the principle of things devoted entirely to God. The term frames Jericho as sacred judgment. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| קֶדֶשׁ — kodesh | Verse 19 — “…all the silver and gold… are holy…” | “Holy,” set apart. | Kodesh (“holy”) marks objects belonging solely to God (“holy”). It protects sacred property from corruption. The word emphasizes purity in conquest. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| בָּעַר — ba’ar | Verse 24 — “They burned the city…” | “To burn,” consume. | Ba’ar (“to burn”) expresses complete destruction (“burn”). It finalizes the cherem judgment. The term demonstrates obedience to God’s command. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| שָׁבַע — shava | Verse 26 — “Joshua charged them with an oath…” | “To swear,” vow. | Shava (“to swear”) indicates solemn pronouncement (“oath”). It binds future generations. The word reinforces the seriousness of God’s judgment on Jericho. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| אָרַר — arar | Verse 26 — “Cursed be the man…” | “To curse,” bind with doom. | Arar (“to curse”) declares divine judgment (“curse”). It protects the ruins from unauthorized rebuilding. The term affirms God’s holiness and authority. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Work | View on Chapter 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, Germany, 1813–1890) | Biblischer Commentar über das Alte Testament | The destruction of Jericho demonstrates the decisive power of God and the necessity of obedience. |
| Charles Foster Kent (Yale University, United States, 1867–1925) | The Bible and Modern Scholarship | Kent highlights ritual, strategy, and divine intervention as central to Israel’s conquest. |
| William Robertson Smith (University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 1846–1894) | The Old Testament in the Jewish Church | The narrative reflects both historical memory and theological instruction. |
| Hugo Gressmann (University of Leipzig, Germany, 1864–1935) | Die Eschatologie der israelitischen Propheten | Obedience to divine command results in national blessing and victory. |
| Samuel Cox (University of London, United Kingdom, 1826–1893) | The Pentateuch | The fall of Jericho illustrates the ethical imperative of trust and faithfulness. |
Joshua Chapter 6
Verse: "So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted 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 captured the city." - Joshua 6:20
Lesson: In Joshua Chapter 6, the Israelites were instructed to march around the city of Jericho for seven days and then shout, and the walls of the city would fall. This was a test of their faith and obedience, and when they followed God's instructions, the walls did indeed fall.
Conclusion: God often calls us to do things that may seem impossible or illogical, but when we obey Him, He can do miraculous things. Just as the Israelites had to trust in God's plan for Jericho, we too must trust in His plan for our lives. When we step out in faith and obedience, God can do great things through us.
Prayer points: Dear Lord, help me to trust in your plan for my life, even when it may seem difficult or impossible. Give me the faith and obedience to follow your instructions, no matter how unconventional they may seem. Use me for your glory, Lord. Amen.
