Jericho Falls by the Lord’s Power

6:1 Now Jericho was shut tightly because of the Israelites. No one was allowed to leave or enter. 6:2 The Lord told Joshua, “See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you, along with its king and its warriors. 6:3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time; do this for six days. 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. 6:5 When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, have the whole army give a loud battle cry. Then the city wall will collapse and the warriors should charge straight ahead.” 6:6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, “Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 6:7 And he told the army, “Move ahead and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 6:8 When Joshua gave the army its orders, the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed behind. 6:9 Armed troops marched ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark blowing rams’ horns. 6:10 Now Joshua had instructed the army, “Do not give a battle cry or raise your voices; say nothing until the day I tell you, ‘Give the battle cry.’ Then give the battle cry!” 6:11 So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of the Lord around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there. 6:12 Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the Lord. 6:13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the Lord blowing rams’ horns. 6:14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all. 6:15 On the seventh day they were up at the crack of dawn and marched around the city as before – only this time they marched around it seven times. 6:16 The seventh time around, the priests blew the rams’ horns and Joshua told the army, “Give the battle cry, for the Lord is handing the city over to you! 6:17 The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord, except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies we sent. 6:18 But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for the Lord. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster. 6:19 All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to the Lord. They must go into the Lord’s treasury.” 6:20 The rams’ horns sounded and when the army heard the signal, they gave a loud battle cry. The wall collapsed and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. 6:21 They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys. 6:22 Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, “Enter the prostitute’s house and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.” 6:23 So the young spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and took them to a place outside the Israelite camp. 6:24 But they burned the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house. 6:25 Yet Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all who belonged to her. She lives in Israel to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho. 6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration: “The man who attempts to rebuild this city of Jericho will stand condemned before the Lord. He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!” 6:27 The Lord was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Jericho falls because the Lord gives the victory. Israel does not win by strength or siege skill, but by obeying God’s command. The city is placed under the ban as an act of holy judgment. Rahab and her family are spared because she hid the spies and trusted the Lord.

The Lord tells Joshua how Jericho must be taken. The people march in silence. The priests blow the trumpets. The ark goes with them. On the seventh day, after the final trumpet, the people shout and the wall falls. This shows that the victory comes from God, not from human power. It also shows that God’s people must obey his word exactly, even when the command seems unusual.

The city is given over to destruction as an act of holy judgment. The silver, gold, bronze, and iron are set apart for the Lord. Israel must not take what belongs to God. Rahab is spared with her household because she trusted the Lord and helped the spies. Her rescue shows mercy within judgment. Joshua then pronounces a curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho, and the chapter ends by saying that the Lord was with Joshua and made him famous throughout the land.

• The Lord gives the victory at Jericho.
• Obedience to God’s word matters more than military strength.
• The city is under the ban, so its goods are not for private plunder.
• God judges Jericho, but he shows mercy to Rahab and her family.
• Rahab is saved because she hid the spies and trusted the Lord.
• The curse on rebuilding Jericho marks the city as under God’s judgment.
• The Lord is with Joshua, and Joshua’s reputation grows.

• Do not treat God’s holy commands as optional.
• Do not take for yourself what God has set apart.
• Do not use this passage as a warrant for modern violence or religious coercion.
• Trust the Lord’s power more than visible strength.
• Obey God even when his commands seem unusual.
• The Lord will give victory in his own way and time.
• Those who trust the Lord may find mercy, as Rahab did.

This passage stands at the start of Israel’s conquest of the promised land. It shows the Lord fulfilling his promise to give the land to his people. It also shows that his gifts come with holiness and judgment. Rahab’s rescue points to the mercy God gives to outsiders who trust him and join themselves to his people.

When God’s way seems weak or unusual, still obey him. Do not measure success only by human strength. Respect what God says is holy. Be warned that God’s gifts must be received with reverence. Also, take hope that God can show mercy to those who turn to him in faith.

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