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Joshua 6

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Joshua 6

The siege of Jericho crystallizes the theological principle that victory belongs to the LORD alone: Israel conquers not through military force but through marching, sounding rams' horns, and faithful obedience to the divine strategy. The seven-day circling of Jericho with the ark leading emphasizes covenant presence and the substitution of liturgical act for human prowess—the walls fall not to battering rams but to the shout (qôl, voice) of Israel and the trumpet. Rahab's scarlet cord marks her household for deliverance amid total destruction, fulfilling the LORD's promise and underscoring that covenant inclusion transcends ethnicity. The chapter establishes the pattern for all subsequent conflicts: obedience to the word of the LORD, not military cleverness, determines the outcome, and the 'ban' (ḥērem, total dedication to destruction) demonstrates that the land is YHWH's exclusive possession.

Joshua 6:27

So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land

Joshua 6:25

But Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive; and she dwelt in Israel even to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho

Joshua 6:26

And Joshua laid an oath upon them at that time, saying, 'Cursed before the LORD be the man that rises up and rebuilds this city Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates'

Joshua 6:3

You shall march around the city, all the men of war, circling the city once; thus you shall do for six days

Joshua 6:4

Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark; and on the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets

Joshua 6:5

When you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him

Joshua 6:6

So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horns pass before the ark of the LORD'

Joshua 6:7

And he said to the people, 'Advance! March around the city; and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD'

Joshua 6:8

As Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of ram's horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them

Joshua 6:9

The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests went on blowing the trumpets

Joshua 6:10

And Joshua had commanded the people, 'You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, neither shall any word come out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then you shall shout'

Joshua 6:11

So he had the ark of the LORD circle the city, going around it once; and they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp

Joshua 6:12

Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD

Joshua 6:13

And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of ram's horns before the LORD passed on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the priests went on blowing the trumpets

Joshua 6:14

And they circled the city once on the second day, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days

Joshua 6:15

And on the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; it was only on this day that they marched around the city seven times

Joshua 6:16

And the seventh time, as the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, 'Shout! For the LORD has given you the city'

Joshua 6:17

And the city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction; only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent

Joshua 6:18

But keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted things you take any of them and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and trouble it

Joshua 6:19

But all silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD

Joshua 6:20

So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people raised 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

Joshua 6:21

Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and asses

Joshua 6:22

But Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, 'Go into the harlot's house, and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her'

Joshua 6:23

So the young men, the spies, went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her; and they brought all her kindred out, and set them outside the camp of Israel

Joshua 6:24

And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it; only the silver and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the LORD's house

Joshua 6:2

And the LORD said to Joshua, 'See, I have given Jericho and its king and the mighty men of valor into your hands'

Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was shut up from within and from without because of the people of Israel; none went out and none came in