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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.

1. The inhabitants of Jericho had closed the city and had fastened their bolts so that the Israelites could not enter. No one came in and no one went out.

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.

2. But Yahweh said to Joshua: "I will give you the city, its king and all its men of war.

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.

3. For this, you shall have to go around the city once every day for 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.

4. Seven priests shall go before the Ark bearing the seven trumpets used in the time of the Jubilee. On the seventh day, they shall march around the city seven times,

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.

5. and when they blow the horn, all the people shall come up to attack, shouting their battle cry. At that moment, the walls of the city will fall and everyone shall enter straight ahead of 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.

6. Joshua, son of Nun, called the priests and said to them: "You shall carry the Ark of the Covenant; seven priests shall go ahead with the trumpets they use for the Jubilee."

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.

7. Then Joshua said to the people: "You shall march around the city and the vanguard of the army shall go before the Ark of Yahweh."

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.

8. When Joshua finished speaking, the priests began to blow the seven trumpets they used to blow on the Feast of the Jubilee, and they went before the Ark of Yahweh.

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.

9. The vanguard of the people went before the priests, and the rest of the people came after the Ark.

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.

10. The trumpets blew continually. Joshua had given this order: "Do not shout or utter anything, nor let even a single word be heard, until the day comes when I say: Shout and cry out!"

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.

11. That day he had the Ark of Yahweh carried around the city once, then all returned to the camp where they spent the night.

12. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

12. On the following day, Joshua rose early in the morning

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.

13. and the priests took the Ark and those who blew the seven trumpets again went before the Ark. The vanguard went before them and the rest followed the Ark while the trumpets blew.

14. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

14. So they did the next day, and for six days they marched once a day around the city and then returned to the camp.

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.

15. On the seventh day, the Israelites rose early at dawn and marched around Jericho in the same way as on the previous days. But on that day, they did it 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.

16. At the seventh time, as the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua ordered the people: "Shout your battle cry for Yahweh has 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.

17. The city and all that is in it shall be given in anathema to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute with all who may be with her in her house shall live, since she hid the spies 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.

18. But for your part, be careful not to touch anything, big or small since everything shall be consecrated in anathema; do not take anything for yourself lest the curse be upon the camp of Israel and bring trouble upon 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.

19. All the gold, silver, copper and iron are to be consecrated to Yahweh and shall go into the treasury of Yahweh."

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.

20. The people shouted and the trumpets blew. At this precise moment, the walls of the city fell. Then everyone went straight into the city to the place before him.

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.

21. They seized Jericho. And with sword in hand, they killed all the men and women, both young and old, as well as the oxen, sheep and asses, and they gave these as anathema or, rather, sacrificed them to God.

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.

22. Two men had been sent to explore Jericho, (and upon entering the city, were hidden by a prostitute). Then Joshua said to them: "Go into the house of the prostitute and bring her out with all her family as you had sworn to 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.

23. These young men then brought out the woman named Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers and sisters with all her relatives to safety outside 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.

24. Afterwards, they burned the city and all that was in it. They saved only the silver, gold and the vessels of bronze and iron which they put with the precious things in the Sanctuary of Yahweh.

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.

25. Joshua saved the prostitute and all her family, and she lived in Israel, because she had kept the spies sent by Joshua.

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.

26. Joshua asked the people to pronounce this curse: "May Yahweh curse the man who rebuilds Jericho. May its foundation rise on the body of his eldest son, and the gates on that of his youngest son."

27. So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was [noised] throughout all the country.

27. So Yahweh was with Joshua and made him famous in all the land.



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Footnotes:

6:1-5 - God's strategy of conquering Jericho, marching in silence and blowing trumpets, highlights the importance of obedience to God's word. This approach shows that victories come by faith, not by human strength (see also Hebrews 11:30 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

6:6-14 - The march around the city for seven days represents the patience and perseverance required in faith. Israel's obedience in following God's instructions is an example of how we should act in our spiritual lives (see also Romans 12:12 and Galatians 6:9).

6:15-19 - On the seventh day, as the trumpets sound, the walls of Jericho fall, symbolizing God's power to break down barriers. This highlights the importance of trusting God in times of challenge and need (see also Psalm 20:7 and Ephesians 6:10-11).

6:20-21 - The total destruction of Jericho, except for Rahab and her family, underscores the seriousness of God's judgment on wickedness. This act of salvation for Rahab symbolizes God's grace, which is extended to all who believe (see also Romans 10:13 and Ephesians 2:8-9).

6:22-25 - Rahab's salvation highlights the theme of inclusion and God's mercy, showing that faith is the key to salvation. Rahab, a foreigner, is integrated into Jesus' genealogy, exemplifying that all are welcome in the plan of salvation (see also Matthew 1:5 and Hebrews 11:31).

Verses related to Joshua, 6:

Joshua chapter 6 recounts the miraculous fall of Jericho. How does obedience to God lead to victory? This gripping text describes the city's unique siege and supernatural destruction. The chapter covers themes of faith, obedience, divine power, and the fulfillment of God's promises. Joshua 6 also recounts the rescue of Rahab and her family, illustrating divine mercy. Investigate with us five biblical passages that correlate with the powerful themes of this stunning chapter.

Hebrews 11:30: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after being surrounded for seven days." - This verse interprets the fall of Jericho in Joshua 6 as an act of faith, connecting the Old Testament event with New Testament theology.

James 2:25: "In a similar way, was not the prostitute Rahab also justified by works, when she welcomed the spies and made them go out another way?" - James references the story of Rahab, which is crucial in Joshua 6, using it as an example of faith demonstrated by works.

Matthew 1:5: "Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab. Boaz begot Obed from Ruth. Obed begat Jesse." - This verse from Jesus' genealogy includes Rahab, the woman saved in the destruction of Jericho in Joshua 6, showing her importance in the messianic lineage.

1 Kings 16:34: "During Ahab's reign, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid the foundations at the expense of his eldest son, Abiram, and set up the gates at the expense of his youngest son, Segub, according to the word that the Lord had spoken through Joshua son of Nun." - This verse refers to the curse pronounced in Joshua 6:26 on anyone who rebuilt Jericho, showing the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Luke 19:10: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." - This verse echoes the theme of Rahab's salvation in Joshua 6, showing how God saves those who trust in him, regardless of their past.

FAQ:

How did the Israelites conquer Jericho?

The Israelites conquered Jericho following God's instructions: they marched around the city for six days, and on the seventh day they blew trumpets and the walls fell. (Joshua 6:1-20)

What was the curse that Joshua placed on Jericho?

Joshua declared that anyone who tried to rebuild Jericho would be cursed by God, and that the cost would be the loss of their children. (Joshua 6:26)

What was the role of the trumpet in the conquest of Jericho?

The trumpet was used as part of God's plan to bring down the walls of Jericho. When the priests blew their trumpets, the walls collapsed. (Joshua 6:4-20)

What happened to Rahab and her family during the conquest of Jericho?

Rahab and her family were spared the destruction of Jericho because of their faith and their agreement with the Israelite spies. They were saved and integrated into the people of Israel. (Joshua 6:22-25)

How important was obedience to God's plan in the conquest of Jericho?

Obedience to God's plan demonstrated the Israelites' faith and trust in God's direction. The conquest of Jericho was a pivotal spiritual and military victory. (Joshua 6:1-27)


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