# Joshua 06 š: The Fall of Jericho
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
[[#Verse 01.]] Now Jericho was shut tightlyĀ because of the Israelites. No one was allowed to leave or enter.Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ told Joshua, āSee, I am about to defeat Jericho for you,Ā along with its king and its warriors.
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā Have all the warriors march around the city one time;Ā do this for six days.Ā
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā Have seven priests carry seven ramsā hornsĀ in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.Ā
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā When you hear the signal from the ramās horn,Ā have the whole army give a loud battle cry.Ā Then the city wall will collapse,Ā and the warriors should charge straight ahead.ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, āPick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven ramsā horns in front of the ark of theĀ Lord.āĀ
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā And he toldĀ the army,Ā āMove aheadĀ and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of theĀ Lord.ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā When Joshua gave the army its orders,Ā the seven priests carrying the seven ramsā horns before theĀ LordĀ moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of theĀ LordĀ followed behind.
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā Armed troops marched ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark blowing ramsā horns.Ā
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā Now Joshua had instructed the army,Ā āDo not give a battle cryĀ or raise your voices; say nothingĀ until the day I tell you, āGive the battle cry.āĀ Then give the battle cry!āĀ
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of theĀ LordĀ around the city one time.Ā Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of theĀ Lord.Ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā The seven priests carrying the seven ramsā horns before the ark of theĀ LordĀ marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of theĀ LordĀ blowing ramsā horns.Ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all.
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā On the seventh day they were up at the crack of dawnĀ and marched around the city as beforeāonly this time they marched around it seven times.Ā
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā The seventh time around, the priests blew the ramsā horns, and Joshua told the army,Ā āGive the battle cry,Ā for theĀ LordĀ is handing the city over to you!Ā
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā The city and all that is in it must be set apart for theĀ Lord;Ā only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house will live, because she hid the spiesĀ we sent.Ā
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for God. If you take any of it, then you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster.
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to theĀ Lord.Ā They must go into theĀ Lordās treasury.ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā The ramsā horns sounded,Ā and when the armyĀ heard the signal,Ā they gave a loud battle cry.Ā The wall collapsed,Ā and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.Ā
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city,Ā including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys.Ā
[[#Verse 22.]]Ā Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, āEnter the prostituteās houseĀ and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.āĀ
[[#Verse 23.]]Ā 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 outsideĀ the Israelite camp.Ā
[[#Verse 24.]]Ā But they burnedĀ the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of theĀ Lordās house.Ā
[[#Verse 25.]]Ā Yet Joshua sparedĀ Rahab the prostitute, her fatherās family,Ā and all who belonged to her. She lives in IsraelĀ to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho.Ā
[[#Verse 26.]]Ā At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration:Ā āThe man who attempts to rebuildĀ this city of JerichoĀ will stand condemned before theĀ Lord.Ā He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!āĀ
[[#Verse 27.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Seven priests carried seven ram's-horn trumpets, Israel marched seven days, and seven times on the seventh day (6:4).
2. The mound of ancient Jericho (Tell es-Sultan) covers only about ten acres, so circling it seven times in one day was possible.
3. Archaeologists disagree on dating Jericho's destruction. Kathleen Kenyon dated it around 1550 BC, while Bryant Wood argued for around 1400 BC.
4. The trumpets were the *shofar*, made from a ram's horn.
5. The Hebrew word for "devoted" (*herem*) means set apart to God, either for destruction or for the Lord's treasury.
6. Silver, gold, bronze, and iron went into the treasury of the Lord (6:19).
7. The ark was carried around the city each day, showing that the Lord Himself was leading (6:6-11).
8. Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who rebuilt Jericho (6:26). It was fulfilled when Hiel of Bethel lost two sons rebuilding it (1 Kings 16:34).
9. Rahab's family was first placed outside the camp, then lived among Israel (6:23, 25).
10. Hebrews 11:30 says the walls of Jericho fell by faith.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who wins the victory His people could never win. Jericho's walls fell by faith, not force (6:20; Hebrews 11:30), and Rahab was spared and joined God's people, becoming part of the line of Jesus (6:25; Matthew 1:5).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Marching for six days required patience and trust (6:3-14). Why do you think God chose such an unusual plan?
2. Everything in Jericho was set apart to the Lord (6:17-19). What does it mean to give God the first and best?
3. Rahab and her family were saved and lived among Israel (6:22-25). What does that say about God's grace to outsiders?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 2: The Lord tells Joshua He has given Jericho, its king, and its warriors into his hand.
- š verse 20: The people shout, the wall collapses, and Israel takes the city.
- š verse 25: Joshua spares Rahab and her family because she hid the messengers.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Hebrews 11#Verse 30.|Hebrews 11:30-31]] - By faith the walls fell and Rahab was spared.
- š [[1 Kings 16#Verse 34.|1 Kings 16:34]] - The curse on rebuilding Jericho fulfilled.
- š [[Matthew 01#Verse 05.|Matthew 1:5]] - Rahab in Jesus' family line.
- š [[2 Corinthians 10#Verse 04.|2 Corinthians 10:4]] - Our weapons have divine power.
- š [[Revelation 11#Verse 15.|Revelation 11:15]] - The seventh trumpet and the kingdom of our Lord.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[Joshua 6 - SOAP|Trust Godās Odd Ways]]
## š Internal Notes