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Joshua 6

Jericho city falls

6 The people of Jericho had shut the gates of their city to make it safe. No one could go in or out of the city. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘I will soon give Jericho to you. I will put its king and all its brave soldiers under your power. 3 You and all your soldiers must march round the city once each day, for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk in front of the Covenant Box. They will carry trumpets as they walk. On the seventh day, you and your soldiers must march round the city seven times. At the same time, the priests will blow into their trumpets. 5 Then they will make one long loud noise with their trumpets. As soon as you hear this, all the soldiers must give a loud shout. Then the city walls will fall down. The whole army will go straight into the city.’

6 Joshua called the priests to come to him. He told them, ‘Pick up the Lord 's Covenant Box. Seven priests must march in front of it. They must hold seven trumpets, one each.’

7 Then Joshua told the people to start marching round the city. A group of soldiers should march in front of the Lord 's Covenant Box.

8 Joshua finished speaking to the people. Then the seven priests carrying their trumpets marched in front of the Covenant Box. They made a noise on their trumpets as the Covenant Box followed them. 9 While the priests made a noise on the trumpets, some soldiers marched in front of them. Another group of soldiers followed behind the Covenant Box. The trumpets were making a noise all this time. 10 But Joshua had said to the people, ‘Do not shout or speak aloud. Do not say anything until I tell you. When the right day comes, I will tell you, “Now shout aloud to attack!” When I tell you that, then shout!’

11 Joshua made them march round the city once with the Lord 's Covenant Box. Then they returned to their tents, and slept there that night.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests picked up the Lord 's Covenant Box again. 13 The seven priests who carried the trumpets marched in front of the Covenant Box. They were making a noise with their trumpets. One group of soldiers marched in front of the priests. Another group of soldiers marched behind the Covenant Box. The trumpets made a noise all the time. 14 That is how they marched round the city on the second day. They marched round once and then they returned to their tents. They did the same thing for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at dawn again. They marched round the city as they had done before. But this time they did it seven times. 16 The seventh time, the priests made a long, loud noise on their trumpets. Joshua told the people, ‘Shout aloud to attack! The Lord has given the city to you! 17 The city and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord , so destroy it all. Only the prostitute Rahab and all the people who are with her in her house will live. This is because she hid the two men that we sent. 18 Be careful! Do not take for yourselves the valuable things that belong to the Lord . If you do that, you will cause bad trouble to come to the whole Israelite army. The Lord will destroy us all. 19 Everything that is made from silver, gold, bronze and iron belong to the Lord as his holy things. You must store them with his other valuable things.’

20 When the trumpets made a noise, all the people gave a loud shout to attack the city. When they did this, the walls of the city fell down. All the soldiers went up into the city. They went straight in and they took the city for themselves. 21 They destroyed everything that lived in the city, as a gift to the Lord . With their weapons, they killed men and women, young people and old people, as well as cows, sheep and donkeys.

22 Joshua said to the two men that Rahab had hidden, ‘Go into her house. Bring her out, with all her family who are there with her. That is what you promised to do for her.’ 23 So the young men who had been to look at the city went to her house. They brought out Rahab and her whole family. That was her father and her mother, and her brothers and all who belonged to her. They took them to a place that was near the Israelite tents.

24 Then they burned the whole city and everything that was in it. They stored the gold, silver, bronze and iron things with the Lord 's valuable things. 25 But Joshua kept Rahab safe, as well as her family and everyone who belonged to her. Rahab had hidden the men that Joshua sent to find out about Jericho city. Because she did that, her family still lives among the Israelites, even today. [ a ]

26 At that time, Joshua made a strong promise. He said, ‘If anyone tries to build Jericho city again, the Lord will punish him as a guilty man. When he starts to build, his oldest son will die. When he puts up the city's gates, his youngest son will die.’

27 So the Lord was with Joshua to help him. Joshua became famous everywhere in the land.

Footnotes

  1. 6:25 Rahab was a prostitute. But God saved her. She believed that God would keep her safe. See Hebrews 11:31 .

6 The gates of the city of Jericho were closed. The people in the city were afraid because the Israelites were near. No one went into the city, and no one came out.

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I will let you defeat the city of Jericho. You will defeat the king and all the fighting men in the city. 3 March around the city with your army once every day for six days. 4 Tell seven of the priests to carry trumpets made from the horns of male sheep and to march in front of the priests who are carrying the Holy Box. On the seventh day march around the city seven times and tell the priests to blow the trumpets while they march. 5 They will make one loud noise from the trumpets. When you hear that noise, tell all the people to begin shouting. When you do this, the walls of the city will fall down and your people will be able to go straight into the city.”

The Battle Against Jericho

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, “Carry the Holy Box of the Lord . Tell seven priests to carry the trumpets and march in front of it.”

7 Then Joshua ordered the people, “Now go! March around the city. The soldiers with weapons will march in front of the Holy Box of the Lord .”

8 After Joshua finished speaking to the people, the seven priests with the trumpets began marching before the Lord , blowing the trumpets as they marched. The priests carrying the Lord ’s Holy Box followed them. 9 The soldiers with weapons marched in front of the priests who were blowing the horns. And the rest of the men walked behind the Holy Box, marching and blowing their trumpets. 10 Joshua had told the people not to give a war cry. He said, “Don’t shout. Don’t say a word until the day I tell you. Then you will shout.”

11 So Joshua made the priests carry the Holy Box of the Lord around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.

12 Early the next morning Joshua got up, and the priests carried the Lord ’s Holy Box again. 13 The seven priests with the trumpets marched in front of the Lord ’s Holy Box, blowing their trumpets. The soldiers with weapons marched in front of them. The rest of the people marched behind the Lord ’s Holy Box. During the whole time they marched, the priests were blowing the trumpets. 14 On the second day, they all marched around the city one time. And then they went back to the camp. They continued to do this every day for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times. They marched in the same way they had marched on the days before, but on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16 The seventh time they marched around the city, the priests blew their trumpets. Then Joshua gave the command: “Now, shout! The Lord is giving you this city! 17 The city and everything is to be destroyed as an offering to the Lord . Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone in her house will be left alive. These people must not be killed because she helped the two spies. 18 Remember, we must destroy everything else. Don’t take anything. If you take anything and bring it into our camp, you yourselves will be destroyed, and you will cause trouble for the rest of our people. 19 All the things made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron belong to the Lord . They must be put in the Lord ’s treasury.”

20 So then the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the trumpets, they began shouting. The walls fell down, and the people ran up into the city. So the Israelites defeated that city. 21 The people destroyed everything in the city. They destroyed everything that was living there. They killed the young and old men, the young and old women, and the cattle, sheep, and donkeys.

22 Joshua talked to the two spies. He said, “You made a promise to the prostitute. So go to her house and bring her out and all those who are with her.”

23 So the two men went into the house and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, all her family, and all those who were with her. They put all the people in a safe place outside the camp of Israel.

24 Then the Israelites burned the whole city and everything in it except for the things made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron. They put these things in the Lord ’s treasury. 25 Joshua saved Rahab the prostitute, her family, and all those who were with her. Joshua let them live because Rahab helped the spies Joshua had sent out to Jericho. Rahab still lives among the Israelites today.

26 At that time Joshua made this important promise. He said,

“Whoever rebuilds Jericho
will be in danger from the Lord .
When he lays the foundation,
he will lose his oldest son.
When he sets up the gates,
he will lose his youngest son.” [ a ]

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and Joshua became famous throughout the whole country.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:26 When he … son See 1 Kings 16:34.

6 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 .

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 .

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.

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with ( A ) its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven ( B ) trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and 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 [ a ] flat, and the people shall go up, everyone [ b ] straight ahead.”

6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord .” 7 Then [ c ] he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord .” 8 And it was so , that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and ( C ) the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed from your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord [ d ] taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Now Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord . 13 Then ( D ) the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went ahead of them, and ( E ) the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord , while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 So the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did the same for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they got up early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day did they march around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “ ( F ) Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city shall be ( G ) designated for [ e ] destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord ; only Rahab the prostitute [ f ] and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things designated for destruction, so that you do not covet them and ( H ) take some of the designated things, and turn the camp of Israel into something designated for destruction and bring disaster on it. 19 ( I ) But all the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord ; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord .” 20 So the people shouted, and [ g ] the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the ( J ) wall fell down [ h ] flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight [ i ] ahead, and they took the city. 21 ( K ) They [ j ] utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “ ( L ) Go into the prostitute’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who were spies went in and ( M ) brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then ( N ) they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the [ k ] house of the Lord . 25 However, ( O ) Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua [ l ] spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because ( P ) she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “ ( Q ) Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.” 27 So ( R ) the Lord was with Joshua, and his ( S ) fame was in all the land.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:5 Lit in its place
  2. Joshua 6:5 Lit before himself
  3. Joshua 6:7 Another reading is they
  4. Joshua 6:11 Lit to go around
  5. Joshua 6:17 I.e., as an offering to God
  6. Joshua 6:17 Lit she and all
  7. Joshua 6:20 Lit they
  8. Joshua 6:20 Lit in its place
  9. Joshua 6:20 Lit before himself
  10. Joshua 6:21 Or put under the ban
  11. Joshua 6:24 I.e., tabernacle
  12. Joshua 6:25 Lit let live

6 Now the gates of Jericho ( A ) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered ( B ) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns ( C ) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. ( D ) 5 When you hear them sound a long blast ( E ) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; ( F ) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” ( G ) 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance ( H ) ! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark ( I ) of the Lord .”

8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord ’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard ( J ) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout! ( K ) 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord . 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord , while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. ( L ) 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! ( M ) 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted [ a ] ( N ) to the Lord . Only Rahab the prostitute ( O ) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid ( P ) the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, ( Q ) so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction ( R ) and bring trouble ( S ) on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron ( T ) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

20 When the trumpets sounded, ( U ) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, ( V ) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. ( W ) 21 They devoted ( X ) the city to the Lord and destroyed ( Y ) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

22 Joshua said to the two men ( Z ) who had spied out ( AA ) the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her. ( AB ) 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. ( AC ) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

24 Then they burned the whole city ( AD ) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron ( AE ) into the treasury of the Lord ’s house. ( AF ) 25 But Joshua spared ( AG ) Rahab the prostitute, ( AH ) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho ( AI ) —and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: ( AJ ) “Cursed ( AK ) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

“At the cost of his firstborn son
he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
he will set up its gates.” ( AL )

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, ( AM ) and his fame spread ( AN ) throughout the land.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord , often by totally destroying them; also in verses 18 and 21.
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