Joshua 6 · The Lantern

The Walls of Jericho

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

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

And you shall go around the city, all you warriors, and go around the city once. Thus shall you do six days.

And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

And it shall happen, 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 shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.

And he said to the people, Pass on, and go around the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

And it happened, when Joshua had spoken to 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.

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, You 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 you shout.

So the ark of the LORD surrounded the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

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

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 rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

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

And it happened on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and surrounded the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they surrounded the city seven times.

And it happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city.

And the city shall be devoted to destruction, even it, and all that are in it, to the LORD: only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest you make yourselves devoted to destruction, when you take of the things devoted to destruction, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it happened, 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.

But let us see what things follow. Jericho is surrounded; it must be taken by storm. How, then, is Jericho stormed? No sword is drawn against it, no battering-ram is directed, nor are missiles hurled; only the priestly trumpets are employed, and by these the walls of Jericho are undermined.

Human salvation is useless, and my strength lends me no strength if I lack the strength of God. What good was the boundless vigor of giants? Or the kings of Egypt? Or mighty Jericho? Their own inflated glory was the cause of death for all of them, and God's power broke them not by the strength of heroes but by that of the weak.

The divine reading attests that the walls of Jericho at once collapsed at the din of trumpets. So there is no doubt that the sounds of music, at the Lord's command or with his permission, have unleashed great forces.

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

But Joshua had said to the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring out from there the woman, and all that she has, as you swore to her.

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them outside the camp of Israel.

And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

And Joshua saved Rahab the prostitute alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwells in Israel even to this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that rises up and builds this city Jericho: he shall lay its foundation in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was reported throughout all the country.

Joshua6

The Walls of Jericho