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 valor.
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 rearward 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 rearward 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 sixth chapter of the Book of Joshua in the KJV Holy Bible continues the narrative of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan, which began in the previous chapter. This chapter focuses on the famous story of the fall of Jericho, a fortified city that stood in the way of the Israelites' progress into the land promised to them by God. The main themes of this chapter include faith, obedience, and the power of God. Through the miraculous defeat of Jericho, the Israelites are reminded of the importance of trusting in God and following His commands. This chapter also highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites and the consequences of disobedience. Overall, the story of Jericho serves as a powerful example of God's faithfulness and His ability to bring about victory in seemingly impossible situations.
The chapter opens with the Lord speaking to Joshua, giving him specific instructions on how to conquer the city of Jericho. The Lord tells Joshua to have the Israelite army march around the city once a day for six days, with seven priests carrying trumpets made of ram's horns leading the way. On the seventh day, they are to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. On the seventh and final time around, the people are to shout, and the walls of the city will collapse, allowing the Israelites to enter and conquer the city.
Joshua relays these instructions to the people, and they follow them exactly as God had commanded. On the seventh day, after the seventh time around the city, the people shout, and the walls of Jericho fall as the Lord had promised. The Israelites then enter the city and destroy everything in it, sparing only Rahab and her family, as she had helped the Israelite spies in the previous chapter.
The main theme of this chapter is the faith and obedience of the Israelites. Despite the seemingly absurd instructions given to them by God, the Israelites trust in His power and follow His commands. They do not question or doubt the Lord's plan but instead have complete faith that He will bring about the victory promised to them. This faith is evident in the fact that they continue to march around the city for six days without any visible progress or change. They also follow the instructions to destroy everything in the city, as commanded by God, despite the temptation to take some of the valuable items for themselves.
Furthermore, the Israelites' obedience to God's commands is crucial in the fall of Jericho. It is their unwavering faith and obedience that allows God to work through them and bring about the miraculous defeat of the city. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of trusting in God and following His commands, even when they may seem unconventional or difficult to understand.
Another significant theme in this chapter is the power and faithfulness of God. The fall of Jericho is not a result of the Israelites' military strategy or strength but is solely attributed to the power of God. The Israelites recognize this and give credit to God for their victory. This serves as a reminder that no matter how daunting the obstacles may seem, God is more powerful and can bring about victory in any situation.
Additionally, the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites is evident in the fall of Jericho. In the previous chapters, God had promised to give the Israelites the land of Canaan, and the defeat of Jericho is a tangible manifestation of this promise. This serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and His ability to fulfill His promises to His people.
The chapter also highlights the consequences of disobedience. In the midst of the victory, the Lord gives a stern warning to the Israelites not to take any of the devoted things from the city of Jericho, or they will bring trouble upon themselves. Unfortunately, one man, Achan, disobeys this command and takes some of the valuable items for himself. As a result, the Lord's anger burns against the Israelites, and they suffer defeat in their next battle against the city of Ai.
This serves as a reminder that disobedience to God's commands has consequences. It also shows the importance of following God's instructions and not allowing greed or personal desires to hinder our obedience to Him.
The story of the fall of Jericho serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, power, and the importance of faith and obedience. It also highlights the consequences of disobedience and the importance of following God's commands. The miraculous defeat of Jericho shows that with God, all things are possible, and no obstacle is too great. This chapter also serves as a reminder of the fulfillment of God's promises and the importance of trusting in Him, even in the face of seemingly impossible situations.
Furthermore, the story of Jericho serves as a foreshadowing of the ultimate victory that God would bring about through His son, Jesus Christ. Just as the walls of Jericho fell, so too did the walls of sin and death fall through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This chapter ultimately points to the power and faithfulness of God and His ultimate plan of redemption for His people.
In conclusion, the sixth chapter of the Book of Joshua is a powerful testament to the faith, obedience, and power of God. Through the fall of Jericho, the Israelites are reminded of the importance of trusting in God and following His commands. This chapter also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and His ability to bring about victory in seemingly impossible situations. It also highlights the consequences of disobedience and the importance of following God's instructions. Overall, the story of Jericho serves as a powerful example of God's sovereignty and His ultimate plan of redemption for His people.
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