http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 1 Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell The Fall of Jericho, continued Joshua 6:1-27
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 2 Text: Joshua 6:1-27, The Fall of Jericho, continued 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 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
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 3 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 reward 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.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 4 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. Commentary: Joshua 6:1-5, Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 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. And it shall come to pass, that
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 5 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. I. God s Instructions. (6:1-5) A. What if you were in Jericho? (6:1) 1. It is easy to overlook the terror that probably existed in the Canaanite people as they looked at what was on the other side of the Jordan River. 2. Then, when they (the Israelites) crossed on a dry river bed, how the terror must have increased beyond anything measurable. 3. To make matters even worse (if that were possible), their city was surrounded; no one went in and no one can came out. 4. They are watching their death creep up to them inch by inch and hour by hour!... How many died by mere heart failure? 5. What would you think or do? 6. Rahab was a wise woman. B. The Lord had given Jericho to Israel. (6:2) 1. Jericho was the front line defense of the city/states on the west side of the Jordan River. As any city would, they had warriors who defended it.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 6 2. Perhaps Jericho would have been one of the larger cities and would have had many warriors. a. Add to this the fact of its being a walled city, a mighty fortress. b. That is why the phrase in 6:2 is important to notice. c. God has already given the city to Israel without sword s being lifted. 3. Some years earlier, the spies saw a walled city and were frightened by what they saw (Numbers 13:28), but not now. a. Numbers 13:28, Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. C. The Lord s instructions. (6:3-5) 1. All the men of war will march around the city. a. For six days this will be done once a day. b. No sound was to be uttered. (6:10) 2. On the seventh day, they will march around the city seven times. Seven priests will have ram s horns, and will bow the trumpets.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 7 a. The Ark of the Covenant would be borne by the priests as circled the city behind the priests with horns and behind the army (6:7). b. Why march seven days around the city? i. Other than that is what the Lord wanted, perhaps some reasons might be: to demoralize the city (they would be confused by such actions); to relax the city into slumber (maybe they would be on high alert for 3, 4 days and then think this was the pattern and lessen their guard somewhat); or, perhaps, this was a period of time for the Lord s mercy to be extended to the city. c. Maybe they would repent. 3. There will be a long blast on the trumpet, the people will shout (a war cry Madvig), the walls will fall, and the men of war will enter the city. Joshua 6:6-14, 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. 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. 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. And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the reward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 8 voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. So the ark of the LORD compassed 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 rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. I. For Six Days. (6:6-14) A. Joshua repeats the Lord s instructions. (6:6-7) 1. Skeptics mock what the Bible records. a. They mock because there is a complete failure to understand God and His power. 2. Since humanism is strictly an earthly religion, anything that transcends man is held suspect. a. God and His servants knew this well (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18ff). b. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 9 scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 3. Did the residents of Jericho think this? B. The march around Jericho on the first day. (6:8-11) 1. The Lord leads. a. The priests with the trumpets go forward. b. Behind them was the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. c. Next mentioned is the army s going forth, though they were in front of both. We learn for the first time of the rear guard. 2. Apart from the trumpets blowing, not a sound was uttered by the army. 3. They circled one time and camped for the night.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 10 4. The priority is on the Lord s instructions and the Lord s leading through His representatives. In actuality, the march would have been organized like this: ARMY Rams ARK Rear People Horns Guard 5. Davis commented that it should not be concluded that all the people of Israel marched around Jericho s estimated area of 9 acres. a. This would have been impractical and impossible because of the sheer number of Israelites. b. Probably the people consisted of tribal representatives (p. 45). C. For five additional days they marched around Jericho. (6:12-14) 1. Joshua arose early and marshaleds the troops together. 2. As they march, the horns are blowing. If there was a desire to sleep, it was gone. 3. As they heard the horns blow, surely in Jericho s confusion, the day of the battle was anticipated with great anxiety. 4. This was psychological warfare. Joshua 6:15-27, 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
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 11 compassed the city seven times. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 12 shall he set up the gates of it. So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country. I. On the Seventh Day. (6:15-27) A. Marched around the city seven times. (6:15-19) 1. They arose at dawn. 2. Marched around the city seven times rather than once. 3. The priest blew the trumpets (must have been a distinctive sound; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:8). a. 1 Corinthians 14:8, For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 4. Joshua s words: a. A war cry was sounded. b. The city is devoted to the Lord. c. Protect Rahab. d. Do not plunder. i. All that was within the city belonged to the Lord; one might say, it was first-fruits to the Lord. B. The people shouted. (6:20-25) 1. Verses 17-19 seem to be a parenthetical remark.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 13 a. As we read verse 16, the recurrence of the occasion is in 6:20. 2. The trumpets blew and the people shouted. a. The wall fell down flat. b. It is important to not press the language too hard. c. Not all the wall fell down for Rahab had her home on the wall (2:15). d. If the whole wall had fallen flat, her home would have crumbled and all the residents would have either died or been seriously injured. 3. There was a portion of the wall whatever the size of the portion that fell down, adequate for the occasion for the Israelites to enter Jericho. 4. Jericho has gone through at least two major archaeological excavations: the first between the years 1930 1936 by John Garstang, with the second taking place between the years 1952 1958 by Kathleen Kenyon. a. The wall that existed in Joshua s day has been identified, but the many years before excavation has brought some uncertainty to the evidence remaining. 5. It is difficult to know whether the words of Joshua spoken to the two men who interacted with Rahab were spoken at the same time he spoke his words (6:17-19) to the troops at large or after the wall fell and in the heat of battle.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 14 6. A moral problem? a. Modern society looks upon the actions of the Israelites with disgust. i. How can there be any justification for the slaughter of the innocent and the non-combatants (women and the elderly). b. This is a fair question to ask. i. However, let it not be forgotten that it was not Israel who determined what was to be done; it was God. c. God is perfect in all His attributes; thus, there is no moral failing on his part. i. If there is no moral failing, then God s actions whether we understand them or not are not to be questioned; they are to be obeyed. d. What good will it do to question God? i. One could be like Job in his questioning to God, but who was Job? ii. We are in no position to know the will of God and the actions of those with whom the Lord was greatly displeased and whom he decided to destroy. e. Deuteronomy 20:16-18, But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 15 breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God. f. Deuteronomy 7:1-15, When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 16 with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. g. Deuteronomy 9:5, Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. C. Joshua s curse. (6:26-27)
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 17 1. To rebuild the city would cost a man his children (firstborn youngest). 2. In 18:21, the tribe of Benjamin rebuilt the city (at least to some degree). a. Joshua 18:21, Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz, b. This suggests there is more involved in the curse than a mere rebuilding. c. Keil & Delitzsch says the word build includes the notion of fortification (p. 73). 3. In 1 Kings 16:34, we see illustrated the fulfillment of this curse (cf. Malachi 1:4). a. 1 Kings 16:34, In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. b. Malachi 1:4, 5, Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 18 Questions Joshua 6:1-22 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. Jericho was under siege. If you had been a citizen of Jericho, how would you have been feeling and what would you have been doing?_ 2. What did God tell Joshua to do? Give full details. 3. Did this marching around Jericho contain an element of psychological warfare? What was the reaction of the citizens of Jericho to all this marching of the Israelite army around their city? _ 4. What was the order of the procession?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 19 5. How many times (total) did Israel march around Jericho? How many times each day did they march around the city? 6. Did they march around the city on Saturday? If so, wasn t this a violation of the Sabbath? 7. What differences in marching and conduct directions were observed on the seventh day? 8. Having marched around Jericho thirteen times, would the Israelites have been more inclined to rest than fight? Did the entire Israelite army march around the city thirteen times?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 20 9. What specific orders did Joshua give Israel in verses 17-19? 10. Every living thing in Jericho, and,, and, were to be killed except for the and all who were with her in the house because she hid the Joshua sent. 11. When the people the ; so every in, and they took the city. 12. Was this the first or last time the walls of Jericho fell? If not, what caused the walls to fall on other occasions? 13. Would the method God used have made the falling of the walls on this specific occasion any more or less miraculous? 14. What was to be done with all the valuable possessions of the citizens of Jericho?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 21 15. Why were all the people of Jericho except for Rahab killed? 16. Was Joshua a man of his word? Give reasons for your answer. 17. Exactly what instructions did Joshua give the two spies? See verse 11. 18. Why were Rahab and her family given lodging outside instead of inside the camp of Israel?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 22 19. Why was Rahab and her family spared? 20. How long did Rahab dwell among the Israelites? See Matthew 1:5. 21. From Jericho the and the were put into the of the s. 22. Why was everything else in Jericho burned? Wasn t this a terrible waste? 23. What was the estimated population of Jericho when Joshua attacked? How many Israelites were killed in this battle?
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.com 23 24. What solemn oath did Joshua pronounce? When was this prophecy fulfilled? Give details. 25. So the was with and his spread throughout the.