Bible Chapter Summary
Joshua 6 Summary
The Fall of Jericho's Walls
The LORD instructs Joshua to have the Israelites march around Jericho once daily for six days, led by seven priests bearing rams' horn trumpets before the Ark of the Covenant, while the people remain silent. On the seventh day they circle the city seven times, and when the priests sound a long trumpet blast Joshua commands the people to shout, whereupon the walls of Jericho fall flat and Israel takes the city. Everything in the city is devoted to destruction (the Hebrew concept of cherem), with all its inhabitants and livestock put to the sword, except Rahab the harlot and her household, who are spared because she had hidden the Israelite spies; all silver, gold, and metal vessels are placed into the treasury of the LORD. Joshua then pronounces a curse upon anyone who would rebuild Jericho, and his fame spreads throughout the surrounding land.
Key themes
Key verses
Joshua 6:2
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.”
Joshua 6:5
“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.”
Joshua 6:17
“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.”
Joshua 6:20
“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.”
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