The Walls of Jericho

Jericho was shut tight because the Israelites were near. No one went in or out. Then Yahweh told Joshua that he had given the city into Israel’s hand. The fighting men were to march around the city once a day for six days, with seven priests, seven ram’s-horn trumpets, and the ark going with them.

Joshua passed on the command. The priests carried the ark, and seven priests went before it with ram’s-horn trumpets. Armed men marched in front, and a rear guard followed behind. But the people themselves were to stay quiet. They were not to shout or let any word be heard until Joshua gave the word.

So they did exactly that. Day after day they circled Jericho once and returned to camp. On the seventh day they rose early and marched around the city seven times. At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua told the people to shout because Yahweh had given them the city.

Joshua also warned the people that the city was devoted to Yahweh. Rahab, who had hidden the messengers, was to be spared along with those with her in the house. The people were not to take for themselves what was devoted to destruction. The silver, gold, bronze, and iron belonged in Yahweh’s treasury.

Then the people shouted, the trumpets sounded, and the wall fell flat. Israel went straight into the city and took it. This was a time of warfare and terrible destruction: the city’s people and animals were killed, and the city was burned. The silver, gold, bronze, and iron were placed in Yahweh’s treasury.

Joshua sent the two men who had spied out the land to bring Rahab out, just as they had promised her. Rahab, her family, and her relatives were brought out and set outside Israel’s camp, and Joshua spared them because she had hidden the messengers. Joshua then spoke a curse over anyone who would rebuild Jericho. The chapter ends by saying that Yahweh was with Joshua, and his fame spread through the land.