BSB

Joshua 6

Compare: BSB WEB KJV ASV

¹Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

²And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.

³March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.

⁴Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.

⁵And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”

⁶So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”

⁷And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

⁸After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

⁹While the horns continued to sound, the armed troops marched ahead of the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard followed the ark.

¹⁰But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not give a battle cry or let your voice be heard; do not let one word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you are to shout!”

¹¹So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there.

¹²Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.

¹³And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.

¹⁴So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times.

¹⁶After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!

¹⁷Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

¹⁸But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it.

¹⁹For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”

²⁰So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.

²¹With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

²²Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”

²³So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

²⁵And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

²⁶At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”

²⁷So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Commentary Insights

Study and Reflection

Explore devotional and study commentary connected to this passage.

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

Pastoral and devotional reflections focused on spiritual formation and application.

Joshua 6:1-5 Verses 1-5

Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master. It shut itself up, being strongly fortified both by art and nature. Thus were they foolish, and their hearts hardened to their destruction; the miserable case of all that strengthen themselves against the Almighty. God resolves Israel shall be its master, and that quickly. No warlike preparations were to be made. By the uncommon method of besieging the city, the Lord honoured the ark, as the symbol of his presence, and showed that all the victories were from him. The faith and patience of the people were proved and increased.

Joshua 6:6-16 Verses 6-16

Wherever the ark went, the people attended it. God's ministers, by the trumpet of the everlasting gospel, which proclaims liberty and victory, must encourage the followers of Christ in their spiritual warfare. As promised deliverances must be expected in God's way, so they must be expected in his time. At last the people were to shout: they did so, and the walls fell. This was a shout of faith; they believed the walls of Jericho would fall. It was a shout of prayer; they cry to Heaven for help, and help came.

Joshua 6:17-27 Verses 17-27

Jericho was to be a solemn and awful sacrifice to the justice of God, upon those who had filled up the measure of their sins. So He appoints, from whom, as creatures, they received their lives, and to whom, as sinners, they had forfeited them. Rahab perished not with them that believed not, Heb 11:31. All her kindred were saved with her; thus faith in Christ brings salvation to the house, Ac 16:31. She, and they with her, were plucked as brands from the burning. With Rahab, or with the men of Jericho; our portion must be assigned, as we posses or disregard the sign of salvation; even faith in Christ, which worketh by love. Let us remember what depends upon our choice, and let us choose accordingly. God shows the weight of a Divine curse; where it rests there is no getting from under it; for it brings ruin without remedy.

Study This Passage

Key Words and Topics

These study connections are drawn from the internal BSB concordance and topical index imported into Daily Bread Intake.

Key Words in This Passage

City 16 in this passage Lord 14 in this passage Horns 12 in this passage Joshua 11 in this passage Seven 11 in this passage Ark 10 in this passage People 10 in this passage Priests 9 in this passage Around 7 in this passage Day 6 in this passage Destruction 5 in this passage Rams’ 5 in this passage Shout 5 in this passage Camp 4 in this passage Jericho 4 in this passage Men 4 in this passage Ahead 3 in this passage Armed 3 in this passage Because 3 in this passage Blew 3 in this passage Devoted 3 in this passage Everything 3 in this passage Followed 3 in this passage Front 3 in this passage

Select a word to open the full concordance search.

Related Topics

Accursed: What So Called Joshua 6:17

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

Ark of the Covenant: Miracles Connected With: Fall of the Walls of Jericho Joshua 6:6–20

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.” / And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.” / After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant: Siege of Jericho Joshua 6:6

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”

Ark: in the Tabernacle--Called the Ark of the Covenant: Taken to Battle Joshua 6:6–20

Armies: March in Ranks in Siege of Jericho Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Armies: March in Ranks: Ark Taken to Battle Joshua 6:6, 7, 13

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.” / And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.” / And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.

Canaan: Land of Conquest of, by the Israelites Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Church: House of the Lord Joshua 6:24

Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

Communion: Joshua Joshua 6:2–5

And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor. / March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. / Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.

Copper Brass: Taken in War: Generally Consecrated to God Joshua 6:19, 24

For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.” / Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

Faith: Conquest of Jericho Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Faith: Trial of Joshua and the People of Israel, in the Method of Taking Jericho Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Foundation: Laid For: Cities Joshua 6:26

At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”

Gates of Cities Joshua 6:26

God: Preserver: Victories Over the Canaanites Under Joshua Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Gold: Taken in War, Dedicated to God Joshua 6:19

For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”

Harlot (Prostitute): Rahab Joshua 6:17, 23, 25

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent. / So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel. / And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

Hiel in Him Was Fulfilled the Curse Pronounced by Joshua Joshua 6:26

Holy Land: Conquered by Joshua Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Horns were Used: As Musical Instruments Joshua 6:4, 5

Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. / And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”

Hospitality: Rewarded: Rahab's Joshua 6:17, 22–25

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent. / Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.” / And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

Iron: First Recorded Use of Vessels Joshua 6:24

Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.

Iron: Taken in War, often Dedicated to God Joshua 6:19, 24

Israel: Jericho Captured Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Select a topic to open the full topical search.

Bible Dictionary

Related Dictionary Terms

Explore people, places, themes, and biblical terms connected to this passage.

Destruction In Job 26:6, 28:22 (Heb. abaddon) is sheol, the realm… Treasury (Matt. 27:6; Mark 12:41; John 8:20). It does not appear… Covenant A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old… Jericho Place of fragrance, a fenced city in the midst of… Father A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1… Joshua Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son… Silver Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Guard (1.) Heb. tabbah (properly a "cook," and in a secondary… House Till their sojourn in Egypt the Hebrews dwelt in tents.… Spies When the Israelites reached Kadesh for the first time, and… Sword Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in… Seven This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections… Rahab Insolence; pride, a poetical name applied to Egypt in Ps.… Woman Was "taken out of man" (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the… Sheep Are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and… Lord There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered. (1.)… Horn Trumpets were at first horns perforated at the tip, used…