Joshua 6:4

4 And let seven priests go before the ark with seven loud-sounding horns in their hands: on the seventh day you are to go round the town seven times, the priests blowing their horns.

Joshua 6:4 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 6:4

And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns
The ark was to be taken up and carried by priests round the city. Ben Gersom observes, that this was to direct the Israelites to keep and do according to all that was written in it; that is, in the law, which was contained in it; but no doubt the design of it was to show, that the subduing of Jericho, and the miracle that would be wrought, were owing to the power and presence of God, of which the ark was a symbol: and before it were to go seven other priests, with trumpets in their hands; which, according to our version, were made of rams horns: in the original it is "jobelim", or "jubilee" trumpets. Some think it means only such as they were to use in the year of jubilee; so Abarbinel and others, as Masius and Noldius ^F24; that they had their name from Jubal, the first inventor of musical instruments, ( Genesis 4:21 ) ; for rams' horns are objected to because they are solid, and not hollow; as if they could not be bored and made hollow, and fit for such a purpose. The Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, interpret the word by rams horns, as we do ^F25; and observe what R. Akiba said,

``when (says he) I went into Arabia, I heard them call; a ram "jobel"; and the trumpet itself is called "jobel", because made of a ram's horn ^F26:''

and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times;
in the same manner as on the other days:

and the priests shall blow with the trumpets;
which they were to do; and did every day.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 P. 160. No. 1515.
F25 So Joseph. Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 5.
F26 Kimchi, Sepher. Shorash. rad. (lby) R. Sol. Urbim. Ohel Moed, fol. 39. 2.

Joshua 6:4 In-Context

2 And the Lord said to Joshua, See, I have given into your hands Jericho with its king and all its men of war.

3 Now let all your fighting-men make a circle round the town, going all round it once. Do this for six days.

4 And let seven priests go before the ark with seven loud-sounding horns in their hands: on the seventh day you are to go round the town seven times, the priests blowing their horns.

5 And at the sound of a long note on the horns, let all the people give a loud cry; and the wall of the town will come down flat, and all the people are to go straight forward.

6 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent for the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the agreement, and let seven priests take seven horns in their hands and go before the ark of the Lord.