Joshua 6:7-17

7 Also Joshua said to the people, Go ye, and compass ye the city, and go ye armed before the ark of the Lord. (And Joshua said to the people, Go ye, and go ye around the city, and go ye armed before the Ark of the Lord.)

8 And when Joshua had ended these words, and the seven priests trumped with seven trumps before the ark of the bond of peace of the Lord, (And when Joshua had finished speaking, the seven priests blew the seven trumpets before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord,)

9 and all the people armed went before, and the tother common people of fighters followed the ark, and all things sounded with the trumps. (and all the armed men went before them, and the other common people of fighting men followed the Ark, and everything echoed with the sound of the trumpets.)

10 And Joshua commanded to the people, and said, Ye shall not cry, neither your voice shall be heard, neither any word shall go out of your mouth, till the day come, in which I shall say to you, Cry ye, and (then) make ye noise.

11 Therefore the ark of the Lord compassed the city once by the day, and it turned again into the tents, and dwelled there. (And so they took the Ark of the Lord around the city once that day, and then they returned to their tents, or the camp, and stayed there.)

12 Therefore while Joshua rose early in the morrowtide, [the] priests took the ark of the Lord; (And the next day, Joshua rose up early in the morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord;)

13 and seven of the priests took seven clarions, which were used in the jubilee, and the priests went before the ark of the Lord, and trumped; and the people went armed before them. And the tother common people followed the ark, and sounded with trumps. (and seven of the priests took up seven trumpets, which were used on the Jubilee, and they went before the Ark of the Lord, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them. And the other common people followed the Ark, the trumpets sounding as they went.)

14 And they compassed the city in the second day once, and turned again into the tents; so they did six days. (And they went around the city once on the second day, and then they returned to their tents; and so they did for six days.)

15 And in the seventh day they rose early, and compassed the city, as it was ordained, seven times. (And on the seventh day they all rose up early, and went around the city, as it was ordained, seven times.)

16 And when in the seventh compass, the priests sounded with clarions, Joshua said to all Israel, Cry ye, for the Lord hath betaken the city to us; (And on the seventh time around, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to all Israel, Shout ye, for the Lord hath delivered the city to us;)

17 and this city be cursed, either destroyed, and all things that be therein be hallowed to the Lord. (Let) Rahab the whore alone live, with all the men that be with her in the house; for she hid the messengers which we sent (for she hid the spies that we sent).

Joshua 6:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 6

In this chapter Joshua is assured, though Jericho was closely shut up, it should be delivered into his hands, Jos 6:1,2; and he is directed, with the army, to go round the city six days together, seven priests bearing the ark of the Lord, with seven trumpets sounding; and on the seventh day to go round it seven times in like manner, when its wall should fall, Jos 6:3-5; which order Joshua communicated to the priests, and to the people, and which was put into execution by them, with some other instructions he gave them, Jos 6:6-16; particularly that the city, and all in it, should be devoted to the Lord, and none spared, but Rahab and her family, Jos 6:17-19; the success was according to the assurance given by the Lord, Jos 6:20; when all in the city were destroyed, and that was burnt with fire, and the gold, silver, brass, and iron, brought into the house of the Lord, and Rahab and her father's household were saved alive, Jos 6:21-25; and the chapter is closed with an adjuration of Joshua, cursing the man that should rebuild the city; and with this observation, that the fame of Joshua upon this was spread abroad throughout the country, Jos 6:26,27.