Joshua 6:7

7 And he said unto the people, Pass on and compass the city and let those that are armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

Joshua 6:7 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 6:7

And he said unto the people, pass on, and compass the city,
&c.] The women and children, the young men under twenty years of age, the unarmed part of the camp, as distinguished from the armed men:

and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord;
to guard the ark, protect the priests, and defend the people, should any sally be made by the enemy upon them. These seem to design all the males that were above twenty years of age able to bear arms, and fit for war; though some restrain it to the forty thousand of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, ( Joshua 1:14 ) ( 4:12 ) .

Joshua 6:7 In-Context

5 And when they make a long sound of jubilee with the horn so that ye hear the voice of the shofar, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat; then the people shall ascend up each man straight before him.

6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven shofarot of jubilee before the ark of the LORD.

7 And he said unto the people, Pass on and compass the city and let those that are armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

8 And when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bearing the seven shofarot of jubilee passed on before the LORD and blew with the shofarot; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the shofarot, and the congregation came after the ark, the priests going on and blowing with the shofarot.