Joshua 6:11

11 He sent the Chest of God on its way around the city. It circled once, came back to camp, and stayed for the night.

Joshua 6:11 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 6:11

So the ark of the Lord compassed the city
Being bore by the priests, who carried it round the city; it may as well be rendered and interpreted as it is by Kimchi,

``he, i.e. Joshua, caused the ark of the Lord to compass the city;''

that is, he gave orders to the priests to take it up, and go round with it on the first day:

going about [it] once;
on that day, and no more; keeping at such a distance, as to be out of the reach of stones or arrows cast from the walls of the city:

and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp;
the night following; not only the priests that bare the ark, but those that blew with the trumpets, and all the armed men, and the people.

Joshua 6:11 In-Context

9 The armed guard marched ahead of the trumpet-blowing priests; the rear guard was marching after the Chest, marching and blowing their trumpets.
10 Joshua had given orders to the people, "Don't shout. In fact, don't even speak - not so much as a whisper until you hear me say, 'Shout!' - then shout away!"
11 He sent the Chest of God on its way around the city. It circled once, came back to camp, and stayed for the night.
12 Joshua was up early the next morning and the priests took up the Chest of God.
13 The seven priests carrying the seven ram's horn trumpets marched before the Chest of God, marching and blowing the trumpets, with the armed guard marching before and the rear guard marching after. Marching and blowing of trumpets!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.