Joshua 6:4-14

4 And it shall be when ye shall sound with the trumpet, all the people shall shout together.
5 And when they have shouted, the walls of the city shall fall of themselves; and all the people shall enter, each one rushing direct into the city.
6 And Joshua the of Naue went in to the priests, and spoke to them, saying,
7 And let seven priests having seven sacred trumpets proceed thus before the Lord, and let them sound loudly; and let the ark of the covenant of the Lord follow.
8 Charge the people to go round, and encompass the city; and let your men of war pass on armed before the Lord.
9 And let the men of war proceed before, and the priests bringing up the rear behind the ark of the covenant of the Lord sounding the trumpets.
10 And Joshua commanded the people, saying, Cry not out, nor let any one hear your voice, until he himself declare to you the time to cry out, and then ye shall cry out.
11 And the ark of the covenant of God having gone round immediately returned into the camp, and lodged there.
12 And on the second day Joshua rose up in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets went on before the Lord; and afterwards the men of war went on, and the remainder of the multitude went after the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
14 And all the rest of the multitude compassed the city six times from within a short distance, and went back again into the camp; this they did six days.

Joshua 6:4-14 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.

Footnotes 4

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.