CHAPTER 6. THE TAKING OF JERICHO WITH THE HELP OF YHWH. In this chapter Joshua is assured that, although Jericho is closely shut up, and there was no obvious way in which Israel could enter it, it would be delivered into his hands, and he is therefore directed, along with the army, to march round th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And YHWH said to Joshua, “See, I have given into your hand Jericho, and its king, and the mighty men of valour.” ' The problem for Joshua was how the Israelites could breach the walls with the means that they had at their disposal. Spears and swords would have had little effect on them. But as he... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And you shall surround the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shall you do for six days.” Each day for six days the men of war were to surround the city. It would not take long, for the mound was not large (see above). The purpose was to terrify the occupants, and also poss... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Ark, and the seventh day you shall surround the city seven times, and the priests will blow with the trumpets.” Seven was the number of divine completeness among many nations. It was seen by all as a sacred number. Something se... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And it shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight before him.” On the seventh day, once the c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests and said to them, “Take up the Ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Ark of YHWH.” YHWH had given his instructions to Joshua, possibly through a dream, or possibly within the Tabernacle where Joshua,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they said to the people, “Pass on, and surround the city, and let the armed men pass on before the Ark of YHWH.” Some manuscripts have ‘he'. So these words were either those of the priests or of Joshua himself. Either way they came from Joshua either directly or indirectly. Verse 8 would supp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And so it was that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before YHWH, and blew with the trumpets, and the Ark of the covenant of YHWH followed them.' Joshua having given his instructions to the people, whether directly or through... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rearward went after the Ark, blowing with the trumpets as they went.' YHWH's instructions were followed obediently. The armed men led, followed by the Ark and the priests blowing the rams' horns, followed by the people, unti... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua had commanded the people saying, “You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout, then shall you shout.” ' The people were ordered not to make any sound while they marched. They were to march in total sil... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So he caused the Ark of YHWH to go round the city, going about it once, and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.' Note that the stress here is on the Ark of YHWH It was the presence and power of YHWH, the God of battle, which would make the difference. Then they all returned to the ca... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the Ark of YHWH, and the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Ark of YHWH went on continually (‘going they went') and blew with the trumpets, and the armed men went before them, and the rearward came after... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the second day they surrounded the city once, and returned to the camp. So they did six days.' This was the second day, and what was done on this day and on the first day was done also for the next four days. The Ark of YHWH, borne by the priests, went round the city. The seven priests blowin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And so it was on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and went round the city in the same way seven times, only on that day they went round the city seven times.' This was not necessarily the Sabbath, but certainly one of the seven days must have been the Sabbath. Thus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And so it was at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for YHWH has given you the city.” ' This was possibly the long blast of verse 5. The shout was to be a shout of expectation of triumph. YHWH had given them the city!... [ Continue Reading ]
Joshua 6:17 A “And the city shall be devoted, it and all that is in it to YHWH.” This would regularly happen to a first conquest. It was the firstfruits. The idea was that it became sacred to their God. Therefore all living things had to be put to death as ‘devoted' (cherem) to Him, while all posse... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And you, under any circumstances, keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest having devoted it you take of the devoted thing. So would you make the camp of Israel devoted and bring trouble to it.” The warning is severe. They were devoting the city to YHWH and all were to ensure they did not tak... [ Continue Reading ]
“ But all the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to YHWH. They shall come into the treasury of YHWH.” These things were mentioned as the most valuable and desirable, but, as the people were aware, everything in the city was devoted and belonged to YHWH exclusively. Nothing must... [ Continue Reading ]
Joshua 6:20 a ‘So the people shouted when they blew with the trumpets, and so it was that when the people heard the trumpet-sound, the people shouted with a great shout.' Note the concentration on the noise made. The trumpets sound and the people shout. ‘The trumpet-sound' is literally ‘the sound o... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they devoted (utterly destroyed as an offering to YHWH) all that was in the city, both men and women, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.' Warfare is ever a dreadful business. Even practically speaking they dared not leave men alive in their rear who could at... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go to the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman, and all that she has, as you swore to her.” ' In the excitement of victory Joshua did not forget the oath sworn to Rahab. His sensitivity was revealed in sending to her... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the young men, the spies, went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had. All her kindred also they brought out, and they set them outside the camp of Israel.' As they had sworn to do the two spies ensured the safety of Rahab and all her w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it, only the silver and the gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of YHWH.' This was a purifying ritual, devoting all to YHWH. Even the latter were probably burned for purification before being put i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua saved alive Rahab the prostitute, and her father's household, and all she had, and she dwelt in the midst of Israel even to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.' Note the emphasis on ‘saved alive'. Thus was fulfilled the oath that they would live... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before YHWH who rises up, and builds this city Jericho. He will lay the foundation of it with the loss of his firstborn, and with his youngest son he will set up the gates of it.” ' Having devoted everything to YHWH Josh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So YHWH was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.' At what had happened fear spread throughout Canaan. The name of Joshua was on every tongue. Or was it the name of YHWH? In the final analysis it was both. But far more important was the fact that YHWH was with him.... [ Continue Reading ]