Bible Commentaries

Now Jericho was straitly ^{a b} shut up ^c because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

(a) That none could go out.

(b) That none could go in.

(c) for fear of the Israelites.

And ye shall compass the city, all [ye] men of war, [and] go round about the city ^d once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

(d) Every day one.

And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of ^e rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

(e) That the conquest might not be assigned to man's power, but to the mercy of God, which with most weak things can overcome that which seems most strong.

And he said unto the people, ^f Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

(f) This is chiefly meant by the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the ^g rereward came after the ark, [the priests] going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

(g) Meaning, the gathering host, in which was the standard of the tribe of Dan, (Numbers 10:25).

So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about [it] ^h once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

(h) For that day.

And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the ⁱ rereward came after the ark of the LORD, [the priests] going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

(i) The tribe of Dan was so called, because it marched last and gathered up whatever was left of others.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner ^k seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

(k) Beside every day once for the space of six days.

And the city shall be ^l accursed, [even] it, and all that [are] therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that [are] with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

(l) That is appointed wholly to be destroyed.

But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, [are] ^m consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

(m) And therefore cannot be put to any private use, but must be first molten, and then serve for the Tabernacle.

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them ⁿ without the camp of Israel.

(n) For it was not lawful for strangers to dwell among the Israelites, till they were purged.

And they burnt the city with fire, and all that [was] therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the ^o house of the LORD.

(o) Meaning, the tabernacle.

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she ^p dwelleth in Israel [even] unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

(p) For she was married to Salmon prince of the tribe of Judah, (Matthew 1:5).

And Joshua adjured [them] at that time, saying, Cursed [be] the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: ^q he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest [son] shall he set up the gates of it.

(q) He will build it to the destruction of all his stock, which was fulfilled in Hiel of Beth-el, (1 Kings 16:34).