Joshua 6

Jericho protected two key routes into the center of the hill country. If the Israelites did not capture the city first, a strong enemy would remain behind them, separating the Israelite forces from their families camped at Gilgal. They needed to capture Jericho first.

God's comforting words, "I have delivered Jericho into your hand," must have encouraged Joshua. All Joshua had to do was obey God, and he had a lifetime of practice at that.

• Seven is a biblical number representing perfection.

• Seven priests led the ark of the covenant, the symbol of God’s presence, at the front of Israel’s forces. This arrangement showed that God himself fought against the town. Israel only needed to march and watch, then shout and watch. Finally, they would easily capture the town after God did the work.

• The ram’s horn (Hebrew shofar) could produce different pitches to signal either battle or worship. In battle, the shofar warned troops or people in towns of an enemy’s approach. Or it signaled the call to advance or retreat.

the ark of the covenant … the priests who blew the horns … and the rear guard: These symbolized God's presence and his leadership during the attack.

• Warriors often shouted in battle to boost their confidence and scare the enemy.

• until the day I tell you: Israel's army marched around Jericho 13 times with only trumpets blowing. Those defending the city became shocked when they finally heard shouting.

Marching around Jericho seven times on the seventh day again symbolized that this was God’s battle.

Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!": This was not meant to make Jericho’s walls fall. Instead, Joshua called the Israelites to celebrate the victory that God had already given them.

• devoted to the LORD for destruction: Joshua reminded his troops that the town and everything in it belonged to God as the firstfruits of their inheritance in the land of Canaan. See Leviticus 27:28–29; 1 Samuel 15:3.

• Rahab: See Joshua 2:12–21.

After Joshua gave his final instructions, a last blast from the rams’ horns marked the final moment.

• The two spies fulfilled Joshua’s command and their promise to Rahab. Through the actions of God’s people, a pagan household saw that God is trustworthy.

• the house of the prostitute: See study note on 2:1.

• Moving Rahab and her family near the camp of Israel provided security.

The fire melted and purified the silver, gold, bronze, and iron. These metals had probably been used for the figures of pagan gods. As these images melted, the metals were purified and made fit for dedication to God.

The people of Jericho had already been put to death by the Israelites (6:21). Joshua then destroyed the city and everything in it. As the firstfruits of the battle, all the spoils belonged to God.

The statement that Rahab lives among the Israelites to this day shows how wide and deep God’s grace is. Rahab was not only welcomed into Israel. She later became an ancestor of the Messiah, God's chosen one (see Matthew 1:5).

Joshua placed a curse on the site because Jericho was the first Canaanite city to resist God’s plan to bring Israel into the land. It was also the first city to experience God’s judgment on the great wickedness of Canaan. As the firstfruits of Israel’s conquest, Jericho belonged to God (Exodus 13:2; 23:19). God later carried out Joshua’s curse on the first person who tried to rebuild the city (1 Kings 16:34; compare Joshua 7).

As the first stage of Israel’s conquest of Canaan came to an end, both the Israelites and the Canaanites saw that the Lord was with Joshua, just as he had promised(1:5, 9; compare 4:14). By crossing the Jordan and capturing Jericho, Israel firmly established its presence in the land. This caused the people of Canaan to fear Israel and Israel’s God.