When Joshua had spoken to the people: Joshua does not hesitate to do what the LORD has told him to do. And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. But the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” So he had the ark of the LORD circle the city, going around it once. The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. This was no customary way to conquer a walled, fortified city. And he said to the people: Joshua had to tell the people, because what they were asked to do was unusual. Israel had to keep their hearts and minds on the LORD who was present with them, instead of putting their hearts and minds on the difficulty of the task in front of them.Ĭ. Take up the ark of the covenant: The ark would be prominent in this victory, even as it was in the crossing of the Jordan River. Normally, priests and the ark of the covenant did not go with Israel to battle.ī. Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests: Joshua had to tell the priests because what they were asked to do was unusual. Then 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 the LORD.” And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the LORD.”Ī. (6-7) Joshua tells the priests and the people. Obviously, it was something that God could have done without Israel’s help at all, but He wanted them to be a part of His work – as He wants us to be a part of His work today. Yet God gave them something to do so that Israel could work in partnership with God. And the people shall go up every man straight before him: It was a plan for victory whereby it would clearly be the work of the LORD. The wall of the city will fall down flat. It required great faith from the elders and the nation because they had to follow Joshua in this plan.Ĭ. It required great faith from Joshua because he had to explain and lead the nation in this plan. You shall march around the city: The method of warfare was one that made absolutely no sense according to military intelligence. Again, we see the wisdom of God as opposed to human wisdom, in that Israel faces their most difficult opponent first.ī. If Israel could defeat Jericho, they could defeat any other enemy facing them in Canaan. Jericho was not an exceptionally large city but it was an important, formidable fortress city. The Canaanites must be dispossessed if Israel is to occupy what God has promised them. Now the real task before them must be faced and tackled. Up to this point everything had been more or less preliminary and preparatory. Yet from God’s perspective, the battle was already over, because He can say to Joshua I have (in the past tense) given Jericho into your hand. Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel: Jericho itself was on full alert from a human perspective, this would be a hard, if not impossible, battle. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”Ī. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout then the wall of the city will fall down flat. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. You shall march around the city, all you men of war you shall go all around the city once. And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel none went out, and none came in. Obedience before the fall of the city of Jericho.
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