Joshua 6:21
Joshua 6:21 in Multiple Translations
At the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
And they put everything in the town to the curse; men and women, young and old, ox and sheep and ass, they put to death without mercy.
They destroyed everything in the city: men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys, all were killed by the sword.
And they vtterly destroyed all that was in the citie, both man and woman, yong, and olde, and oxe, and sheepe, and asse, with the edge of the sword.
and they devote all that [is] in the city, from man even unto woman, from young even unto aged, even unto ox, and sheep, and ass, by the mouth of the sword.
They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
And killed all that were in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also and the sheep, and the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.
They killed [IDM] every living thing in the city—men and women, young people and old people, even cattle and sheep and donkeys.
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 6:21
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Joshua 6:21 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Joshua 6:21
Study Notes — Joshua 6:21
- Context
- Cross References
- Joshua 6:21 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Joshua 6:21
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 6:21
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
- Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
- Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
- Cambridge Bible on Joshua 6:21
- Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
- Sermons on Joshua 6:21
Context — The Walls of Jericho
21With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
22Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.” 23So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 137:8–9 | O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us. Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 48:18 | Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses. |
| 3 | Joshua 11:14 | The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 15:8 | He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 20:16–17 | However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. For you must devote them to complete destruction —the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, |
| 6 | Joshua 10:39 | And they captured Debir, its king, and all its villages. They put them to the sword and devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. Joshua did to Debir and its king as he had done to Hebron and as he had done to Libnah and its king. |
| 7 | 1 Kings 20:42 | And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’” |
| 8 | Revelation 18:21 | Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. |
| 9 | 1 Samuel 15:3 | Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” |
| 10 | Joshua 9:24–25 | The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.” |
Joshua 6:21 Summary
[This verse describes the Israelites' obedience to God's command to destroy the city of Jericho, which was a judgment for the city's wickedness, as seen in Deuteronomy 20:16-18. The Israelites were called to trust and follow God's will, even when it was difficult or counterintuitive, and their obedience serves as a model for our own obedience to God's commands in our lives, as instructed in John 14:15 and 1 John 2:3-6. By trusting in God's sovereign wisdom and justice, we can learn to obey Him, even when we do not fully understand His ways, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6. This verse reminds us that God is a God of both justice and mercy, and that His ways are not always easy to understand, but are always worthy of our trust and obedience.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did God command the Israelites to destroy everything in the city of Jericho?
God commanded the destruction of Jericho as a judgment for the city's wickedness, as seen in Deuteronomy 20:16-18, and to prevent the Israelites from being influenced by the city's idolatrous practices, as warned in Deuteronomy 7:1-6.
Was it right for the Israelites to kill innocent animals, like oxen, sheep, and donkeys?
In this context, the animals were considered part of the city's possessions and were destroyed as part of God's judgment, similar to how God destroyed all life in the flood in Genesis 6-9, and as a means of preventing the Israelites from being tempted to keep any of the city's wealth for themselves, as instructed in Joshua 6:18-19.
How can we reconcile the violence in this verse with the God of love and mercy?
The Bible presents a complex and nuanced view of God's character, with both justice and mercy being central attributes, as seen in Psalm 89:14 and Psalm 103:8-10, and this verse highlights the importance of trusting in God's sovereign wisdom and justice, even when we do not fully understand His ways, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6.
What can we learn from the Israelites' obedience to God's commands in this verse?
The Israelites' obedience to God's commands, even when difficult or counterintuitive, demonstrates the importance of trusting and following God's will, as emphasized in Romans 12:1-2 and Hebrews 11:8, and serves as a model for our own obedience to God's commands in our lives, as instructed in John 14:15 and 1 John 2:3-6.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am being called to trust and obey God, even if it is difficult or uncomfortable?
- How can I balance the attributes of God's justice and mercy in my own understanding of His character?
- What are some ways that I can avoid being influenced by the 'idolatrous practices' of the world around me, and instead seek to live a life that is pleasing to God?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of trusting in God's sovereign wisdom and justice, even when I do not fully understand His ways?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 6:21
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 6:21
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 6:21
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 6:21
Sermons on Joshua 6:21
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Through the Bible - Deuteronomy by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Deuteronomy and its three main themes: looking back at God's faithfulness, looking upwards at God's laws, and looking forward to G |
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(Through the Bible) Joshua 9-16 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker addresses a popular but false story about NASA scientists discovering a missing day in time. He emphasizes that this story is not factual and has no bas |
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(Revelation) Revelation 18:21-20:6 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the reasons for rejoicing in heaven. The first reason is when a sinner repents, the second reason is when a believer overcomes Satan, the thi |
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(How to Understand the Kjv Bible) 12 Psalm 137 by Keith Simons | Keith Simons teaches on Psalm 137, emphasizing its prophetic nature and the deep sorrow of the Israelites in Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. He explores the contrast be |
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Duties of Protestants by Ian Paisley | Ian Paisley preaches about the importance of understanding the strength and principles of the adversary, particularly focusing on the system of Rome and its unchangeable policy. He |
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Live Expressed by Art Katz | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of understanding and demonstrating true love, as exemplified by Jesus in his interaction with the rich young ruler in Mark chap |
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For Such a Time as This by Chuck Smith | This sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's eternal purposes, even when facing circumstances that are difficult to understand. It highlights the need to surrender th |





