Joshua 6

The Lord giveth the city of Jericho into the hand of Josua verse. 1, & c. yet causeth first the souldiers, as also the Ark and few Priests to go round about the city, for seventeen dayes together ,2. On the seventh day the city is taken , the wall falling down , 20. The Israelites fall in on all sides , and destroy with the sword both men cattell , 21. Notwithstanding they spare Rachab with all that appertaineth to her , 22. The city and all that is in it , is burnt, except the gold, silver, copper, and iron vessels , 24. Josua curseth that man, that should build up Jericho again , 26.God is with Josua,27.

1. Now Jericho shut the ( gates,) and was shut before the children of Israel , [viz. for fear of the children of Israel] there none went forth , neither did any go in there .

2. Then the LORD [Above chap.5.13. he is called a man] said unto Josua , Behold, I have given Jericho into thine hand , with her King , and valiant champions .

3. Then all ye that are men of war , shall go round the city , compassing the city once , thus shall ye do seven dayes together .

4. And seven priests shall bear seven rams-trumpets [i.e. Trumpets made of rams-horns] before the Ark. And on the seventh day ye shall go about the city seven times : and the Priests shall blow with the trumpets .

5. And it shall come to passe , when they blow slowly with the rams-horn, when ye hear the sound of the trumpet , that all the people shall shout with a great shout , then shall the city-wall [Understand this onely of a part of the wall , for if all the wall had fallen , then must all Rahabs house have fallen , for it stood upon the wall above chap 2. verse 15.] fall down , [Heb. on its place]and the people shall ascend into it , every man over against himself .

6. Then Josua the son of Nun called the Priests , and said unto them , Carry the Ark of the covenant : and let seven Priests bear seven rams-trumpets before the Ark of the LORD.

7. And unto the people he said , Passe thorow , and go round about this city : and let him that is prepared , [i.e. armed] passe on before the Ark of the LORD .

8. And it came to passe , that according as Josua had spoken unto the people , so the seven Priests went , bearing seven rams-trumpets before the face of the LORD , [See above the annotat. on chap.4. verse 13.] they marched on , and blew with the trumpet : and the Ark of the covenant [i.e. the Ark in which the two tables lay , where in the covenant was written] of the LORD , followed after them,

9. And he that was ready (armed) went before the face of the Priests that blew the trumpets : and the rereward followed after the Ark , [See Numb 10. on v.25.]whilest they went and blew with the trumpets ,

10. Now Josua had commanded the people , saying , ye shall not shout , yea ye shall not cause your voice to be heard nether shall any word be uttered out of your mouth untill the day when I shall say unto you , Shout ,then shall ye shout .

11. And he caused the Ark of the LORD to go round about the city , compassing ( the same) once : then came they ( again ) into the camp , and overnighted in the camp.

12. Afterward Josua rose early in the morning , and the Priests carried the Ark of the LORD .

13. And the seven Priests bearing the seven rams trumpets before the Ark of the LORD , went on , and blew with the trumpets : and the armed (men) marched before their faces , and the rereward followed after the Ark of the LORD , whilest they went and blew with the trumpets .

14. So they went once round about the city on the second day , and they returned into the camp : thus they did for seven dayes together .

15. And it came to passe that they rose up early, by break of day ; and they went round about the Citie in the same manner seven times : onely on that day they went seven times round about the Citie.

16. And it came to pass at the seventh time when the Priests blew with the Trumpets , that Josua spake unto the people , Shout , for the LORD hath given you the Citie.

17. Yet this Citie shall be banned ( or accursed ) to the LORD , [See Deuteronomy 2:34.] it and all that is in it : onely Rachab the harlot shall remain alive , she and all that are with her in the house , because she hid [some read it , well,or, diligently hid] the messengers whom we [viz. I and the Rulers without the peoples notice , above, chap.2.1. and 4.6.] sent out .

18. Onely beware of the banned (thing)lest peradventure ye ban your selves ; [i.e. because that ye be destroyed] by taking of the banned (thing) and make the Camp of Israel to be a ban, and trouble to the same.

19. But all the silver and gold , and the copper and iron vessels shall be holy unto the LORD : [Hebr. Holiness]they shall come to the treasure of the LORD.

20. Then the people shouted when they [To wit , the seven Priests] blew with the Trumpets : and it came to pass , when the people heard the sound of the trumpet , that the people shouted with a great shout , and the wall fell down, and the people ascended into the Citie , every man over against himself, and they took the citie .

21. And they banned all that was in the citie [i.e. utterly destroyed all , as the manner was to deal with thing banned or accursed . See Deteronomy 2. on verse 34.]from the man to the woman , from the chld to the aged , and to the Ox and the small Cattell, and the Ass , with the edge of the sword . [Hebr. the mouth of the sword .]

22. Now Josua said unto the two men , the spies of the land , Go into the house of the woman , the harlot, and bring out thence the woman with all that she hath, according as ye sware unto her .

23. Then the young men and the spies went in thither , and brought out Rachab, and her father , and her mother, and her brethren , and all that she had , also they brought out all her families ; [Or, generation or , kinreds , to wit , which were allied to her] and they placed them without the Camp of Israel , [viz. so long time untill they were well instructed in the Israelitish religion , and so admitted into the Congregation of God ; see Deuteronomy 21:10.]

24. Now they burnt the Citie with fire , and all that was therein : onely the silver and the gold , together with the copper and Iron vessels , they gave to the treasure of the house of the LORD ; [viz.of the Tabernacle ; see above v.19. and Numb.31.54.]

25. Thus Josua suffered Rachab the harlot to live , and the family of her father , and all that she had , and she dwelt in the midst of Israel [Yea, she was married afterward in the Tribe of Juda, unto Salmon the sonne of Nahasson ,Matth.1.5.] unto this day : [this argueth not , that Rahab and her posteritie , did not likewise afterthat time dwell among the Israelites] because she hid the messengers which Josua sent to spie out Jericho.

26. And at the same time Josua adjured them , [viz. by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost] saying , Cursed be that man before the face of the LORD , that shall rise up, and build this Citie Jericho ; he shall lay the foundation thereof in (or, for) his first- born son , [i.e. it shall cost him the life of his first-born son. See the fulfilling hereof in Hiel and his sons, 1 Kings 16:34.] and shalt set up the gates thereof in his youngest son.

27. So the LORD was with Josua , and his fame ran thorowout all the Countrie . [Hebr. was , & c. i.e. they talked of him in all the circumjacent Countreyes.]