Joshua 6
6
The Fall of Jericho
1Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 4Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”
6So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” 7Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”
8After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them. 9Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. 10“Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.
12Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord. 13The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their horns. 14On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.
15On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. 16The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town! 17Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed#6:17 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 6:18, 21. as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
18“Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 19Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”
20When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.
22Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.”
23The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel.
24Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.
26At that time Joshua invoked this curse:
“May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone
who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho.
At the cost of his firstborn son,
he will lay its foundation.
At the cost of his youngest son,
he will set up its gates.”
27So the Lord was with Joshua, and his reputation spread throughout the land.
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Joshua 6: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Josue 6
6
1Now Jericho was close shut up and fenced, for fear of the children of Israel, and no man durst go out or come in.
2And the Lord said to Josue: Behold, I have given into thy hands Jericho, and the king thereof, and all the valiant men.
3Go round about the city, all ye fighting men, once a day: so shall ye do for six days.
4And on the seventh day the priests shall take the seven trumpets, which are used in the jubilee, and shall go before the ark of the covenant: and you shall go about the city seven times, and the priests shall sound the trumpets.
5And when the voice of the trumpet shall give a longer and broken tune, and shall sound in your ears, all the people shall shout together with a very great shout: and the walls of the city shall fall to the ground. And they shall enter in every one at the place against which they shall stand.
6Then Josue the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them: Take the ark of the covenant: and let seven other priests take the seven trumpets of the jubilee, and march before the ark of the Lord,
7And he said to the people: Go, and compass the city, armed, marching before the ark of the Lord.
8And when Josue had ended his words, and the seven priests blew the seven trumpets before the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
9And all the armed men went before: the rest of the common people followed the ark. And the sound of the trumpets was heard on all sides.
10But Josue had commanded the people, saying: You shall not shout, nor shall your voice be heard, nor any word go out of your mouth: until the day come wherein I shall say to you: Cry, and shout.
11So the ark of the Lord went about the city once a day, and returning into the camp abode there.
12And Josue rising before day, the priests took the ark of the Lord,
13And seven of them seven trumpets, which are used in the jubilee. And they went before the ark of the Lord walking and sounding the trumpets: and the armed men went before them, and the rest of the common people followed the ark. And they blew the trumpets.
14And they went round about the city the second day once, and returned into the camp. So they did six days.
15But the seventh day, rising up early, they went about the city, as it was ordered, seven times.
16And when in the seventh going about the priests sounded with the trumpets, Josue said to all Israel: Shout: for the Lord hath delivered the city to you.
17And let this city be an anathema, and all things that are in it, to the Lord. Let only Rahab the harlot live, with all that are with her in the house: for she hid the messengers whom we sent.
18But beware ye lest you touch ought of those things that are forbidden, and you be guilty of transgression: and all the camp of Israel be under sin, and be troubled.
19But whatsoever gold or silver there shall be, or vessels of brass and iron, let it be consecrated to the Lord, laid up in his treasures.
20So all the people making a shout, and the trumpets sounding, when the voice and the sound thundered in the ears of the multitude, the walls forthwith fell down. And every man went up by the place that was over against him. And they took the city,
21And 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.
22But Josue said to the two men that had been sent for spies: Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out, and all things that are hers, as you assured her by oath.
23And the young men went in and brought out Rahab, and her parents: her brethren also and all her goods and her kindred, and made them to stay without the camp.
24But they burned the city, and all things that were therein; except the gold and silver, and vessels of brass and iron, which they consecrated into the treasury of the Lord.
25But Josue saved Rahab the harlot and her father's house, and all she had, and they dwelt in the midst of Israel until this present day: because she hid the messengers whom he had sent to spy out Jericho. At that time, Josue made an imprecation, saying:
26Cursed be the man before the Lord, that shall raise up and build the city of Jericho. In his firstborn may he lay the foundation thereof, and in the last of his children set up its gates.
27And the Lord was with Josue, and his name was noised throughout all the land.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.