What caused the collapse of Jericho's walls?

Historical and Scriptural Context

The city of Jericho features prominently in the Old Testament narrative of the Israelite conquest. According to the Berean Standard Bible, the pivotal event is recorded in Joshua 6. The Israelites, led by Joshua, marched around Jericho for seven days in obedience to divine instruction. On the seventh day, priests sounded the rams’ horns, and the people gave a great shout:

“Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its mighty men of valor. March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.’” (Joshua 6:2–4)

When the assembly did precisely this, “the wall collapsed” (Joshua 6:20). Such is the biblical recounting of what caused the famed walls of Jericho to fall.

Divine Command and Israel’s Obedience

One central theme is faithful adherence to God’s directions. The Israelites were not instructed in siege warfare but rather in a ritual procession and the blowing of trumpets. This focus on obedience underscores that the basis of Jericho’s defeat was not military prowess but divine power. The entire process took a week, culminating in an extraordinary demonstration:

“So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. And when the people heard the blast of the horn, they shouted a loud battle cry, and the wall collapsed.” (Joshua 6:20)

From a theological perspective, this reinforces the scriptural truth found in Hebrews 11:30: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell.”

Miraculous Intervention

The immediate cause of Jericho’s downfall, according to Scripture, is the miraculous intervention of God. The biblical narrative positions this event as a confirmation of God’s promise to Israel to grant them the land of Canaan. It also discloses that victory comes through divine action, not merely human prowess:

“The LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands…’” (Joshua 6:2)

In light of that statement, believers hold that the collapse of the walls involved power beyond natural explanation. In many accounts of biblical miracles, God uses visible, sometimes even repetitive procedures (like the seven-day marching) that intensify the faith of participants, but the ultimate result goes beyond ordinary physical processes.

Archaeological Exploration

Archaeological work at the site known today as Tell es-Sultan (often identified with ancient Jericho) has yielded intriguing data. Although there is scholarly debate concerning the exact date of Jericho’s destruction, certain excavations and analyses have supported the plausibility of a sudden and catastrophic collapse around the biblical timeline often dated approximately to the Late Bronze Age.

1. John Garstang (1930s): This pioneering British archaeologist carried out extensive digs and concluded that the city site revealed a layer of fallen walls that correlated with biblical chronology, suggesting a destruction date around the 15th century BC (approximately consistent with a conservative biblical timeline).

2. Kathleen Kenyon (1950s): Her later re-examination of pottery and stratigraphy led her to a different dating, proposing that Jericho’s major defensive structures were destroyed centuries earlier (around 1550 BC), a view that seemed to create tension with the traditional date.

3. Bryant Wood (1990s): Reassessing Kenyon’s findings and ceramics, Wood argued that her dating methods were too narrow and that the destruction indeed could be in harmony with a mid-15th century BC date. This lends support to the biblical framework, suggesting a sudden devastating event that matches the scriptural narrative of a brief assault rather than a protracted siege.

Skeptics sometimes note discrepancies in carbon dating or interpret the archaeological strata differently. By contrast, those who affirm the biblical account point out that evidence of collapsed walls, scorched grain stores, and a swift destruction layer can align closely with how the Book of Joshua describes the conquest.

Geological and Structural Observations

Several recovered findings at Tell es-Sultan indicate a sudden collapse or outward falling of the walls. In typical siege warfare, walls often fall inward as attackers breach fortifications. Yet some archaeologists have noted that there appeared to be segments of the revetment or city wall that collapsed outward, forming a ramp-like formation that could facilitate rapid entry. This detail resonates with Joshua 6:20: “Then the wall collapsed; so the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they captured the city.”

Spiritual Significance

While historical and archaeological data are essential for understanding Jericho’s destruction, the spiritual message focuses on God’s sovereignty and faithfulness:

1. Validation of God’s Power: Scripture consistently attributes this kind of outstanding event to divine design. Since the conquest was not accomplished by traditional means of warfare, it underscored God’s active role in delivering the city to the Israelites.

2. Correlation with Covenant Promises: Jericho’s fall was part of the larger context of the Israelites’ entrance into the Promised Land, fulfilling promises first made to Abraham (Genesis 15:18–21). By toppling Jericho’s fortifications so decisively, it reinforced the reliability of God’s word.

3. Faith as the Catalyst: Hebrews 11:30 explicitly ties the collapse of Jericho’s walls to the faith of the Israelites, revealing that their trust in the LORD’s instruction was the pivotal element behind the event.

Conclusion

The account of Jericho’s walls collapsing is rooted in the biblical text of Joshua 6, which describes a clear, divine directive and the obedience of the Israelites. Outside the sacred narrative, archaeological excavations offer some complementary evidence of a sudden destruction that could align with the timeframe indicated by Scripture. While scholars may debate details of dating and exact stratigraphic layers, many conservative researchers have argued persuasively that when all the data are weighed, it supports the biblical description of a swift, miraculous event.

Ultimately, from the biblical perspective, the foremost cause of the collapse was the guiding hand of God, demonstrated through Israel’s faith and compliance with divine command. The episode serves as a powerful illustration of how God’s power can work through seemingly unconventional methods, underscoring that His purposes prevail and His word stands reliable.