1Now the gates of Jericho were securely shut and barred because of the Israelites: no one went in, or came out. 2And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and fighting men. 3And you - all you men of war - shall circle the city once. You shall you do this for six days. 4And seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark; but on the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times, and then the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5And when you hear them sound a loud long blast on the trumpets, all the people shall give a loud shout; and the wall of the city shall fall flat, and every Israelite man shall charge straight into the city.” 6And Joshua called the priests, and told them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns ahead of the ark of the LORD.” 7And he said to the people, “March! Circle the city, and let those who are armed go ahead of the ark of the LORD.” 8And when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests with the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 9And the armed men marched ahead of the priests who blew with the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, with the priests continually blowing the trumpets. 10And Joshua had commanded the people, “You shall not shout, nor make any sound with your voice, not a word out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout; then you shall shout.” 11So the ark of the LORD circled the city, going around it once; and then came back and returned to the camp. 12And Joshua rose early each morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13And seven priests with seven trumpets of rams' horns went before the ark of the LORD, and continually blew the trumpets; and the armed men preceded them, and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 14And on the second day, they again circled the city once, and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15And on the seventh day, they rose early, about dawn, and circled the city in the same manner; except on that day, they circled the city seven times. 16And on the seventh time around, when the priests blew a loud blast with the trumpets, Joshua commanded, “Shout; for the LORD has given you the city! 17The city, and all that are in it, are to be destroyed as an offering to the LORD; only Rahab, the harlot, and all who are with her in her house, shall live, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18You must keep yourselves from any of their sacred things, which are to be destroyed, so that you do not bring upon yourselves a curse by bringing an accursed thing into camp, and bring trouble upon the camp of Israel. 19All articles of silver, gold, bronze, and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.” 20So when the priests blew a loud blast with the trumpets; and when the people heard the blast, the people shouted with a great shout, so that the wall collapsed, so that they all charged directly into the city, every man in a straight path before him, and they took the city. 21And they destroyed all that was in the city – man, woman, young and old, ox, sheep, and donkey, with the sword. 22But Joshua had told the two men who had scouted (spied) the country, “Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out - and all that she has - as you promised to her.” 23And the two young men who done the scouting went in, and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, siblings, all that belonged to her; and moved them to a place outside the camp of Israel. 24And they burned the city, and all that was in it. But the articles of silver, gold, bronze, and iron were put into the treasury of the Temple of the LORD. 25And so Joshua spared Rahab, the harlot, and her father's household and all that she had; and she dwells in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the scouts that Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26And at that time, Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city Jericho. He shall lay the foundation of it at the cost of his firstborn, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” 27So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was proclaimed throughout all the country. Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2024 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |