Bible Glide

Joshua 6

Joshua 6 Summary, Context, and Full Chapter

Joshua 6 records the fall of Jericho, where Israel follows God's instructions instead of using ordinary siege tactics. The chapter highlights patient obedience, public trust, and God's power to give victory in His timing. It also shows Rahab and her household being spared because of her earlier faith.

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What happens in Joshua 6?

Jericho is shut up against Israel, but the LORD tells Joshua that the city has already been given into his hand. Israel marches around the city once a day for six days, with priests carrying rams' horns and the ark of the covenant at the center. On the seventh day they circle the city seven times, then shout as the walls collapse. The city is destroyed, its valuables set apart for the LORD, and Rahab and her family are rescued because she sheltered the spies. The chapter ends with Joshua's curse over anyone who would rebuild Jericho and with news that the LORD was with him.

This chapter follows Israel's renewed covenant faithfulness in Joshua 5 and leads into the next phase of the conquest. Jericho is the first major city in the land, so its fall shows that the campaign depends on God's presence and command, not Israel's strength alone. It also connects Rahab's faith from earlier in the story with the outcome of the city's judgment.

Themes to notice

  • Obedience to God's wordIsrael follows instructions that do not make sense by human standards, and the victory comes through faithful trust.
  • God's power in judgmentThe collapse of Jericho shows that the LORD can overthrow fortified resistance and carry out judgment on His terms.
  • Mercy for RahabRahab and her household are spared because she believed enough to protect the spies and align herself with Israel's God.

Questions for Joshua 6

  • Why do you think God asked Israel to march around Jericho instead of attack it directly?
  • What does Rahab's rescue show about faith and mercy in this chapter?
  • How does Joshua 6 prepare the reader for the rest of Israel's conquest of the land?

Read the full text of Joshua 6 below, then open it in the reader to highlight, take notes, or ask follow-up Bible questions. No account is required to read.

Joshua 6

The Walls of Jericho

1Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.2And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.3March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.4Have 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.5And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”

6So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”

7And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

8After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.9While the horns continued to sound, the armed troops marched ahead of the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard followed the ark.

10But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not give a battle cry or let your voice be heard; do not let one word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you are to shout!”11So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there.12Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.13And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.14So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times.16After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!17Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.18But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it.19For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.”

20So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.21At 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.24Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.25And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.

26At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath:

“Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up

and rebuilds this city, Jericho;

at the cost of his firstborn

he will lay its foundations;

at the cost of his youngest

he will set up its gates.”

27So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

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