Joshua 6:1-27

Now the gates of Jericho were bolted and barred because of the Israelites; no one could get in or out. YAHWEH commanded Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho, its king and mighty warriors into your hands. March around the city with all your men of war once a day for six days. Have seven priests carry shofars in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the shofars. When you hear the blare of the shofars, have all the people shout with a mighty shout of joy! Then the walls of the city will collapse before your eyes, and your whole army must charge straight in!” So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them: “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven shofars in front of the ark of YAHWEH.” And to the people he said, “Forward! March around the city and set an advance guard of armed men to march ahead of the ark of YAHWEH.” At Joshua’s order, the seven priests carrying seven shofars advanced before YAHWEH. The ark of the covenant of YAHWEH followed them as they made long blasts on their shofars. The advance guard marched in front of the priests who were blowing the shofars, the rear guard marched behind the ark, and the shofars blared the whole time! Now Joshua had commanded the rest of the people, “Do not shout! Remain silent! Don’t make a sound until the moment I command you to shout. Then lift up a shout with all your might!” So the ark of YAHWEH circled the city once, then they all came back to the camp in Gilgal and spent the night. Joshua rose bright and early the next morning, and the priests took up the ark of YAHWEH. The armed men and the seven priests carrying the seven shofars marched in front of the ark of YAHWEH blowing their shofars continually, and the rear guard followed the ark of YAHWEH, while the trumpets kept sounding. On the second day, they circled the city once and again returned to the camp. They repeated this pattern for six days. On the seventh day, everyone rose at daybreak, and they marched around the city in the same manner seven times. After their seventh time around, when the priests were about to blow the shofars, Joshua commanded the people: “Shout a shout of joy! YAHWEH has given you the city! Jericho and everything in it are to be a devoted offering to YAHWEH. But spare Rahab the prostitute and everyone in her house because she hid our spies. You must not take for yourselves anything that is dedicated to YAHWEH or you will bring trouble and destruction to the entire Israelite camp! Everything made of silver, gold, bronze, and iron is sacred and devoted to YAHWEH; place all of it in YAHWEH’s treasury!” The people were ready to shout with a great shout when they heard the shofars. As soon as they heard the blast of the shofars, they raised a massive shout of jubilee like a thunderclap, and all at once the thick walls of Jericho collapsed! Everyone rushed straight ahead and captured the city. They utterly destroyed all that was in Jericho, men and women, young and old, livestock and donkeys—everything was destroyed with the sword. Joshua told the two spies who had entered Jericho, “Go to the prostitute’s house and rescue her and everyone in her house, just as you promised her.” So the two spies brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers and sisters, and all who belonged to her, and gave them refuge outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned Jericho to the ground and all that was within it. Only the silver and gold, brass, and iron were placed into the treasury of YAHWEH’s house. Yet Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all that belonged to her. She lives among the Israelites to this day because she hid the two men Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Afterward, Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “May YAHWEH curse anyone who attempts to rebuild this city, Jericho! He will pay for laying its foundation with the life of his oldest son, and for setting up its gates with his youngest son!” YAHWEH’s presence was with Joshua, and he became famous throughout the land.