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Joshua Chapter
Six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 6
In
this chapter Joshua is assured, though Jericho was closely shut up, it should
be delivered into his hands, Joshua 6:1; and he
is directed, with the army, to go round the city six days together, seven
priests bearing the ark of the Lord, with seven trumpets sounding; and on the
seventh day to go round it seven times in like manner, when its wall should
fall, Joshua 6:3; which
order Joshua communicated to the priests, and to the people, and which was put
into execution by them, with some other instructions he gave them, Joshua 6:6;
particularly that the city, and all in it, should be devoted to the Lord, and
none spared, but Rahab and her family, Joshua 6:17; the
success was according to the assurance given by the Lord, Joshua 6:20; when
all in the city were destroyed, and that was burnt with fire, and the gold,
silver, brass, and iron, brought into the house of the Lord, and Rahab and her
father's household were saved alive, Joshua 6:21; and
the chapter is closed with an adjuration of Joshua, cursing the man that should
rebuild the city; and with this observation, that the fame of Joshua upon this
was spread abroad throughout the country, Joshua 6:26.
Joshua 6:1 Now
Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out,
and none came in.
YLT
1(And Jericho shutteth
itself up, and is shut up, because of the presence of the sons of Israel --
none going out, and none coming in;)
Now Jericho was straitly shut up, because of the children of
Israel,.... Or "it shut up", or "was shutting, and was
shut up"F21סגרת ומסגרת
"claudens et clausa", Montanus, Vatablus. ; that is, the king and the
inhabitants shut it up within; the Targum says with iron doors, and bars of
brass, and it was blocked up without by the children of Israel:
none went out and none came in; none of their forces
went out to make a sally on the Israelites, or to seek to make peace with them;
nor any of their neighbours went in to them, to carry them any provision, or to
assist them, or to be sheltered by them, not being able to do it because of the
camp of Israel.
Joshua 6:2 2 And the Lord said to
Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the
mighty men of valor.
YLT
2And Jehovah saith unto
Joshua, `See, I have given into thy hand Jericho and its king -- mighty ones of
valour,
And the Lord said unto Joshua,.... The same divine
Person called in the preceding chapter the Captain of the Lord's host, Joshua 5:14, now
with him, and who gave him the following orders, instructions, and assurances:
see, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof: which might
be concluded from the fear that was fallen upon the inhabitants of the city and
their king, and from their shutting themselves up so closely, not daring to
come out against Israel: and especially from this declaration and promise of
the Lord; and which should be done in such a manner, as that it would clearly
appear to be of the Lord, and not men:
and the mighty men of valour; the military
men, the soldiers, or army that were under the command of the king of Jericho;
or, as Kimchi reads it, "though" mighty men, yet they should not be
able to defend the city, or hinder its falling into their hands; for what were
they to the mighty God of Israel?
Joshua 6:3 3 You shall march around the
city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This
you shall do six days.
YLT
3and ye have compassed the
city -- all the men of battle -- going round the city once; thus thou dost six
days;
And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war,.... Joshua
their chief commander under the Lord, and all that were able to make war, even
all above twenty years of age; these were to compass the city, not in the form
of a siege, but by a procession around it:
and go round about the city
once; or one time, for the first once in a day, and no more:
thus shall thou do six days; one after another; that
is, go round it, once every day, for such a time. This order was given, according
to the JewsF23Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. , the twenty second of
Nisan, after the feast of unleavened bread was over.
Joshua 6:4 4 And seven priests shall
bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you
shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the
trumpets.
YLT
4and seven priests do bear
seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark, and on the seventh day ye compass
the city seven times, and the priests blow with the trumpets,
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns,.... The ark was to be taken up and carried by priests round the
city. Ben Gersom observes, that this was to direct the Israelites to keep and
do according to all that was written in it; that is, in the law, which was
contained in it; but no doubt the design of it was to show, that the subduing
of Jericho, and the miracle that would be wrought, were owing to the power and
presence of God, of which the ark was a symbol: and before it were to go seven
other priests, with trumpets in their hands; which, according to our version,
were made of rams horns: in the original it is "jobelim", or
"jubilee" trumpets. Some think it means only such as they were to use
in the year of jubilee; so Abarbinel and others, as Masius and NoldiusF24P.
160. No. 1515. ; that they had their name from Jubal, the first inventor of
musical instruments, Genesis 4:21; for
rams' horns are objected to because they are solid, and not hollow; as if they
could not be bored and made hollow, and fit for such a purpose. The Targum,
Jarchi, and Kimchi, interpret the word by rams horns, as we doF25So
Joseph. Antiqu. l. 5. c. 6. sect. 5. ; and observe what R. Akiba
said,"when (says he) I went into Arabia, I heard them call; a ram
"jobel"; and the trumpet itself is called "jobel", because
made of a ram's hornF26Kimchi, Sepher. Shorash. rad. יבל R. Sol. Urbim. Ohel Moed, fol. 39. 2. :"
and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times; in the same
manner as on the other days:
and the priests shall blow with the trumpets; which they
were to do; and did every day.
Joshua 6:5 5 It shall come to pass,
when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you
hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great
shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go
up every man straight before him.”
YLT
5and it hath been, in the
prolongation of the horn of the jubilee, in your hearing the voice of the
trumpet, all the people shout -- a great shout, and the wall of the city hath
fallen under it, and the people have gone up, each over-against him.'
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast
with the ram's horn,.... Continue blowing, and protracting, and drawing out the sound
a long time; which they did only on the seventh day; on the other days it was
but a short blast they made at a time; so that this being different, it would
be a good sign and token to the people to do what they are next directed to:
and when ye hear the sound of
the trumpet; drawn out to a great length:
all the people shall shout with a great shout; at once, as
when an onset is made in battle, or a victory is obtained:
and the wall of the city shall fall down flat; or
"under itself"F1תחתיה "sub
se", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "subtus se", Tigurine
version; "sabter se", Masius. ; which Jarchi interprets, in its
place; that is, where it stood, and be swallowed up in it: so the
Targum,"and it shall be swallowed up under it;'yet so that somewhat of it
should be seen, as an attestation and proof of the miracle, as Kimchi; who
says,"it means that it should be swallowed up in its place under the
earth, and a little of it appear above ground for a memorial of the
miracle:"
and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him; just as they
were in the order of procession; for the wall being fallen everywhere, they
would have no occasion to make up to one certain place, as when a breach is
only made in one place, and the besiegers are obliged to go so many a breast to
enter at it; but in this case they might go straight up from whence they were,
and enter the city without any obstruction and difficulty.
Joshua 6:6 6 Then Joshua the son of Nun
called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let
seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.”
YLT
6And Joshua son of Nun
calleth unto the priests, and saith unto them, `Bear ye the ark of the
covenant, and seven priests do bear seven trumpets of the jubilee before the
ark of Jehovah;'
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests,.... Not the
Levites and Kohathites, whose business it was in common to bear the ark, but
upon this occasion the priests; not all of them, but as many as were sufficient
for the purpose:
and said unto them, take up the ark of the covenant; by putting
the staves into the rings of it, and so carry it, Exodus 25:14; see Numbers 7:9,
and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before
the ark of the Lord: See Gill on Joshua 6:4.
Joshua 6:7 7 And he said to the people,
“Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before
the ark of the Lord.”
YLT
7and He said unto the
people, `Pass over, and compass the city, and he who is armed doth pass over
before the ark of Jehovah.'
And he said unto the people, pass on, and compass the city,.... The women
and children, the young men under twenty years of age, the unarmed part of the
camp, as distinguished from the armed men:
and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord; to guard the
ark, protect the priests, and defend the people, should any sally be made by
the enemy upon them. These seem to design all the males that were above twenty
years of age able to bear arms, and fit for war; though some restrain it to the
forty thousand of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, Joshua 1:14.
Joshua 6:8 8 So it was, when Joshua had
spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of
rams’ horns before the Lord
advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
YLT
8And it cometh to pass, when
Joshua speaketh unto the people, that the seven priests bearing seven trumpets
of the jubilee before Jehovah have passed over and blown with the trumpets, and
the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is going after them;
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken to the people,.... Both
armed and unarmed; had finished the orders and directions he gave them before
mentioned:
that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns
passed on before the Lord; in his sight, and by his direction, and at
his command given by Joshua, and before the ark, the symbol of his presence:
and blew with the trumpets; a short blast as they
went along; this they did on each of the six days:
and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them; being borne
by priests, Joshua 6:6.
Joshua 6:9 9 The armed men went before
the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while
the priests continued blowing the trumpets.
YLT
9and he who is armed is
going before the priests blowing the trumpets, and he who is gathering up is
going after the ark, going on and blowing with the trumpets;
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the
trumpets,.... Whom Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, interpret of Reuben and
Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; that is, as many of them as Joshua took
with him over Jordan; though rather all the armed men in the camp are meant; at
least along with those mentioned went the standards of Judah and Ephraim:
and the rereward came after the ark; because the tribe of Dan
was the rereward in journeying, Numbers 2:31; hence
the Targum paraphrases the words,"and the tribe of the house of Dan went
after the ark;'and so both Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it: but rather the body
of the people unarmed are designed; at least these were brought up by the
standard of Dan; or otherwise no place in this procession is appointed for
them, whose business it was to make the great shout on the seventh day with the
rest:
the priests going on and
blowing with the trumpets; the word "priests" is not in the
text, but is rightly supplied; for, as Kimchi and Abarbinel observe, this is
not said of the rereward, but of the priests, for they only bore and blew the
trumpets; and so the Targum reads,"the priests going on, &c.'
Joshua 6:10 10 Now Joshua had commanded
the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor
shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’
Then you shall shout.”
YLT
10and the people hath Joshua
commanded, saying, `Ye do not shout, nor cause your voice to be heard, nor doth
there go out from your mouth a word, till the day of my saying unto you, Shout
ye -- then ye have shouted.'
And Joshua had commanded the people,.... When he gave them
their orders to pass on, and compass the city, Joshua 6:7,
saying, ye shall not shout; that is, on any of the
six days as they went round the city, only on the seventh; for this being a
sign of victory, it was not to be made until the day when it should be obtained;
otherwise, had they shouted, and nothing followed on it, it would have exposed
them to the contempt of the inhabitants of Jericho, and would have put them in
spirit, and hardened them:
nor make any noise with your voice; as laughing, singing,
&c. This profound silence was to be observed, to add to the gravity and
solemnity of the procession; and on account of the surprising miracle that was
to be wrought, and particularly because of the ark, the symbol of the divine
Presence, borne before them; and when God in his providence was about to speak
in so awful a manner, and to do such a surprising work, it was very fit and
decent that they should be silent before him; see Habakkuk 2:20,
neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth; no
conversation or discourse were to be had with each other as they passed along;
for this is only to be restrained to the procession; when they returned, and in
their camp, they might talk and discourse as at other times:
until the day I bid you shout, then shall ye shout; for as yet it
seems Joshua had not told them how many days they should surround the city in
this manner, and on what day the shout should be made by them.
Joshua 6:11 11 So he had the ark of the Lord circle the
city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in
the camp.
YLT
11And the ark of Jehovah doth
compass the city, going round once, and they come into the camp, and lodge in
the camp.
So the ark of the Lord compassed the city,.... Being
bore by the priests, who carried it round the city; it may as well be rendered
and interpreted as it is by Kimchi,"he, i.e. Joshua, caused the ark of the
Lord to compass the city;'
that
is, he gave orders to the priests to take it up, and go round with it on the
first day:
going about it once; on that day, and no
more; keeping at such a distance, as to be out of the reach of stones or arrows
cast from the walls of the city:
and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp; the night
following; not only the priests that bare the ark, but those that blew with the
trumpets, and all the armed men, and the people.
Joshua 6:12 12 And Joshua rose early in
the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.
YLT
12And Joshua riseth early in
the morning, and the priests bear the ark of Jehovah,
And Joshua rose early in the morning,.... Of the
second day; to take care of, direct, and prepare everything for another
procession on that day; so active and diligent was he to do the will and work
of God, exactly and punctually:
and the priests took up the ark of the Lord; and carried
it about as they had done the day before.
Joshua 6:13 13 Then seven priests bearing
seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on
continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But
the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests
continued blowing the trumpets.
YLT
13and seven priests bearing
seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark of Jehovah are walking, going on,
and they have blown with the trumpets -- and he who is armed is going before
them, and he who is gathering up is going behind the ark of Jehovah -- going on
and blowing with the trumpets.
And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the
ark of the Lord,.... See Gill on Joshua 6:4,
went on continually; or, "going they
went"F2הלכים הלוך
"euntes eundo", Montanus. : kept on going, making no stop at all,
until they had compassed the city:
and blew with the trumpets; as they went along:
and the armed men went before them, but the rereward came after
the ark of the Lord; which the Targum paraphrases as on Joshua 6:9,
the priests going on, and
blowing with the trumpets; See Gill on Joshua 6:9.
Joshua 6:14 14 And the second day they
marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.
YLT
14And they compass the city
on the second day once, and turn back to the camp; thus they have done six
days.
And the second day they compassed the city once,.... Went
round it one time only; as on the first:
and returned into the camp: which was at Gilgal, Joshua 5:10,
so they did six days: four more after these
two successively, and proceeded in the same order and manner as on those two
days.
Joshua 6:15 15 But it came to pass on the
seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched
around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched
around the city seven times.
YLT
15And it cometh to pass, on
the seventh day, that they rise early, at the ascending of the dawn, and
compass the city, according to this manner, seven times; (only, on that day
they have compassed the city seven times);
And it came to pass on the seventh day,.... Which
Jarchi says was the Sabbath day, and which is a common notion of the JewsF3Seder
Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 312. 2. ; but whether
it was or not, it is certain that one of these seven days must be a sabbath, in
which the several things ordered were done, and the procession made. Kimchi
observes, that their Rabbins say this was the sabbath day; and he adds, what is
pretty remarkable,"though they slew and burnt on the sabbath day, he that
commanded the sabbath commanded to profane the sabbath in the subduing of
Jericho;'with which compare what our Lord says, Matthew 12:3,
that they rose early, about the dawning of the day; having seven
times the work to do they did on the other six days:
and compassed the city after the same manner seven times; after the
same manner as they had done the six preceding days:
only on that day they compassed the city seven times; whereas on
the other days they only went round it once, which distinguished this day from
the rest.
Joshua 6:16 16 And the seventh time it happened,
when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for
the Lord
has given you the city!
YLT
16and it cometh to pass, at
the seventh time, the priests have blown with the trumpets, and Joshua saith
unto the people, `Shout ye, for Jehovah hath given to you the city;
And it came to pass at the seventh time,.... Of their
going round the city on the seventh day: and at the seventh time:
when the priests blew with the trumpets; as they did
every time they compassed the city:
Joshua said unto the people, shout; both those that were
armed, and those that were not; they were to make one grand and general shout
at once, as when victory is obtained, or is sure, and so it follows:
for the Lord hath given you the city; intimating that
it would be presently delivered into their hands, and in such manner, that it
would plainly show it was of the Lord, and no other.
Joshua 6:17 17 Now the city shall be
doomed by the Lord
to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall
live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the
messengers that we sent.
YLT
17and the city hath been
devoted, it and all that [is] in it, to Jehovah; only Rahab the harlot doth
live, she and all who [are] with her in the house, for she hid the messengers
whom we sent;
And the city shall be accursed,.... Or, be a
"cherem", devoted to the Lord, as it follows:
even it and all
that are therein, to the Lord; the city and the
inhabitants of it should be devoted to destruction, and the riches and spoil of
it dedicated to sacred uses, and not become the property of the Israelites; for
as this was the first city in the had of Canaan that was conquered, it was fit
the firstfruits of the conquest should be the Lord's, as an acknowledgment of
his gift of the land unto them, and that the conquest of it was owing to him;
though it might be some mortification to the Israelites, and a trial of their
faith and obedience, that the first and so fine a city should not become their
habitation, but be utterly destroyed, and not to be built more; and all the
riches of it either consumed, or converted to other uses, and not their own.
This Joshua thought fit to declare to the Israelites, before the taking of the
city, that they might know what they had to do. The Jewish doctors generally
suppose that Joshua ordered this of himself, of his own accord and will; but
Kimchi is of opinion that the Lord gave him this order, which is most probable,
yea, certain from Joshua 7:11,
only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with
her in the house; she and her father's family, as she requested, and the spies
promised; here the Targum calls her, as elsewhere, Rahab the innkeeper or
victualler; and so in Joshua 6:22,
because she hid the messengers that we sent; and so
preserved them from being taken by the messengers of the king of Jericho, who
were sent in pursuit of them. These though sent only by Joshua, without the
knowledge of the people, yet it being on their account, and their good, and by
him as their head and governor, is ascribed to them also. This fact of Rahab's
is observed by him as a reason for sparing her, and those that were with her,
when all the rest would be put to the sword; and is mentioned as an instance of
her faith, and of the evidence of it, Hebrews 11:31.
Joshua 6:18 18 And you, by all means
abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the
accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
YLT
18and surely ye have kept
from the devoted thing, lest ye devote [yourselves], and have taken from the
devoted thing, and have made the camp of Israel become a devoted thing, and
have troubled it;
And you in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing,.... From
laying hold on, secreting, and enjoying as their own, what was devoted to
another use:
lest ye make yourselves accursed; or a
"cherem", also devoted to destruction:
when ye take of the accursed thing; any part of it, be it
what it will, gold or any other metal, or raiment, and the like:
and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it; for being
done secretly, and not known who did it, the whole body of the people would be
chargeable with it, and suffer on account of it, unless discovered and punished,
and as more fully appears by an after instance.
Joshua 6:19 19 But all the silver and
gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall
come into the treasury of the Lord.”
YLT
19and all the silver and
gold, and vessels of brass and iron, holy they [are] to Jehovah; into the
treasury of Jehovah they come.'
But all the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron,
are consecrated to the Lord,.... Or
rather, "for all the silver", &c. as the particle here used sometimes
signifies, and is so renderedF4וכל
"nam totum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. : each of these
metals, and whatsoever were made of them, were set apart for the Lord, and
dedicated to sacred uses, and might not be converted to any other, unless what
were upon their idols, which were to be burnt with fire, Deuteronomy 7:25,
they shall come into the treasury of the Lord; be brought
into the tabernacle, as Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret it, into some apartment
there destined for such service, and which is clear from Joshua 6:24; the
same where the offering of the officers was brought after the battle with
Midian, Numbers 31:54.
Joshua 6:20 20 So the people shouted when
the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the
sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall
fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight
before him, and they took the city.
YLT
20And the people shout, and
blow with the trumpets, and it cometh to pass when the people hear the voice of
the trumpet, that the people shout -- a great shout, and the wall falleth under
it, and the people goeth up into the city, each over-against him, and they
capture the city;
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the
trumpets,.... As Joshua had charged them, Joshua 6:16,
and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet,
and the people shouted with a great shout; that is, gave
a loud shout, on hearing the long blast of the trumpets blown by the priests
the seventh time, as they were no doubt directed by Joshua, agreeably to the
order given to him; see Joshua 6:5,
that the wall fell down flat; the wall of the city of
Jericho, as the Lord said it should; see Gill on Joshua 6:5,
so that the people went up into the city, every man straight
before him, and they took the city; they went up to it from
the plain, where they were, and entered it without any difficulty, the wall
being fallen, and that everywhere: so that they went directly from the place
where they were, and went in right over against them, into every quarter and,
part of the city, and seized on it, and possessed it at once. Various things
may be observed concerning this surprising event; as that it was supernatural,
and cannot be ascribed to second causes, there being nothing in the procession
round the city, the blowing of the trumpets, or shout of the people, that could
occasion the wall to fall; and that no defences or fortifications are anything
against God, when it is his will a city should be taken, with whom nothing is
impossible; and that sometimes unlikely means are appointed and used by him for
doing great things, that the power may appear to be his by which they are done;
and that faith stops at nothing, when it has the word and promise of God to
encourage and support it; and that God does everything in his own time and way.
The falling of the walls of Jericho may be considered as an emblem of the fall
of Babylon; these two cities agree, as in their greatness, so in their
wickedness, Revelation 17:4;
and as Jericho stood in the way of Israel's inheriting the land, being a frontier
and barrier town; so mystical Babylon stands in the way of the kingdom of
Christ, and its spread in the world, and particularly of the conversion of the
Jews, Revelation 11:14.
The fall of Jericho was very sudden, and when not expected by the inhabitants
of it; and so will be the fall of Babylon, Revelation 18:7;
and as Jericho fell at the sound of rams horns, the destruction of antichrist,
or mystical Babylon, will be through the preaching of the Gospel, Revelation 14:6;
and as the one was by the sounding of seven priests, at the seventh time of
sounding, on the seventh day; so the ruin of antichrist will be at the seventh
angel's sounding the seventh trumpet, and pouring out the seventh vial, Revelation 10:7;
and as at the destruction of the one, so of the other, but few saved from the
common calamity, Revelation 18:4;
and both never to be raised up and built again, Revelation 18:21;
And it may be considered also as an emblem of the subjection of the Gentile
world to Christ; which, like Jericho, or the moon, as some observe the name
signifies, is very changeable; and as that city, and the inhabitants of it, an
enemy to God, and his people, and yet made subject by the ministry of his word;
as particularly it will be when the kingdoms of this world shall become his: or
rather it may be an emblem of the subjection of particular souls to Christ, and
the means thereof; who are like the walled city of Jericho in their
unregenerate state, their hearts hard, stubborn, and inflexible, and enmity to
God; are self-confident, vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, and shut up
in unbelief, and kept and guarded by Satan, the strong man armed; but all these
strong holds of sin and Satan are brought down and demolished in conversion;
and that by means of the sound of the Gospel, which is as despicable with men
as the sound of the rams' horns were to the inhabitants of Jericho; but is a
jubilee and joyful sound, a sound of love, grace, mercy, and salvation; and
being accompanied with the Spirit and grace of God, is the power of God unto
salvation; and mighty through him for the removing the hardness of men's
hearts, and bringing them into subjection and obedience to Christ.
Joshua 6:21 21 And they utterly destroyed
all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and
sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
YLT
21and they devote all that
[is] in the city, from man even unto woman, from young even unto aged, even
unto ox, and sheep, and ass, by the mouth of the sword.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city,.... All the
inhabitants of it, by the direction of Joshua, and according to the order of
the Lord, Deuteronomy 7:1;
being guilty of capital crimes, which deserved death, as idolatry, incest,
&c.
both men and women, young and old; neither sex nor age were
spared:
and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword; in which
creatures chiefly lay the substance of the eastern people; see Job 1:3.
Joshua 6:22 22 But Joshua had said to the
two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot’s house, and from
there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her.”
YLT
22And to the two men who are
spying the land Joshua said, `Go into the house of the woman, the harlot, and
bring out thence the woman, and all whom she hath, as ye have sworn to her.'
But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the
country,.... Whom he had sent on that errand, Joshua 2:1; and
what follows he had said unto them before the people entered into the city, and
perhaps before the walls of it fell; and indeed from Joshua 6:16, it
appears to have been said at the time he gave the people orders to shout:
go into the harlot's house: he does not mention her
name but they full well knew who he meant:
and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath; not so much
her substance, as her father's household, she had got together there, that they
might be saved, as had been promised her:
as ye sware unto her; so that this order was
partly on account of her kindness to them, Joshua 6:17; and
partly on account of the oath which they had taken, and which Joshua would have
inviolably kept.
Joshua 6:23 23 And the young men who had
been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers,
and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them
outside the camp of Israel.
YLT
23And the young man, the
spies, go in and bring out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her
brethren, and all whom she hath; yea, all her families they have brought out,
and place them at the outside of the camp of Israel.
And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab,.... Not only
went into the city, but into Rahab's house, which they knew again by the
scarlet thread hung out at the window of it. But here a difficulty occurs, how
they could be said to go into her house, when it was built on the town wall, Joshua 2:15; and that
was now fallen down flat. Abarbinel thinks that when the spies went round the
city, they saw the scarlet thread in the window of her house, and set their
eyes on the house, or wistly observed it; and marked it in such manner, that
after the fall of the wall they went to the place of her house, and brought her
out, though her house was broken down, and no wall standing: but then they
could not be said properly to go into her house, and bring her out. Kimchi is
of opinion that not all the wall of the city fell, but what was over against
the camp of Israel; and that the house of Rahab was on the wall on the other
side: but it seems by the account of it as if the whole wall fell; and the
apostle says, "the walls of Jericho fell down", Hebrews 11:30; all
of them; and so the Septuagint version of Joshua 6:20."and
the whole wall, or all the wall fell round about:'and I see not why it may not
be thought that the whole wall fell, excepting that small part alone which
Rahab's house stood; and that standing alone would make the miracle the
greater, and show the divine approbation of saving Rahab and her family:
besides, if the wall sunk down in its place all around into the earth, as the
Jews understand the phrase; See Gill on Joshua 6:5; the
house might continue on it firm and unmoved, going down with it to the surface
of the earth, where it may be supposed the top of the wall was; and so they
might go in and take her out, and preserve her from being destroyed with the
rest of the inhabitants; and not only her:
but her father and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she
had; all other relations that were with her, particularly her
sisters, which are in her request, Joshua 2:13; with
all that appertained to her brethren and sisters, which is there expressed
also:
and they brought out all her kindred; before
mentioned, or if there were any other of her relations she had taken into her
house for safety; or "all her families"F5כל משפחותיה "omnes familias
ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version. , for her father's household
might be branched out into various families, and become numerous, and so be an
emblem of the number of Gentile sinners saved by Christ the antitype of Joshua:
and left them without the camp of Israel; until they,
became proselytes, and embraced the religion of Israel, as Kimchi remarks.
However, being Gentiles, some external rites and ceremonies were to be
performed upon them, as well as a declaration at least of their renouncing
idolatry was required of them, before they could be admitted into the camp of
Israel; and which was required even of a proselyte of the gate, or of one that
was only a sojourner among them.
Joshua 6:24 24 But they burned the city
and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the
vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
YLT
24And the city they have
burnt with fire, and all that [is] in it; only, the silver and the gold, and
the vessels of brass, and of iron, they have given [to] the treasury of the
house of Jehovah;
And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein,.... As
Babylon the great, of which this city was an emblem, as has been observed; see
Gill on Joshua 6:20; will
be burnt with fire also, Revelation 18:8,
only the silver and the gold, and the vessels of brass and iron,
they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord; See Gill on Joshua 6:19.
Joshua 6:25 25 And Joshua spared Rahab
the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in
Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out
Jericho.
YLT
25and Rahab the harlot, and
the house of her father, and all whom she hath, hath Joshua kept alive; and she
dwelleth in the midst of Israel unto this day, for she hid the messengers whom
Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
And Joshua saved Rahab the
harlot alive,.... From perishing by the sword, as the rest of the inhabitants
did. Kimchi says, some interpret it of his giving her food, and an inheritance
by which she might live; and JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 7.
intimates the same: he says, he gave her fields, and had her in great honour
and esteem; and it is the notion of some Jewish writers, that he took her to
wife, and that this is meant by saving her alive; which sense Kimchi
disapproves of, as being foreign; besides, it was not Joshua, but Salmon, a
prince in Israel, that married her, Matthew 1:5,
and her father's household, and all she had; that is, he
saved alive all her relations, and it may be her cattle, if she had any; and
those of her kindred also, as their sheep, oxen, and asses, when those of
others were killed, Joshua 6:21. Some
also understand this of intermarriages of principal persons in Israel with some
of her father's fairly; but it only signifies that their lives were spared,
when the whole city was destroyed with the edge of the sword:
and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; which may be
meant either personally of Rahab, who was living and dwelt in the land of
Canaan, when this history was written; and serves to strengthen the opinion
that Joshua was the writer of it, and to explain the meaning of the phrase
"unto this day", elsewhere used in this book; and to remove any
objection from it against his being the author of it; or else of her dwelling
there in her posterity, and so she might dwell in it unto the times of the
Messiah, who sprang from her, Matthew 1:5,
because she hid the messengers which Joshua, sent to spy out
Jericho; this was the reason of her and her father's family being saved
alive; See Gill on Joshua 6:17.
Joshua 6:26 26 Then Joshua charged them
at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up
and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn,
and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.”
YLT
26And Joshua adjureth [them]
at that time, saying, `Cursed [is] the man before Jehovah who raiseth up and
hath built this city, [even] Jericho; in his first-born he doth lay its
foundation, and in his youngest he doth set up its doors;'
And Joshua adjured them
at that time,.... When the city was burnt and spoiled; not that he adjured the
people individually, or one by one, which was not very practicable, but in a
general way:
saying, cursed be the man before the Lord; let him be
cursed by him with the curses written in the book of the law; and let him be
driven from him, from his presence, as Cain was:
that riseth up, and buildeth this city Jericho; that rises up
in future time, and rebuilds it; for it cannot be thought that after such an
adjuration anyone would start up quickly, and rebuild it:
he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his
youngest son shall he set up the gates of it; that is,
while he is laying, or as soon as he has laid the foundation of the city, his
eldest son should die; and as he went on with the building, other sons of his,
if he had more than two, should be taken away by death likewise; and by the
time he has finished it, signified by setting up the gates of it, both for
ornament and security, his youngest and last son should die also; so that his
whole posterity should be taken alway, as a curse of God upon him for
rebuilding the city; which was fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite, the rebuilder
of this city in the times of Ahab, five or six hundred years after this
adjuration was made, when either it was forgotten, or, however, little
regarded: Maimonides observesF7Maimon. Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c.
50. , that this was made that the miracle might remain in perpetual memory, for
whoever should see the wall sunk in the earth, it would be plain and clear to
him that this was not the form of a building demolished, but that it fell by a
miracle; and yet this city became a very flourishing one in later times; we
soon hear of the school of the prophets in it, 2 Kings 2:5; here,
StraboF8Geograph. l. 16. p. 525. says, was a royal palace, where, as
JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 17. c. 8. sect. 1. 2. relates, Herod died, and
who speaks of an amphitheatre and hippodrome in it; in this city sometimes the
sanhedrim sat, and a great number of the stationary priests dwelt, even half a
station, twelve thousand of them, all which is observed by Dr. LightfootF11Chorograph.
Cent. c. 47. ; our Lord himself honoured it with his presence, Luke 19:1.
Joshua 6:27 27 So the Lord was with Joshua,
and his fame spread throughout all the country.
YLT
27and Jehovah is with Joshua,
and his fame is in all the land.
So the Lord was with
Joshua,.... Counselling and directing him what to do, prospering and
succeeding him in all that he engaged; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord
was for the help of Joshua;'the essential Word, Christ the Son of God, called
the Captain of the Lord's host, Joshua 5:14; and
who, continued with him speaking to him and giving him orders, Joshua 6:2,
and his fame was noised throughout all the country; for his
wisdom and courage, for the wonderful things done for him and by him, and the
great success that attended him, through the power and presence of God with
him; which struck terror into the inhabitants of the land, and made his
conquest of it the more easy.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》