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Forsooth Jericho was (en)closed and warded, for the dread of the sons of Israel (for fear of the Israelites), and no man durst enter, either go out.

And the Lord said to Joshua, Lo! I have given into thine hands Jericho (Lo! I have given Jericho into thy hands), and the king thereof, and all the strong men of it.

All ye fighters, compass the city once by the day; so ye shall do in six days (so ye shall do for six days).

And in the seventh day, the priests shall take seven clarions, which be used in the jubilee; and they shall go before the ark of [the] bond of peace; and seven times ye shall compass the city, and the priests shall trump with the clarions. (And on the seventh day, the priests shall take seven trumpets, which be used on the Jubilee; and they shall go before the Ark of the Covenant; and seven times ye shall go around the city, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.)

And when the voice of the trump shall sound longer, and more by whiles, and shall sound in your ears, all the people shall cry together with (the) greatest cry; and the walls of the city shall fall all-down (and the city walls shall all fall down), and all (the) men shall enter by the place, against which they stand.

Therefore Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said to them, Take ye the ark of the bond of peace, and seven other priests take they seven clarions of the jubilee years, and go they before the ark of the Lord. (And so Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said to them, Take ye the Ark of the Covenant, and seven other priests take they seven trumpets used in the Jubilee years, and go they before the Ark of the Lord.)

Also Joshua said to the people, Go ye, and compass ye the city, and go ye armed before the ark of the Lord. (And Joshua said to the people, Go ye, and go ye around the city, and go ye armed before the Ark of the Lord.)

And when Joshua had ended these words, and the seven priests trumped with seven trumps before the ark of the bond of peace of the Lord, (And when Joshua had finished speaking, the seven priests blew the seven trumpets before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord,)

and all the people armed went before, and the tother common people of fighters followed the ark, and all things sounded with the trumps. (and all the armed men went before them, and the other common people of fighting men followed the Ark, and everything echoed with the sound of the trumpets.)

10 And Joshua commanded to the people, and said, Ye shall not cry, neither your voice shall be heard, neither any word shall go out of your mouth, till the day come, in which I shall say to you, Cry ye, and (then) make ye noise.

11 Therefore the ark of the Lord compassed the city once by the day, and it turned again into the tents, and dwelled there. (And so they took the Ark of the Lord around the city once that day, and then they returned to their tents, or the camp, and stayed there.)

12 Therefore while Joshua rose early in the morrowtide, [the] priests took the ark of the Lord; (And the next day, Joshua rose up early in the morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord;)

13 and seven of the priests took seven clarions, which were used in the jubilee, and the priests went before the ark of the Lord, and trumped; and the people went armed before them. And the tother common people followed the ark, and sounded with trumps. (and seven of the priests took up seven trumpets, which were used on the Jubilee, and they went before the Ark of the Lord, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them. And the other common people followed the Ark, the trumpets sounding as they went.)

14 And they compassed the city in the second day once, and turned again into the tents; so they did six days. (And they went around the city once on the second day, and then they returned to their tents; and so they did for six days.)

15 And in the seventh day they rose early, and compassed the city, as it was ordained, seven times. (And on the seventh day they all rose up early, and went around the city, as it was ordained, seven times.)

16 And when in the seventh compass, the priests sounded with clarions, Joshua said to all Israel, Cry ye, for the Lord hath betaken the city to us; (And on the seventh time around, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to all Israel, Shout ye, for the Lord hath delivered the city to us;)

17 and this city be cursed, either destroyed, and all things that be therein be hallowed to the Lord. (Let) Rahab the whore alone live, with all the men that be with her in the house; for she hid the messengers which we sent (for she hid the spies that we sent).

18 And be ye ware, lest ye touch anything of these [things] that be forbidden to you, and ye be guilty of trespassing; and all the tents of Israel be under sin, and be troubled (for then all the tents of Israel would be under sin, and we would be in great trouble).

19 For whatever thing is of gold, and of silver, and of brazen vessels, and of iron (vessels), be it hallowed to the Lord, and be it kept in his treasuries.

20 Then while all the people cried, and the trumps sounded, after that the sound sounded in the ears of the multitude, the walls felled down anon; and each man went up by the place that was against him. And they took the city, (Then while the trumpets sounded, and were heard in the ears of the multitude, all the people shouted, and the walls fell down at once; and each man advanced straight ahead. And they took the city,)

21 and they killed all things that were therein, from man unto woman, (and) from a young child unto an eld man; also they killed by sharpness of sword, oxen, sheep, and asses (and they killed by the sharpness of their swords, all the oxen, and the sheep, and the donkeys).

22 Forsooth Joshua said to [the] two men, that were sent (as) spyers, Enter ye into the house of the woman whore, and bring ye forth her, and all things that be hers, as ye made steadfast to her by an oath. (And Joshua said to the two men, who were sent as spies, Go ye into the house of the whore-woman, and bring ye her forth, and all the things that be hers, as ye made steadfast to her, that is, as ye promised her, by your oath.)

23 And the young men entered in, and they led out Rahab, and her father, and mother, and all her brethren, and all the purtenance of her, and kindred; and they made them to dwell without the tents of Israel. (And the young men went in, and they led out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and all her brothers, and sisters, yea, all her family, and all who belonged to her; and they let them live outside Israel’s camp.)

24 And the men of Israel burnt the city, and all things that were found therein, except [the] gold, and silver, and brazen vessels, and iron (vessels), which they hallowed into the treasury of the Lord (which they put in the Lord’s treasury).

25 Soothly Joshua made Rahab the whore to live, and her father’s house(hold), and all things that she had; and they dwelled in the midst of Israel, unto this present day; for she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to espy Jericho. (And Joshua spared the lives of Rahab the whore, and her family, and all who belonged to her; and her descendants have lived in the midst of Israel unto this present day; for she hid the men, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.)

26 In that time Joshua prayed heartily, and said, Cursed before the Lord be the man, that raiseth up and buildeth (again) the city of Jericho! Lay he the foundaments thereof in his first engendered son, and put he the gates thereof in the last of his free children. (And at that time Joshua heartily prayed, and said, Cursed be the man before the Lord, who raiseth up and buildeth again this city of Jericho! May he lay its foundations at the cost of the life of his first-born son, and may he put up its gates at the cost of the life of his last child.)

27 Therefore the Lord was with Joshua, and his name was published in each land. (And so the Lord was with Joshua, and his name was made known throughout the land.)

Now the gates of Jericho(A) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered(B) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns(C) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.(D) When you hear them sound a long blast(E) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;(F) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”(G) And he ordered the army, “Advance(H)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark(I) of the Lord.”

When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard(J) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!(K) 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.(L) 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!(M) 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[a](N) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute(O) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid(P) the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things,(Q) so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction(R) and bring trouble(S) on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(T) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

20 When the trumpets sounded,(U) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,(V) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.(W) 21 They devoted(X) the city to the Lord and destroyed(Y) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

22 Joshua said to the two men(Z) who had spied out(AA) the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.(AB) 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her.(AC) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

24 Then they burned the whole city(AD) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(AE) into the treasury of the Lord’s house.(AF) 25 But Joshua spared(AG) Rahab the prostitute,(AH) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho(AI)—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:(AJ) “Cursed(AK) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

“At the cost of his firstborn son
    he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
    he will set up its gates.”(AL)

27 So the Lord was with Joshua,(AM) and his fame spread(AN) throughout the land.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 18 and 21.

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.

And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.

And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

11 So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.

13 And 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 rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.

17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.

20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.

25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

27 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.