Joshua 6:1

_NOW JERICHO WAS STRAITLY SHUT UP BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: NONE WENT OUT, AND NONE CAME IN._ Now Jericho was straitly shut up, х_ WI-YªRIYCHOW_ (H3405) _ COGERET_ (H5462) _ UWMCUGERET_ (H5462)]. And Jericho had shut its gates, and was fast shut up; where the Qal seems to refer to the closing of the gates, and Pual as intens. to their being fastened with bolts and bars. [The Septuagint has: Kai Ierichoo sungkekleismenee kai oochuroomenee, and Jericho was shut together (i:e., closely shut up) and fortified. Hence, the Vulgate, Jericho autem clausa erat atque munita.] This verse is a parenthesis, introduced to prepare the way for the directions given by the Captain of the Lord's host....

1._Now Jericho was straitly shut up, _etc Jericho is said to be shut up, because the gates were not opened: as in time of war cities are guarded with more than usual care. It is added, by way of emphasis, that they were sealed, or locked up, (63) as if it were said that the inhabitants were attentive in watching, so as not to be taken by surprise. Hence, as it could not be taken by stratagem, the only hope of taking it was by open force. This tends to display the goodness of God to the children of Israel, who would have been worn out by a long and difficult siege, had not a substitute been early provided from heaven. Meanwhile there was a danger, lest being forced into a corner, they might be consumed by want and famine, as there was no means of obtaining food and provender in a hostile region. The Lord, therefore, that they might not sit down despondently before one city, assisted them...

1-5 Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master. It shut itself up, being strongly fortified both by art and nature. Thus were they foolish, and their hearts hardened to their destruction; the miserable case of all that strengthen themselves against the Almighty. God resolves Israel shall be its master, and that quickly. No warlike preparations were to be made. By the uncommon method of besieging the city, the Lord honoured the ark, as the symbol of his presence, and showed that all the victories were from him. The faith and patience of the people were proved and increased....

CHAPTER VI _The inhabitants of Jericho close their gates_, 1. _Continuation of the discourse between the captain of the Lord's_ _host and Joshua. He commands the people to march round the city_ _six days, the seven priests blowing with their trumpets; and to_ _give a general shout, while marching round it on the seventh,_ _and promises that then the walls of the city shall fall down_, 2-5. _Joshua delivers these directions to the priests and to the_ _people_, 6, 7. _The priests and people obey; the order of their procession_,...

This verse is strictly parenthetical. It is inserted to explain the declaration commenced Joshua 5:14, and interrupted by Joshua’s question and obeisance Joshua 5:14, but resumed in Joshua 6:2. STRAITLY SHUT UP - See the margin, i. e., not only shut, but barred and bolted....

EXPOSITION THE VICTORY.— JOSHUA 6:1 This verse (see above) is parenthetical. It explains why the captain of the Lord's host appeared unto Joshua. The inhabitants of Jericho, though in a state of the utmost alarm, were nevertheless fully on their guard against the children of Israel. The commencement of hostilities imposed a great responsibility on Joshua. Success at the outset was, humanly speaking, indispensable. We may see what defeat involved for him by his distress in consequence of the check at Ai. The alternative was victory or annihilation, for the Israelites had no homes or fortresses to which they could retire. Joshua was therefore encouraged by a visible proof that he was under the protection of the Most High, to be yet farther assured by the marvels that were to follow. The use of the Pual participle with its

NOW JERICHO WAS STRAITLY SHUT UP, BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... Or "it shut up", or "was shutting, and was shut up" u; 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. u סגרת ומסגרת "claudens et clausa", Montanus, Vatablus....

6. THE FALL OF JERICHO CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The divine instruction (Joshua 6:1)_ 2. The instructions followed (Joshua 6:6) 3. The fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:20) 4. Rahab remembered (Joshua 6:22) 5. The curse upon Jericho (Joshua 6:26) We do not enlarge upon the history of the chapter, which needs no comment. The fall of Jericho by the power of God, as described in this chapter, has also been ridiculed by infidels. Others have tried to explain the occurrence in a natural way. It has been said that the marching Israelites, b

JOSHUA 5:13 TO JOSHUA 6:27. THE CAPTURE OF JERICHO. The narrative begins at Joshua 5:13; Joshua 6:1 is an insertion (observe that RV places it in brackets), so that Joshua 6:2 should immediately follow Joshua 5:15. The captain of Yahweh's host is therefore Yahweh Himself. In the rest of the chapter we have a composite narrative, so skilfully compiled that at first sight there is not much fault to find. Closer inspection, however, shows that there are two signals for the fall of the walls (_a)_

WAS STRAITLY SHUT UP. Hebrew "was shutting up and was shut up". Figure of speech _Polyptoton_ (App-6) for emphasis, thus beautifully rendered. See note on Genesis 26:28. CHILDREN. sons....