Joshua 6:15

_AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THAT THEY ROSE EARLY ABOUT THE DAWNING OF THE DAY, AND COMPASSED_ _ 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._ On the seventh day ... they rose early about the dawning of the day, х_ KA`ALOWT_ (H5927) _ HASHACHAR _ (H7837), at the rising of the morning dawn (cf. Genesis 19:15; Genesis 32:25; Genesis 32:27)] - on account of the seven circuits they had to make that day. It is evident, however, that the m

15._And it came to pass on the seventh day, _etc Here, also, God seemed, by leading the people so often round the city, not only to keep the matter in suspense, but purposely to sport with the miseries of the people, who were fatiguing themselves to no purpose. For why does he not order them suddenly to attack the city? Why does he keep them in their former silence, even to weariness, and not open their mouths to shout? But the happy fruit of this endurance teaches us, that there is nothing better than to leave the decisive moments and opportunities of acting at his disposal, and not, by our haste, anticipate his providence, in which, if we acquiesce not, we obstruct the course of his agency. Therefore, while the priests were sounding, God ordered a corresponding shout to be raised by the people, that in this way he might prove that he is not pleased with any impetuosity which men manife...

6-16 Wherever the ark went, the people attended it. God's ministers, by the trumpet of the everlasting gospel, which proclaims liberty and victory, must encourage the followers of Christ in their spiritual warfare. As promised deliverances must be expected in God's way, so they must be expected in his time. At last the people were to shout: they did so, and the walls fell. This was a shout of faith; they believed the walls of Jericho would fall. It was a shout of prayer; they cry to Heaven for help, and help came....

Verse Joshua 6:15. _THE SEVENTH DAY - THEY ROSE EARLY_] Because on this day they had to encompass the city seven times; a proof that the city could not have been very _extensive_, else this going round it seven times, and having time sufficient left to sack and destroy it, would have been impossible. It is evident that in the course of these seven days there must have been a _Sabbath_, and that on this Sabbath the host must have encompassed the city as on the other days: the Jews themselves allow this, and _Rab. De Kimchi_ says "He who had ordained the observance of the Sabbath commanded it to be broken for the destruction of Jericho." But it does not appear that there could be any _breach_ in the Sabbath by the people simply going round the city, the ark in company, and the priests sounding the sacred trumpets. This was a mere religious procession, per

ON THE SEVENTH DAY - Most probably a Sabbath day. The rising early would be necessary to give time for encompassing the city seven times. Jericho appears to have been a city of considerable size and population; and each passage of the large host round it could hardly have taken less than an hour and a half. Thus, with the necessary intervals of rest, the evening would be at hand when Joshua gave the signal to shout Joshua 6:16; and the work of slaughter was probably commenced just as the hours of the Sabbath were passed....

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

AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE SEVENTH DAY,.... Which Jarchi says was the Sabbath day, and which is a common notion of the Jews c; 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:...

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)_

Capture and Destruction of Jericho 6. _And Joshua_ In obedience to the commands thus received Joshua implicitly carries out the instructions given him and issues the needful orders to the host....