Joshua 6:16

_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._ It came to pass at the seventh time. This delay, as was evidently the intention of the repeated circuits, brought out their faith and obedience in so remarkable a manner that it is celebrated by the apostle (Hebrews 11:30)....

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....

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 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....

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)_

THE SEVENTH TIME. Compare Hebrews 11:30....

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....

_VER._ 16. _AND—AT THE SEVENTH TIME—JOSHUA SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, SHOUT,_ &C.— This shouting might be made in a two-fold view. It might be designed to terrify the enemy, and to animate at the same time the Israelitish soldiery; and, doubtless, it was also to express the faith of the whole people, and the confidence wherewith they relied upon the divine promises. _By faith,_ says St. Paul, _the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about seven days._ Hebrews 11:30....

_The City Destroyed Joshua 6:12-21_ 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 rearward 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 sh