Joshua 6:9

_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._ The armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark. This disposition was conformed to the marching arrangement of the Egyptians, among whom, when a body of troops marched to the beat of drum, the drummer was often stationed in the center or the rear, and sometimes immediately behind the standard-bearers (Wilkinson's 'Ancient Egyptians,' 2:, p. 268). "The armed men" referred to in the text were the contingents furnished by the eastern tribes (cf. Joshua 4:13), while "the rereward" consisted of warriors from the other tribes. The procession was made in deed and solemn silence, conformably to the instructions given to the people by their leader at the outset, that they

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 6:9. _THE REREWARD CAME AFTER THE ARK_] The word מאסף _measseph_, from אסף _asaph_, to _collect_ or _gather up_, may signify either the _rereward_, as our translation understands it, or the people who carried the baggage of the army; for on the seventh day this was necessary, as much fighting might be naturally expected in the assault, and they would need a supply of arms, darts, c., as well as conveniences for those who might happen to be wounded: or the persons here intended might be such as carried the sacred articles belonging to the ark, or merely such people as might follow in the procession, without observing any particular _order_. The Jews think the division of Dan is meant, which always brought up the rear. See Numbers 10:25....

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 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

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)_

WENT. marching. REREWARD. the main or central body. Compare Numbers 10:25. CAME. marched. GOING. marching....

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._ 7-9. _AND HE SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, PASS ON_— We apprehend, that it was not only the soldiers who formed this procession, but that all the people joined in it; that the armed men went before the ark; and that after it came the rest of the people, making as it were the _rear-ward._ It is certain, however, that Onkelos, and the Rabbis Solomon, Jarchi, and Kimchi, understand by the _rear-ward,_ the single tribe of Dan, which was thus appointed, Numbers 10:25.; and they suppose, that before the ark went armed only the troops of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasseh. But we keep to our version, which follows the LXX and Vulgate. The Hebrew word ףּמאס _measeph,_ which we translate _rear-ward,_ signifies, literally, _gathered up; i.e._ that company which closed the march, and collected together all that belonged to the procession. W