The big picture
Joshua 6 opens in verse 1 with “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did…”, and closes in verse 27 with “So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” Repeated or prominent terms include city, LORD, priests, trumpets, Joshua. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Joshua · King James Version · 27Joshua 6:1-7
1–7: Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none…
Joshua 6:1–7 opens with “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came…” and reaches “And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The seven-day procession around Jericho, trumpets sounding, walls falling, and Rahab’s household preserved, with particular weight carried by city, seven, priests.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.” Naming Israel and Jericho keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of…” Naming Jericho and Joshua keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Joshua 6:1-7
King James Version1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
4And 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.
5And 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.
6And 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 .
7And 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 .
Joshua 6:8-14
8–14: It came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven…
Joshua 6:8–14 opens with “And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the…” and reaches “And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The seven-day procession around Jericho, trumpets sounding, walls falling, and Rahab’s household preserved, with particular weight carried by trumpets, LORD, priests.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include priests, trumpets, armed. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Joshua 6:8-14
King James Version8And 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.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
12And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD .
13And 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.
14And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
Joshua 6:15-21
15–21: It came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the…
Joshua 6:15–21 opens with “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and…” and reaches “And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The seven-day procession around Jericho, trumpets sounding, walls falling, and Rahab’s household preserved, with particular weight carried by city, people, accursed.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
“And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD : only Rahab the harlot shall live, she…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Joshua 6:15-21
King James Version15And 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.
16And 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.
17And 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.
18And 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.
19But 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 .
20So 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.
21And 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.
Joshua 6:22-27
22–27: Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into…
Joshua 6:22–27 opens with “But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house…” and reaches “So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The seven-day procession around Jericho, trumpets sounding, walls falling, and Rahab’s household preserved, with particular weight carried by Joshua, LORD, city.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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 promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren…” Naming Israel and Rahab keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass…” The line’s distinctive content terms include brass, burnt, city. Its relationship to verses 23 and 25 shows what work it does in this passage.
Joshua 6:22-27
King James Version22But 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.
23And 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.
24And 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 .
25And 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.
26And 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.
27So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Joshua 6:1 begins with “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.”
Where the chapter turns
Joshua 6:15 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Joshua 6:27 leaves the reader with “So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words city, LORD, priests, trumpets, Joshua, seven help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What repeated description explains the judgment?
The earth is corrupt and filled with violence, especially in verses 11-13.
What does obedience look like here?
Detailed preparation, gathering provisions and constructing what God commands.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
- lest
- so that something does not happen
- kindred
- extended family or people
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.