Joshua 6, Odd Strategy, Amazing Results! Series

Introduction: Israel, by now, had crossed the Jordan River and were staying at Gilgal for the moment. The men of Israel had undergone circumcision, following the Law, and had celebrated their first Passover in the Promised Land.

But Israel was never intended to remain packed in one small area, like Gilgal. The vast majority of the Promised Land was still under enemy control; even so, the LORD had promised Israel victory once they got started and followed His commands. This chapter has the record of Israel’s first victory in the Promised Land.

The prologue: The LORD’s commands to Joshua

Text, Joshua 6:1-5, KJV: 1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And 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. 5 And 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.

It’s important to link the last few verses of chapter 5 with these verses here. The Captain of the Hosts of the Lord had appeared to Joshua, and Joshua had worshiped Him just like Moses did when he saw the burning bush (Exodus 3). Now, the Captain is described as the LORD Himself and He giving Joshua the strategy to defeat Jericho, the first city Israel dealt with in Canaan.

And speaking of the strategy, none of it would make sense to any military commander. During Bible times, the strategy of conquest was either siege warfare, camping outside an enemy city and just staying there until the people inside the city either starved or surrendered; or, use any physical means necessary to enter a city and destroy as much as possible.

Later, as was the case with Nineveh and Babylon, rivers were either diverted or reached such a flood stage that the water ruined the walls. Nahum’s book gives a glimpse of what happened to Nineveh, and Adam Clarke cites Xenophon and Herodotus (Greek historians) regarding the last moments of Babylon (https://bibleportal.com/commentary/chapter/adam-clarke/daniel/5) as does Albert Barnes (https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/albert-barnes-notes-on-the-whole-bible/27134) in his Notes, especially the introduction to chapter 5. Benson’s commentary on Daniel 5:30 adds more light (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/daniel/5.htm)

But Joshua was not to use any conventional or even logical, to man’s understanding, when time came to conquer Jericho. The LORD made it simple to understand and even more simple to follow: walk around the city one time for six days, then on Day 7 walk around the city seven times, have the priests make a long blast on the rams’ horn trumpets, then have the people shout with a loud voice. The walls will fall down and Jericho will be conquered.

It’s not mentioned here, but my opinion is that the Captain, the LORD, left Joshua’s presence soon after giving these instructions. The time for strategy and planning was over.

It was time to get moving.

1 The six-day strategy.

Text, Joshua 6:6-14, KJV: 6 And 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. 7 And 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. 8 And 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. 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. 10 And 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. 11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

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 rereward 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.