CHAPTER 6

1 And Jericho was closed, and was shut up because of the children of Israel, nor could any one go out or come in.

2 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Behold, I have delivered into thy hand Jericho, and its king, and its men of valor.

3 You shall therefore compass the city, all the men of war, going round it once: thus shall thou do six days.

4 Moreover, seven priests shall bear seven rams’ horns before the ark: But on the seventh day you shall compass the city seven times, and let the priests themselves sound with the trumpets.

5 And when they shall have prolonged the sound with the ram’s horn, as soon as you shall have heard the sound of the trumpet, the whole people will shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall to pieces (under itself): and the people will go up every one from his own place.

6 Accordingly Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests take seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of Jehovah.

7 He said also to the people, Pass over, and go round the city, and let every man armed go before the ark of the Lord.

8 And it was after Joshua spoke to the people, seven priests bore seven trumpets of rams’ horns, and passing over before the ark of Jehovah sounded with the trumpets. And the ark of the covenant of Jehovah followed them.

9 And every man armed went before the priests sounding with the trumpets; and he who brought up the rear followed the ark while going and sounding with the trumpets.

10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, You shall not shout, neither will you let your voice be heard, neither will a word proceed from your mouth, until the day when I shall have said to you, Shout: then shall you shout.

11 The ark of Jehovah therefore compassed the city, going round once, and they returned to the camp; and they remained there.

12 Joshua rose again in the morning, and the priests bore the ark of Jehovah.

13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram’s horn preceded the ark of Jehovah in going; and they sounded with the trumpets. But he that was armed preceded them, and he who brought up the rear followed the ark of Jehovah in going, and in sounding with the trumpets.

14 They accordingly compassed the city on the second day another time, and returned to the camp; thus did they six days.

15 But when the seventh day arrived, they rose up as soon as it was dawn, and they went round the city after the same manner seven times; only on that day they went round the city seven times.

16 And on the seventh time when the priests sounded with the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout, Jehovah has delivered you the city.

17 And the city will be anathema (set apart) to Jehovah, it and whatever things are in it; only Rahab, the harlot, shall live, she and all who shall be at home with her; because she concealed the messengers whom we sent.

18 Nevertheless, beware you of the anathema, lest perhaps you touch something of the anathema, and take away of the anathema, and make the camp of Israel anathema, and trouble it.

19 But all the silver and gold, and the iron and brazen vessels, will be holiness to Jehovah; they will go into Jehovah’s treasury.

20 The people accordingly shouted after they sounded with the trumpets. For when the people had heard the noise of the trumpets, they shouted with a very great shout, and the wall fell down, and the people went up, every one from his place, and they took it.

21 And they destroyed all things which were in the city, from the man even to the woman, from the boy even to the old man, to the ox, and the sheep, and the ass, by the edge of the sword.

22 But to the two men who had explored the land Joshua said, Go into the house of the woman, the harlot, and thence lead out her and whatever she has, as you have sworn to her.

23 The spies, therefore, having gone in, led out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and whatever she had, and led out her whole kindred, and placed them without the camp of Israel.

24 But they consumed the city with fire, and every thing therein; only the gold and silver, the brazen and iron vessels, they placed in the treasury of the house of Jehovah.

25 Therefore Rahab the harlot, and the house of her father, and whatever she had, Joshua caused to live; and she dwelt in the midst of Israel even to this day, because she had concealed the messengers whom Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho.

26 And Joshua made an adjuration at that time, saying, Cursed before Jehovah be the man who shall rise to build that city Jericho. In his first-born shall he found it, and in his younger son shall he set up its gates.

27 And Jehovah was with Joshua, and his fame was in the whole land.