The Way
The Walls Fall
Seven days of silence before the shout
Story
Afraid of the Israelites, Jericho had barred its gates tight. No one went in, and no one came out, and the morning sun shone on the empty walls. The Lord said to Joshua, See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and its warriors. But the way the Lord showed him was not the sword. It was walking.
Once a day for six days, seven priests carrying rams' horn trumpets went around the city ahead of the ark, blowing the trumpets. The people did not say a word. All that could be heard was the trumpets and the tramp of feet. On the seventh day, at daybreak, they circled the city seven times. When the trumpets sounded a long blast, Joshua cried out. Shout, for the Lord has given you this city. All the people raised a great shout, and the walls collapsed where they stood.
Every life in the city was devoted to destruction, and the silver and gold, bronze and iron went into the Lord's treasury, the text records, briefly and heavily. Only the house where the scarlet cord hung was different. At Joshua's word the two spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and all her family. The city burned, but Rahab lived, as had been promised, and from that day on she lived among Israel.
Walk this scene on the map →God's Words
See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and its warriors.
When the priests sound a long blast on the rams' horns and you hear it, have all the people give a great shout. Then the wall will collapse.
Shout! The Lord has given you the city.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Josh 6:1–27
Background
Archaeologists disagree about Jericho's fallen walls. In the 1930s Garstang argued for a destruction around 1400 BC, Kenyon held that there was no walled city at that time, and later some scholars again supported the earlier date.
Pause and Reflect
Even when I don't see any fruit right away, can I obey God's word?