Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 6:15
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 on that day they compassed the city seven times.
15. about the dawning of the day ] On this day the circuit had to be made seven times, and therefore the march had to be commenced very early.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
On the seventh day – Most probably a Sabbath day. The rising early would be necessary to give time for encompassing the city seven times. Jericho appears to have been a city of considerable size and population; and each passage of the large host round it could hardly have taken less than an hour and a half. Thus, with the necessary intervals of rest, the evening would be at hand when Joshua gave the signal to shout Jos 6:16; and the work of slaughter was probably commenced just as the hours of the Sabbath were passed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. The seventh day – they rose early] Because on this day they had to encompass the city seven times; a proof that the city could not have been very extensive, else this going round it seven times, and having time sufficient left to sack and destroy it, would have been impossible.
It is evident that in the course of these seven days there must have been a Sabbath, and that on this Sabbath the host must have encompassed the city as on the other days: the Jews themselves allow this, and Rab. De Kimchi says “He who had ordained the observance of the Sabbath commanded it to be broken for the destruction of Jericho.” But it does not appear that there could be any breach in the Sabbath by the people simply going round the city, the ark in company, and the priests sounding the sacred trumpets. This was a mere religious procession, performed at the command of God, in which no servile work was done. Therefore Marcion’s objection, that the God of the Hebrews showed a changeableness of disposition in commanding the Sabbath to be kept sacred at one time, and then to be broken at another, is without foundation; for I must contend that no breach took place on this occasion, unless it could be made to appear that the day on which Jericho was taken was the Sabbath which is very unlikely, and which none can prove. But if even this were to be conceded, it is a sufficient answer to all such cavils, that the God who commanded the Sabbath to be set apart for rest and religious purposes, has always authority to suspend for a season the operation of merely ceremonial laws, or to abrogate them entirely, when the purpose of their institution is fulfilled. The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
15. on the seventh day, that theyrose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city . . .seven timeson account of the seven circuits they had to makethat day. It is evident, however, that the militia only of theIsraelites had been called to the marchfor it is inconceivablethat two millions of people could have gone so frequently round thecity in a day.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it came to pass on the seventh day,…. Which Jarchi says was the Sabbath day, and which is a common notion of the Jews c; but whether it was or not, it is certain that one of these seven days must be a sabbath, in which the several things ordered were done, and the procession made. Kimchi observes, that their Rabbins say this was the sabbath day; and he adds, what is pretty remarkable,
“though they slew and burnt on the sabbath day, he that commanded the sabbath commanded to profane the sabbath in the subduing of Jericho;”
with which compare what our Lord says, Mt 12:3;
that they rose early, about the dawning of the day; having seven times the work to do they did on the other six days:
and compassed the city after the same manner seven times; after the same manner as they had done the six preceding days:
only on that day they compassed the city seven times; whereas on the other days they only went round it once, which distinguished this day from the rest.
c Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 312. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
15. And it came to pass on the seventh day, etc Here, also, God seemed, by leading the people so often round the city, not only to keep the matter in suspense, but purposely to sport with the miseries of the people, who were fatiguing themselves to no purpose. For why does he not order them suddenly to attack the city? Why does he keep them in their former silence, even to weariness, and not open their mouths to shout? But the happy fruit of this endurance teaches us, that there is nothing better than to leave the decisive moments and opportunities of acting at his disposal, and not, by our haste, anticipate his providence, in which, if we acquiesce not, we obstruct the course of his agency. Therefore, while the priests were sounding, God ordered a corresponding shout to be raised by the people, that in this way he might prove that he is not pleased with any impetuosity which men manifest at their own hands, but above all things requires a regulated zeal, of which the only rule is not to move either tongue, or feet, or hands, till he order. Here, the rams’ horns undoubtedly represented his authority.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
15. About the dawning of the day Here not only Joshua rises early, as in Jos 6:12, but also the whole army, because a great day’s work was before them. It is not to be supposed that the entire camp, several millions in number, marched together in this service, but it is probable that the entire military force was engaged.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And so it was on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and went round the city in the same way seven times, only on that day they went round the city seven times.’
This was not necessarily the Sabbath, but certainly one of the seven days must have been the Sabbath. Thus the Sabbath law was abrogated for this event. The sevenfold circling, the divinely perfect circling, was to demonstrate that the divine power of YHWH was now about to be revealed. This sevenfoldness would have had deep significance both for the Israelites and for the people shut up within the city. Once the men of the city realised that they were marching round seven times on the seventh day of marching the hearts of the men in the city would have grown cold within them. They would have realised that this fearsome God was about to act. And the men of Israel would have been aware of the same.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rahab Saved at the Overthrow of Jericho
v. 15. And it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early about the dawning of the day, v. 16. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, v. 17. And the city shall be accursed, v. 18. And ye, in any wise, v. 19. But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron are consecrated unto the Lord, v. 20. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets, v. 5. that the wall fell down flat, v. 21. And 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, v. 22. 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 woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her, v. 23. Arid the young men that were spies, v. 24. And they, v. 25. And Joshua saved Rahab, the harlot, alive, and her fathers household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day, v. 26. And Joshua adjured them, v. 27. So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Probably this was the Lord’s day; one of the seven clays must have been so; and as this was the glorious day of victory, it is more than probable that this might have been the very day. No doubt the whole process, both in the preceding six days, and now, seven times going round the walls on the seventh was intended for the exercise of the people ‘ s faith. And hence the Apostle next to the arm of Jesus, ascribes all the victory to this glorious principle, when he tells us, that it was by faith the walls fell down. Heb 11:30 . But I beg the Reader to remark with me, to what an exalted degree of faith, must the mind of Joshua have been carried, when, before a single stone fell, and exactly at finishing the seventh time of compassing the walls, he commanded the people, to shout. Dearest Jesus! what cannot a lively active faith in thy precious salvation, and the assurance of being interested in it, do? Had not Balaam this victory in contemplation, when he was constrained before the son of Zippor, to testify that the Lord his God was with Israel, and the shout of a king in his camp. Num 23:21 . And was not this shout, when commanded by the Lord, like the triumphs of faith answering to the promise of God, by the words of his ministers, as did the trumpets of the priests? I cannot dismiss this view of the subject without detaining the Reader just to observe, that an ancient writer upon the passage, hath very properly remarked, that as God’s people compass the walls of their enemies round about by faith, during the six days of their pilgrimage, and though they sometimes go heavily on, from the body of sin and death they carry about with them, none of the enemies’ entrenchments all the while seeming to give way; yet on the seventh day of salvation, when their God and Saviour shalt descend from heaven, with a shout and the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; the whole of Satan ‘ s kingdom shall then fall at once before our Jesus; and his people shall go up and enter in, to the everlasting possession of their Canaan! But, Reader, remember, that in all this there is nothing of human strength or human foresight. Every event in the circumstances of God’s people joins issue, with that voice, not by might tear by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. Zec 4:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 6:15 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 on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Ver. 15. They compassed the city seven times. ] In sign, saith one, a that the perseverance and continuance in faith and the actions thereof, at last obtaineth the victory: and that the nearer the end of the combat is, the more ought the faithful man to bestir him therein.
a Diodorus.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 6:15-21
15Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. 17The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. 19But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD. 20So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. 21They utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
Jos 6:17 the city shall be under the ban This is the word herem (BDB 356), which means devoted to God for destruction. It is the concept of holy war where everything in the city that breathed must die because it is given to God and, therefore, it becomes too holy for human use. The one exception is Rahab, the harlot, and her family, because of the help she gave to the spies and their oath in YHWH’s name to protect her.
Jos 6:18 keep yourselves from the things under the ban YHWH’s people must restrain (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERATIVE) themselves. Chapter 7 will describe the consequences of disobedience!
Jos 6:21 This is a description of holy war. It seems very cruel to us in our day, but one must remember that it was a common military practice in the day in which it was done (e.g., Moabite inscription from Mesha, KAI 181:17). It was also an act of divine judgment based on Gen 15:16. That which was given to YHWH became holy and could not be used by humans (cf. Lev 27:28-29).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
about the dawning: Psa 119:147, Mat 28:1, 2Pe 1:19
only on that day: Jos 6:4
Reciprocal: Exo 29:30 – seven days Jos 6:14 – General 1Ki 20:29 – seven days
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6:15 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 {k} seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
(k) Beside every day once for the space of six days.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The warriors and priests were to remain silent as they circled the city each time except the last. God evidently used this strategy to impress on the people of Jericho, as well as the Israelites, that the deliverance was not by human might or power. It was by the Spirit of the Lord (cf. Zec 4:6). He commanded the final shout on the seventh day to announce His destruction of the wall. It was a shout of victory and joy for the Israelites.
"To emphasize the divine intervention, no secondary causes for the collapse of the wall are mentioned. It would be no less a miracle were we to find that God used an earthquake to bring the walls down." [Note: Madvig, p. 281.]
The writer did not explain the reasons for Israel circling Jericho once a day for six days and then seven times the seventh day. This strategy did give the king of Jericho an opportunity to surrender. The uniqueness of this approach undoubtedly impressed everyone with the supernatural character of the victory. It involved almost incredible faith for the Israelites (Heb 11:30). There was probably also some significance to the number seven. This may have impressed the Israelites further that the victory was a complete work of God, following the pattern of the seven days of creation.
"The emphasis on the number seven (fourteen times in this chapter [cf. Exo 24:16; 2Ki 3:9; Job 2:11-13; Eze 3:15]), the use of ceremonial trumpets (made from ram’s horns), the presence of priests, and the prominence of the ark all indicate that the conquest of Jericho was more than a military campaign; it was a religious event. Israel must always remember that the land was God’s gift to them." [Note: Ibid., p. 278.]
"The significance of this repeated marching round the town culminates unquestionably in the ark of the covenant and the trumpet-blast of the priests who went before the ark. In the account before us the ark is constantly called the ark of the Lord, to show that the Lord, who was enthroned upon the cherubim of the ark, was going round the hostile town in the midst of His people; whilst in Jos 6:8 Jehovah himself is mentioned in the place of the ark of Jehovah." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, p. 69.]
Excavations at Jericho by John Garstang between 1930 and 1936, and more recently by Kathleen Kenyon between 1952 and 1958, have confirmed the collapse of the wall under itself as recorded. They also reveal that the invaders burned the city (Jos 6:24), though there was some disagreement between Garstang and Kenyon concerning when this took place. Garstang held that the collapse of the wall and the burning of the city took place at approximately the same time, as the text records. However, Kenyon believed the city burned at a much earlier date and fell at a much later date. [Note: See Kathleen Kenyon, The Bible and Recent Archaeology, pp. 10, 36-38.] After discussing the views of Garstang and Kenyon, Bruce Waltke concluded as follows.
"Although meager, yet the textual and the archaeological evidence regarding Jericho in Late Bronze IIA and B [1400-1200 B.C.] remarkably coincide, and once again the archaeological evidence suggests a conquest during the first quarter of the fourteenth century. Even more conclusive, however, is the evidence that the city was not occupied during the mid-thirteenth century B.C., thereby precluding the option of the commonly accepted late date for the Exodus [ca. 1280 B.C.]." [Note: Bruce K. Waltke, "Palestinian Artifactual Evidence Supporting the Early Date of the Exodus," Bibliotheca Sacra 129:513 (January-March 1972):42. See also Wood, pp. 44-59.]
"On the basis of the scarabs and pottery found in the cemetery associated with City IV in Jericho, it is impossible to date the fall of that city subsequent to 1400 B.C., despite all of the negative findings of Kathleen Kenyon (as we have previously shown). On the other hand, there are absolutely insurmountable objections to the Late Date Theory [ca. 1280 B.C.] on the basis of archaeological discovery." [Note: Gleason L. Archer, "Old Testament History and Recent Archaeology From Moses to David," Bibliotheca Sacra 127:506 (April-June 1970):108. See also Leon Wood, A Survey of Israel’s History, pp. 94-99, for a good discussion of the archaeology of Old Testament Jericho.]
There are some things about Jericho that archaeology has not revealed.
"Jericho is a classic example of incompleteness in the archaeological record caused by the depredations of man and nature combined where-as at Dibon-the literary record (here, the Old Testament) retains phases of history lost to the excavator." [Note: Kenneth Kitchen, The Bible In Its World, p. 89.]
"Archaeological research thus leaves confusion and unanswered questions for the present generation. This does not lead us to abandon archaeological research. It reminds us of the great difficulties which stand in our way when we seek to utilize discoveries for historical reconstruction. Archaeology can rarely name sites. Seldom, if ever, can it determine precisely who destroyed a site. It often cannot tell who occupied a site; it can place only relative dates on sites. Only rarely can it excavate an entire site and secure all the evidence." [Note: Butler, p. xxxviii. Cf. ibid., pp. 32-33. On the importance of regarding archaeological conclusions as tentative, see Eugene H. Merrill, "Palestinian Archaeology and the Date of the Conquest: Do Tells Tell Tales?" Grace Theological Journal 3:1 (Summer 1982):107-121; Idem, "Old Testament Archaeology: Its Promises and Pitfalls," Journal of Dispensational Theology 13:39 (August 2009):5-19; Larry G. Herr, "What Archaeology Can and Cannot Do," Ministry 56:2 (February 1983):28-29; and Edwin M. Yamauchi, "The Proofs, Problems and Promises of Biblical Archaeology," Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 36:3 (September 1984):129-38.]
Some Christians in recent years have taken to "prayer walking" in which they pray as they walk around a town asking God to save the residents. While modeled after the battle of Jericho, there are some significant differences. The Israelites marched around Jericho in response to a God-given directive to do so. Christians have no such command. In fact, we have been told to do something quite different: to proclaim the gospel to every creature as well as to pray for their salvation. God called the Israelites to announce bad news and to destroy Jericho, but He has called us to announce good news and to seek and save the lost. Whereas there is nothing wrong with walking around a town and praying for it, when this costs thousands of dollars, in some cases, and evangelism is not done, one wonders about the prudence of such an undertaking. Certainly we can and should pray for the lost, but there is no indication in Scripture that geographical proximity renders prayers more effective, though it may aid concentration in prayer. It might be better to stay home and pray, if we do not evangelize, and to spend our money equipping someone else to evangelize. Better still, go and do both: pray and evangelize.