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6:1 Jericho autem clausa erat atque munita, timore filiorum Israel, et nullus egredi audebat aut ingredi.
Now Jericho was close shut up and fenced, for fear of the children of Israel, and no man durst go out or come in.
A.M. 2553, A.C. 1451.
6:2 Dixitque Dominus ad Josue : Ecce dedi in manu tua Jericho, et regem ejus, omnesque fortes viros.
*H And the Lord said to Josue: Behold I have given into thy hands Jericho, and the king thereof, and all the valiant men.


Ver. 2. The Lord, in the person of the angel, who appeared to Josue, as he was praying in silent meditation, or reconnoitring the city of Jericho. C. v. 13. H. — Men. People of the different nations had come to defend the city. C. xxiv. 11.

6:3 Circuite urbem cuncti bellatores semel per diem : sic facietis sex diebus.
*H Go round about the city all ye fighting men once a day: so shall ye do for six days.


Ver. 3. Men. These went first. Afterwards the priests bore the ark, which was followed by all the people. C. — The procession began on a Sunday. Rabbins.

6:4 Septimo autem die, sacerdotes tollant septem buccinas, quarum usus est in jubilaeo, et praecedant arcam foederis : septiesque circuibitis civitatem, et sacerdotes clangent buccinis.
*H And on the seventh day the priests shall take the seven trumpets, which are used in the jubilee, and shall go before the ark of the covenant: and you shall go about the city seven times, and the priests shall sound the trumpets.


Ver. 4. Jubilee. Num. x. 2. The number seven, is often used to express an indefinite number. But here a particular stress is laid upon it. See Masius. As, on the 7th year the Hebrews regained the possessions which they had sold: so now they assert their rights to the land of Chanaan. The sound of the trumpets announced joyful tidings to them. M.

6:5 Cumque insonuerit vox tubae longior atque concisior, et in auribus vestris increpuerit, conclamabit omnis populus vociferatione maxima, et muri funditus corruent civitatis, ingredienturque singuli per locum contra quem steterint.
*H And when the voice of the trumpet shall give a longer and broken tune, and shall sound in your ears, all the people shall shout together with a very great shout, and the walls of the city shall fall to the ground, and they shall enter in every one at the place against which they shall stand.


Ver. 5. Tune, with certain modulations, continued for a long time. Num. x. 5. H. — Ground. The Rabbins say they sink in, so that the ruins might not impede the march of the army. Some think only a large breach was made, opposite to the Israelites, as the house of Rahab upon the walls was preserved. C.

6:6 Vocavit ergo Josue filius Nun sacerdotes, et dixit ad eos : Tollite arcam foederis : et septem alii sacerdotes tollant septem jubilaeorum buccinas, et incedant ante arcam Domini.
Then Josue, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said to them: Take the ark of the covenant: and let seven other priests take the seven trumpets of the jubilee, and march before the ark of the Lord.
6:7 Ad populum quoque ait : Ite, et circuite civitatem, armati, praecedentes arcam Domini.
*H And he said to the people: Go, and compass the city, armed, marching before the ark of the Lord.


Ver. 7. He said. Some MSS. and Heb. editions have, "they said," though the points shew it must be singular, whatever Michaelis may object in favour of the Masora. Leusden foolishly admits here a double literal sense. Ken. H.

6:8 Cumque Josue verba finisset, et septem sacerdotes septem buccinis clangerent ante arcam foederis Domini,
And when Josue had ended his words, and the seven priests blew the seven trumpets before the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
6:9 omnisque praecederet armatus exercitus, reliquum vulgus arcam sequebatur, ac buccinis omnia concrepabant.
And all the armed men went before, the rest of the common people followed the ark, and the sound of the trumpets was heard on all sides.
6:10 Praeceperat autem Josue populo, dicens : Non clamabitis, nec audietur vox vestra, neque ullus sermo ex ore vestro egredietur, donec veniat dies in quo dicam vobis : Clamate, et vociferamini.
But Josue had commanded the people, saying: You shall not shout, nor shall your voice be heard, nor any word go out of your mouth: until the day come wherein I shall say to you: Cry, and shout.
6:11 Circuivit ergo arca Domini civitatem semel per diem, et reversa in castra mansit ibi.
*H So the ark of the Lord went about the city once a day, and returning into the camp, abode there.


Ver. 11. There. This singular procession served to exercise the obedience of the people, and to teach them to despise the enemy, who durst not come out to attack them, though many were unarmed. C.

6:12 Igitur Josue de nocte consurgente, tulerunt sacerdotes arcam Domini,
And Josue rising before day, the priests took the ark of the Lord,
6:13 et septem ex eis septem buccinas, quarum in jubilaeo usus est : praecedebantque arcam Domini ambulantes atque clangentes : et armatus populus ibat ante eos, vulgus autem reliquum sequebatur arcam, et buccinis personabat.
And seven of them seven trumpets, which are used in the jubilee: and they went before the ark of the Lord, walking and sounding the trumpets: and the armed men went before them, and the rest of the common people followed the ark, and they blew the trumpets.
6:14 Circuieruntque civitatem secundo die semel, et reversi sunt in castra. Sic fecerunt sex diebus.
And they went round about the city the second day once, and returned into the camp. So they did six days.
6:15 Dies autem septimo, diluculo consurgentes, circuierunt urbem, sicut dispositum erat, septies.
*H But the seventh day, rising up early, they went about the city, as it was ordered, seven times.


Ver. 15. Seventh day. The Jews say it was the sabbath; but of this there is no proof. Marcion hence took occasion to accuse God of inconsistency, as he forbad all working, and yet ordered the people to go round Jericho on a sabbath day. But Tertullian (iv. 12,) answers very well, that servile work is forbidden, and not the works of God or of religion, and God may change the ceremonial law as he thinks proper. C. — Sabbato opera humana prohibentur non divina. D.

6:16 Cumque septimo circuitu clangerent buccinis sacerdotes, dixit Josue ad omnem Israel : Vociferamini : tradidit enim vobis Dominus civitatem.
*H And when in the seventh going about the priests sounded with the trumpets, Josue said to all Israel: Shout: for the Lord hath delivered the city to you:


Ver. 16. Said, or "had said," when he gave the people the sound of the trumpet for a sign (H.) when they were to shout, v. 5. He probably gave the regulations respecting the plunder of the city, before the army left the camp. C.

6:17 Sitque civitas haec anathema, et omnia quae in ea sunt, Domino : sola Rahab meretrix vivat, cum universis qui cum ea in domo sunt : abscondit enim nuntios quos direximus.
*H And let this city be an anathema, and all things that are in it, to the Lord. Let only Rahab, the harlot, live, with all that are with her in the house: for she hid the messengers whom we sent.


Ver. 17. An anathema. That is, a thing accursed and devoted to utter destruction. Ch. — Only the metal that was found, was consecrated to the Lord, (v. 19,) and the family of Rahab saved. In devoting things, the person who laid on the curse, might extend its operation as he pleased. On some occasions, all was to be destroyed; on others, some things were preserved. Deut. ii. 34. Lev. xxvii. 21. C. — This first city, which the Israelites attacked, was treated with peculiar severity, to terrify the rest.

* Footnote * Hebrews 11 : 31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.
6:18 Vos autem cavete ne de his, quae praecepta sunt, quippiam contingatis, et sitis praevaricationis rei, et omnia castra Israel sub peccato sint atque turbentur.
*H But beware ye lest you touch ought of those things that are forbidden, and you be guilty of transgression, and all the camp of Israel be under sin, and be troubled.


Ver. 18. Forbidden, transgression, sin. Heb. has always anathema. H.

6:19 Quidquid autem auri et argenti fuerit, et vasorum aeneorum ac ferri, Domino consecretur, repositum in thesauris ejus.
*H But whatsoever gold or silver there shall be, or vessels of brass and iron, let it be consecrated to the Lord, laid up in his treasures.


Ver. 19. Treasures, probably in the tabernacle. See Num. xxxi. 48. God claims the first-fruits of the booty, as an acknowledgment that he granted the victory, (C.) and all the riches of the country, to his people. H.

6:20 Igitur omni populo vociferante, et clangentibus tubis, postquam in aures multitudinis vox sonitusque increpuit, muri illico corruerunt : et ascendit unusquisque per locum qui contra se erat : ceperuntque civitatem,
So all the people making a shout, and the trumpets sounding, when the voice and the sound thundered in the ears of the multitude, the walls forthwith fell down: and every man went up by the place that was over against him: and they took the city,
* Footnote * Hebrews 11 : 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.
6:21 et interfecerunt omnia quae erant in ea, a viro usque ad mulierem, ab infante usque ad senem. Boves quoque et oves et asinos in ore gladii percusserunt.
And killed all that were in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also, and the sheep, and the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.
6:22 Duobus autem viris, qui exploratores missi fuerant, dixit Josue : Ingredimini domum mulieris meretricis, et producite eam, et omnia quae illius sunt, sicut illi juramento firmastis.
But Josue said to the two men that had been sent for spies: Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out, and all things that are hers, as you assured her by oath.
6:23 Ingressique juvenes eduxerunt Rahab, et parentes ejus, fratres quoque, et cunctam supellectilem ac cognationem illius, et extra castra Israel manere fecerunt.
*H And the young men went in, and brought out Rahab, and her parents, her brethren also, and all her goods, and her kindred, and made them to stay without the camp.


Ver. 23. Men. Heb. "boys;" a name given to people advanced in years. — Camp. A respect for the majesty of God, would not permit the Israelites to introduce unbelievers into the camp. They were first instructed, and then the men were circumcised, and the women received baptism. C.

* Footnote * Hebrews 11 : 31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.
6:24 Urbem autem, et omnia quae erant in ea, succenderunt, absque auro et argento, et vasis aeneis, ac ferro, quae in aerarium Domini consecrarunt.
But they burned the city, and all things that were therein; except the gold and silver, and vessels of brass and iron, which they consecrated unto the treasury of the Lord. _
6:25 Rahab vero meretricem, et domum patris ejus, et omnia quae habebat, fecit Josue vivere, et habitaverunt in medio Israel, usque in praesentem diem : eo quod absconderit nuntios, quos miserat ut explorarent Jericho. In tempore illo, imprecatus est Josue, dicens :
*H But Josue saved Rahab the harlot, and her father's house, and all she had, and they dwelt in the midst of Israel until this present day: because she hid the messengers whom he had sent to spy out Jericho. At that time, Josue made an imprecation, saying:


Ver. 25. Day. Rahab prefigured the wild olive tree, which S. Paul says was engrafted on the good olive tree, (Rom. xi. 24,) and which will remain till the end of the world. Theod. q. 8. She married Salmon, of the tribe of Juda, and became the ancestor of David and of the Messias. C.

6:26 Maledictus vir coram Domino, qui suscitaverit et aedificaverit civitatem Jericho. In primogenito suo fundamenta illius jaciat, et in novissimo liberorum ponat portas ejus.
*H Cursed be the man before the Lord, that shall raise up and build the city of Jericho. In his firstborn may he lay the foundation thereof, and in the last of his children set up its gates.


Ver. 26. Cursed, &c. Jericho, in the mystical sense, signifies iniquity; the sounding of the trumpets by the priests, signifies the preaching of the word of God; by which the walls of Jericho are thrown down, when sinners are converted: and a dreadful curse will light on them who build them up again. Ch. — Gates. Some copies of the Sept. insert here that the curse fell upon Azan (Hiel) of Bethel, 3 K. xvi. 34. Before his time, there was a city of palm-trees, or Jericho, built in the neighbourhood. Joseph. Bel. v. 4. Though Hiel was so severely punished, no one made any scruple to live there. Elias and Jesus Christ himself honoured the place with their presence. The city is now almost in ruins, and the territory uncultivated. Ancient history mentions similar imprecations against obnoxious cities. Thus the Romans cursed the rebuilders of Carthage, and Agamemnon followed "the ancient custom," says Strabo, (xiii.) laying a curse upon those who should rebuild the city of Troy. The Ionians and Greeks forbad those temples to be re-established, which the Persians had destroyed, that they might remain eternal monuments of the impiety of the latter, and of the hatred which subsisted between the two nations. Pausanias in Phoc. C.

* Footnote * 3_Kings 16 : 34 In his days Hiel, of Bethel, built Jericho: in Abiram, his firstborn, he laid its foundations: and in his youngest son, Segub, he set up the gates thereof: according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke in the hand of Josue, the son of Nun.
6:27 Fuit ergo Dominus cum Josue, et nomen ejus vulgatum est in omni terra.
And the Lord was with Josue, and his name was noised throughout all the land
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