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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Joshua 6:6–16.
We have here an account of the cavalcade which Israel made about Jericho, the orders Joshua gave concerning it, as he had received them from the Lord and their punctual observance of these orders. We do not find that he gave the people the express assurances God had given him that he would deliver the city into their hands; but he tried whether they would obey orders with a general confidence that it would end well, and we find them very observant both of God and Joshua.
I.Wherever the ark went the people attended it, Jos 6:9.
The armed men went before it to clear the way, not thinking it any disparagement to them, though they were men of war, to be pioneers to the ark of God. If any obstacle should be found in crossing the roads that led to the city (which they must do in walking round it) they would remove it; if any opposition should be made by the enemy, they would encounter it, that the priests' march with the ark might be easy and safe. It is an honour to the greatest men to do any good office to the ark and to serve the interests of religion in their country. The rereward, either another body of armed men, or Dan's squadron, which marched last through the wilderness, or, as some think, the multitude of the people who were not armed or disciplined for war (as many of them as would) followed the ark, to testify their respect to it, to grace the solemnity, and to be witnesses of what was done. Every faithful zealous Israelite would be willing to undergo the same fatigues and run the same hazard with the priests that bore the ark.
II.Seven priests went immediately before the ark, having trumpets in their hands, with which they were continually sounding, Jos 6:4, Jos 6:5, Jos 6:9, Jos 6:13. The priests were God's ministers, and thus in his name, 1. They proclaimed war with the Canaanites, and so stuck a terror upon them; for by terrors upon their spirits they were to be conquered and subdued. Thus God's ministers, by the solemn declarations of his wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, must blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in the holy mountain, that the sinners in Zion may be afraid. They are God's heralds to denounce war against all those that go on still in their trespasses, but say, "We shall have peace, though we go on." 2. They proclaimed God's gracious presence with Israel, and so put life and courage into them. It was appointed that when they went to war the priests should encourage them with the assurance of God's presence with them, Deu 20:2-4. And particularly their blowing with trumpets was to be a sign to the people that they should be remembered before the Lord Their God in the day of battle, Num 10:9. It encouraged Abijah, Ch2 13:12. Thus God's ministers, by sounding the Jubilee trumpet of the everlasting gospel, which proclaims liberty and victory, must encourage the good soldiers of Jesus Christ in their spiritual warfare.
III.The trumpets they used were not those silver trumpets which were appointed to be made for their ordinary service, but trumpets of rams' horns, bored hollow for the purpose, as some think. These trumpets were of the basest matter, dullest sound, and least show, that the excellency of the power might be of God. Thus by the foolishness of preaching, fitly compared to the sounding of these rams' horns, the devil's kingdom is thrown down; and the weapons of our warfare, though they are not carnal nor seem to a carnal eye likely to bring any thing to pass, are yet mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-holds, Co2 10:4, Co2 10:5. The word here is trumpets of Jobel, that is, such trumpets as they used to blow withal in the year of jubilee; so many interpreters understand it, as signifying the complete liberty to which Israel was now brought, and the bringing of the land of Canaan into the hands of its just and rightful owners.
IV.All the people were commanded to be silent, not to speak a word, nor make any noise (Jos 6:10), that they might the more carefully attend to the sound of the sacred trumpets, which they were now to look upon as the voice of God among them; and it does not become us to speak when God is speaking. It likewise intimates their reverent expectation of the event. Zac 2:13, Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord. Exo 14:14, God shall fight, and you shall hold your peace.
V.They were to do this once a day for six days together and seven times the seventh day, and they did so, Jos 6:14, Jos 6:15.
God could have caused the walls of Jericho to fall upon the first surrounding of them, but they must go round them thirteen times before they fall, that they might be kept waiting patiently for the Lord. Though they had lately come into Canaan, and their time was very precious (for they had a great deal of work before them), yet they must linger so many days about Jericho, seeming to do nothing, nor to make any progress in their business. As promised deliverances must be expected in God's way, so they must be expected in his time. He that believes does not make haste, not more haste than God would have him make. Go yet seven times, before any thing hopeful appears, Kg1 18:43.
VI.One of these days must needs be a sabbath day, and the Jews say that it was the last, but this is not certain; however, if he that appointed them to rest on the other sabbath days appointed them to walk on this, that was sufficient to justify them in it; he never intended to bind himself by his own laws, but that when he pleased he might dispense with them. The impotent man went upon this principle when he argued (Joh 5:11), He that made me whole (and therefore has a divine power) said unto me, Take up thy bed. And, in this case here, it was an honour to the sabbath day, by which our time is divided into weeks, that just seven days were to be spent in this work, and seven priests were employed to sound seven trumpets, this number being, on this occasion, as well as many others, made remarkable, in remembrance of the six day's work of creation and the seventh day's rest from it. And, besides, the law of the sabbath forbids our own work, which is servile and secular, but this which they did was a religious act. It is certainly no breach of the sabbath rest to do the sabbath work, for the sake of which the rest was instituted; and what is the sabbath work but to attend the ark in all its motions?
VII.They continued to do this during the time appointed, and seven times the seventh day, though they saw not any effect of it, believing that at the end the vision would speak and not lie, Hab 2:3. If we persevere in the way of duty, we shall lose nothing by it in the long run. It is probable they walked at such a distance from the walls as to be out of the reach of the enemies' arrows and out of the hearing of their scoffs. We may suppose the oddness of the thing did at first amuse the besieged, but by the seventh day they had grown secure, feeling no harm from that which perhaps they looked upon as an enchantment. Probably they bantered the besiegers, as those mentioned in Neh 4:2, "What do these feeble Jews? Is this the people we thought so formidable? Are these their methods of attack?" Thus they cried peace and safety, that the destruction might be the more terrible when it came. Wicked men (says bishop Hall) think God in jest when he is preparing for their judgment; but they will be convinced of their mistake when it is too late.
VIII.At last they were to give a shout, and did so, and immediately the walls fell, Jos 6:16.
This was a shout for mastery, a triumphant shout; the shout of a king is among them, Num 23:21. This was a shout of faith; they believed that the walls of Jericho would fall, and by this faith the walls were thrown down. It was a shot of prayer, an echo to the sound of the trumpets which proclaimed the promise that God would remember them; with one accord, as one man, they cry to heaven for help, and help comes in. Some allude to this to show that we must never expect a complete victory over our own corruptions till the very evening of our last day, and then we shall shout in triumph over them, when we come to the number and measure of our perfection, as bishop Hall expresses it. A good heart (says he) groans under the sense of his infirmities, fain would be rid of them, and strives and prays, but, when all is done, until the end of the seventh day it cannot be; then judgment shall be brought forth unto victory. And at the end of time, when our Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the sound of a trumpet, Satan's kingdom shall be completely ruined, and not till then, when all opposing rule, principality, and power, shall be effectually and eternally put down.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
But what was done then to the city of Jericho, as we have said, was done in symbol, since now this very thing happens in reality. For we read that at that time the priests circled the aforementioned city continuously for seven days and that, although a band of armed men was unable to take it, it was overthrown by the sound of trumpets coming from all sides—of trumpets, I say, not played by a rough soldier but sounded by a consecrated priest. Who would not fear a person’s trumpet if he did not fear his sword? After seven days, therefore, the walls that were circled fell at the priestly trumpets; we read that in seven days the works of this world were completed. You see, then, that with this number seven it is not so much one city that is destroyed by the priests as the wickedness of the whole world that is destroyed. For just as in the naming of a single city the condition of the whole world is symbolized, so also the course of seven days indicates the space of seven thousand years during which the trumpets of priestly preaching announce destruction to the world and threaten judgment, as it is written: “For the world will also perish and all the things that are in the world, but the one who does the will of the Lord endures forever.”
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Summary
Joshua 6:16 marks the pivotal moment in the siege of Jericho, serving as the dramatic culmination of God's unconventional strategy and Israel's profound demonstration of obedient faith. After a week of meticulous, divinely orchestrated rituals involving silent marches and trumpet blasts, Joshua commands the people to shout, signifying the immediate and supernatural delivery of the formidable city into their hands by the LORD, thereby validating His covenant promises and affirming Israel's unwavering trust in His power.
Context
Literary Context
This verse represents the climactic turning point within the meticulously detailed narrative of Jericho's fall, which immediately follows Israel's miraculous crossing of the Jordan River and their covenant renewal at Gilgal. Jericho, as the first and most formidable stronghold in Canaan, presented an insurmountable military challenge to the newly arrived Israelites, thereby setting the stage for God to reveal His unique and powerful method of warfare. The preceding verses in Joshua 6 meticulously outline the precise, seemingly irrational instructions given by God: daily silent marches around the city for six days, followed by seven circuits on the seventh day, culminating in the priests' trumpet blast and a communal shout. This deliberate and protracted buildup intensifies the narrative's anticipation, emphatically underscoring that the impending victory would not be achieved through conventional human military might but exclusively through divine intervention, thereby highlighting God's absolute faithfulness to His covenant promises.
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Near Eastern cities like Jericho were renowned for their formidable fortifications, often featuring complex systems of double walls, making them virtually impregnable to direct assault without advanced siege weaponry, which the nascent Israelite army conspicuously lacked. The ritualistic marching, the prominent use of trumpets (specifically shofars, ram's horns), and the presence of the Ark of the Covenant were not conventional military tactics but profound acts of worship and spiritual warfare. Shofars held multifaceted significance in ancient Israel, serving purposes such as signaling war, announcing sacred festivals, and proclaiming God's presence or impending judgment (e.g., the trumpet blast at Sinai in Exodus 19:16 or the use of trumpets for war in Numbers 10:9). The Ark of the Covenant, centrally positioned, powerfully symbolized God's active presence and covenantal relationship with His people, reinforcing the theological truth that the battle was inherently His. The entire event was a public spectacle, designed not only for the internal strengthening of Israel's faith but also to demonstrate the overwhelming power of YHWH, the God of Israel, to the Canaanite inhabitants, thereby fulfilling earlier prophecies regarding the fear of Israel's God among the nations (e.g., Deuteronomy 2:25).
Key Themes
The narrative of Jericho, reaching its dramatic climax in Joshua 6:16, profoundly illustrates several foundational theological themes. Obedience emerges as paramount; Israel's unwavering adherence to God's unconventional and seemingly irrational commands, including the prolonged silence and repetitive marching, was the indispensable prerequisite for divine action. This demonstrated a profound and active trust that God would indeed act on their behalf. Divine Sovereignty and Power are unequivocally central, as Joshua's declaration, "the LORD hath given you the city," unmistakably attributes the victory to God alone, not to human strength, ingenuity, or military strategy. This echoes the timeless biblical truth that the battle belongs to the LORD. Furthermore, Faith in Action is powerfully displayed; the commanded shout was not a magical incantation but an audible, communal declaration of faith, an affirmation of victory before the physical collapse of the walls, as explicitly affirmed in Hebrews 11:30. Finally, the Corporate Nature of Worship and Warfare is vividly evident, as the entire community participated in the prescribed actions, highlighting their unity and collective reliance upon God for deliverance.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (רוּעַ) signifies "to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy)." In Joshua 6:16, the command to "Shout" is a powerful, unified vocalization that serves as both a declaration of faith and a triumphant acclamation of God's immediate and decisive victory. It is not presented as the physical cause of the walls' collapse, but rather as an expression of the faith that the walls would fall because God had already "given" the city. This shout is a communal act of worship and a public acknowledgment of divine power.
The use of the covenant name of God (יהוה), derived from the concept of "the self-Existent or Eternal," emphasizes that the victory is not by chance or by a generic deity, but by the specific, personal God of Israel. This is the same God who made promises to Abraham, miraculously delivered Israel from Egypt, and now faithfully fulfills His pledge to give them the land of Canaan. This sacred name underscores His unchanging faithfulness, omnipotent power, and active, personal involvement in the history of His chosen people.
The verb (נָתַן) "to give" is a primitive root used with immense latitude, here indicating a completed action with ongoing results. Joshua declares that the LORD has already "given" them the city, even before the walls have physically collapsed. This perfect aspect highlights the absolute certainty of God's promise and the reality of His divine decree, which precedes and guarantees the physical manifestation of victory. The city's capture is presented as a divine gift, not a human achievement, reinforcing God's sovereignty over all outcomes.
Verse Breakdown
"And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets,"
This clause meticulously details the culmination of the specific, divinely ordained sequence of events. The phrase "at the seventh time" refers to the final circuit on the seventh day, emphasizing the profound symbolic significance of the number seven, which in biblical numerology often represents completion, perfection, and divine action. The blowing of the trumpets by the priests serves as the divinely appointed signal, the precise cue that marks the moment of God's intended, decisive intervention, bringing the prolonged period of silent obedience to its dramatic close.
"Joshua said unto the people, Shout;"
Joshua, acting as God's divinely appointed leader and mediator, relays the direct divine command to the entire assembly of Israel. The imperative "Shout!" is a clear, concise instruction for a unified, communal act. This was not a spontaneous outburst of emotion but a disciplined, faith-filled response to a direct divine order, demonstrating Israel's collective obedience and their readiness to participate actively in God's unfolding plan, even when the logic of the command was beyond human comprehension.
"for the LORD hath given you the city."
This declarative statement constitutes the theological core of the verse and indeed the entire narrative of Jericho's fall. Joshua's pronouncement provides the foundational reason and absolute assurance for the preceding command to shout. The victory is unequivocally not contingent upon their shout, but rather the shout is a responsive act of faith to the already accomplished divine act of "giving" the city. This phrase powerfully underscores God's absolute sovereignty and omnipotence; He is the sole active agent, and the city's capture is His sovereign gift, entirely independent of human strength or military prowess.
Literary Devices
The passage masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological message and dramatic impact. Repetition is central, particularly the recurring motif of "seven" (seven days, seven priests, seven trumpets, seven circuits on the seventh day), which imbues the narrative with a powerful sense of divine order, completion, and sacred significance, highlighting God's meticulous design. Dramatic tension is expertly built through Suspense, as the Israelites' silent, repetitive marches for six days, followed by the intensified seven circuits on the final day, create an atmosphere of escalating anticipation for the promised divine intervention. Symbolism is richly woven throughout: the trumpets symbolize divine announcement, warfare, and judgment; the Ark of the Covenant represents God's active, covenantal presence among His people; and the unified shout embodies corporate faith, obedience, and a triumphant declaration of victory. The entire event can be interpreted as a Theophany or a tangible manifestation of God's power, where the physical collapse of the walls serves as an undeniable sign of His invisible hand at work. Finally, Divine Command is the absolute driving force, with God's explicit and detailed instructions dictating every action, thereby highlighting His absolute authority and Israel's crucial role as obedient instruments in His sovereign plan.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Joshua 6:16 stands as an enduring testament to God's unwavering faithfulness, His unique and often counter-intuitive methods, and the profound efficacy of obedient faith. It powerfully demonstrates that God frequently chooses to work in ways that defy human logic and conventional wisdom, thereby requiring His people to trust implicitly in His infinite power and perfect timing rather than relying on their own strength or strategic acumen. The miraculous fall of Jericho is not merely a military victory; it is, at its core, a profound theological declaration: God is intimately and actively involved in the affairs of His people, faithfully fulfilling His promises and overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles when His people respond with unwavering, active faith. This narrative underscores the timeless biblical principle that ultimate victory belongs exclusively to the Lord, and human effort, when undertaken in humble alignment with divine command, becomes the divinely appointed channel for the manifestation of His miraculous power.
Reflection and Application
The command to "Shout!" in Joshua 6:16, delivered at the climax of a week of silent, faithful obedience, offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers. It challenges us to honestly examine how often we instinctively rely on our own strength, meticulously crafted strategies, or limited human understanding rather than fully trusting in God's often unconventional, even illogical, methods. Just as the Israelites were called to an act of faith that seemed utterly irrational—shouting to bring down massive city walls—we too are frequently called to steps of obedience that defy worldly wisdom, common sense, or prevailing societal norms. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true victory, especially in the context of spiritual battles or when confronting seemingly insurmountable life obstacles, comes not from our might, our cleverness, or our resources, but exclusively from God's sovereign power. Our "shout" today might manifest as a bold declaration of faith in prayer, a courageous witness to His truth in a hostile environment, or a decisive step of obedience when everything around us suggests otherwise. It profoundly encourages us to cultivate a posture of active, expectant faith, knowing with certainty that God has already "given" us the victory in Christ, and our sacred role is to declare and live in the reality of that liberating truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God command such a strange method for taking Jericho?
God commanded this highly unconventional method for the capture of Jericho to unequivocally demonstrate that the victory was entirely His, not a result of Israel's military prowess or strategy. It was meticulously designed to humble Israel, profoundly test their obedience, and magnificently magnify His power in the eyes of both the Israelites and the surrounding Canaanite nations. The ritualistic marching, the prolonged silence, and then the unified shout were not conventional military tactics but profound acts of faith and spiritual warfare. This method emphatically underscored the biblical truth that "the battle belongs to the LORD" (1 Samuel 17:47) and that His power utterly transcends human logic, military might, or any earthly obstacle. Furthermore, this unique method served to instill widespread fear in the surrounding nations, as word of God's miraculous intervention spread rapidly (as vividly seen in Joshua 2:9-11).
Was the shout itself what caused the walls to fall?
No, the shout itself did not possess any inherent magical power to bring down the walls of Jericho. The massive walls fell because God, in His sovereign and omnipotent power, supernaturally caused them to collapse at the precise moment of the shout and trumpet blast, in direct response to Israel's obedient faith. The shout was, therefore, an act of faith—a communal, audible declaration of belief in God's promise that He had already "given" them the city. As the New Testament explicitly states in Hebrews 11:30, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after they had been encircled for seven days." Thus, the shout was the final, commanded act of obedience that served as the divinely appointed trigger for God's miraculous and decisive intervention.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The dramatic fall of Jericho, culminating in the triumphant shout of Joshua 6:16, serves as a powerful and profound foreshadowing of the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ and the very nature of the Kingdom of God. Just as Jericho's seemingly impregnable walls fell not by human might or military strategy but by divine power in response to obedient faith, so too the seemingly insurmountable strongholds of sin, death, and the devil were overcome not by human effort or religious works, but solely by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. His glorious resurrection was the ultimate, cosmic "shout" of victory, definitively proclaiming that the spiritual "city" of darkness and its dominion had been irrevocably "given" into His hands, and through Him, to His redeemed people (Colossians 2:15). The "trumpets" of the gospel now sound throughout the world, calling all to believe in the victory already secured by the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Our "shout" as believers is not a physical one, but a spiritual declaration of unwavering faith in Christ's triumph, a joyful proclamation of the good news that through Him, we are more than conquerors over all the forces of evil (Romans 8:37). The ultimate "city" that God has eternally "given" us is the New Jerusalem, a glorious, unshakeable kingdom secured by the precious blood of Christ and entered by grace through faith (Hebrews 12:28, Revelation 21:2).