Joshua 6

1Jericho was shut up and secured because of the sons of Israel—no one went out, and no one came in.

2Yahweh said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of the army."

3All the men of war shall go around the city, circling the city once. Thus you shall do six days.

4Seven priests shall carry seven rams'-horn trumpets before the ark, and on the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times as the priests blow the trumpets.

5It shall be when they draw out the ram's horn, and as you hear the sound of the trumpet, that they shall shout—all the people a great shout—and the city wall shall fall down flat beneath it, and the people shall go up, every man straight before him.

6Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Carry the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven rams'-horn trumpets before the ark of Yahweh.”

7And he said to the people, “Go forward and circle the city, and let the armed man pass before the ark of Yahweh.”

8When Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests carrying seven ram's horn trumpets advanced before Yahweh and blew the trumpets, and the ark of Yahweh's covenant followed them.

9The armed men marched before the priests blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard followed after the ark as it advanced, sounding the trumpets.

10Joshua commanded the people, saying, "Do not shout, do not make your voice heard, and do not let any word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you: 'Shout!' Then you shall shout."

11He marched the ark of Yahweh around the city once. Then they came to the camp and spent the night there.

12Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests carried the ark of Yahweh.

13The seven priests carrying seven ram's-horn trumpets marched before Yahweh's ark, steadily advancing and sounding the trumpets, while the battle-ready men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed after Yahweh's ark, the priests continuing to march and sound the trumpets.

14They circled the city once on the second day and returned to the camp. Thus they did for six days.

15On the seventh day they rose early at the break of dawn and circled the city seven times in the same manner, but only on that day did they circle the city seven times.

16It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!”

17The city will be devoted to Yahweh—it and everything in it—but only Rahab the prostitute will live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers we sent.

18But you, keep yourselves from the devoted things, lest you devote yourselves by taking some of the devoted things and placing them in Israel's camp to devote it, and trouble it.

19All silver and gold, and bronze and iron vessels, are holy to Yahweh; they shall enter Yahweh's treasury.

20The people shouted and blew the trumpets. When the people heard the trumpet's sound, they shouted a great shout, the wall fell flat beneath it, the people advanced into the city—each man straight ahead of him—and captured the city.

21They devoted all that was in the city to destruction, from man to woman, from boy to elder, to ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22Joshua said to the two men who searched the land, "Enter the prostitute's house, and bring out from there the woman and everything she has, as you swore to her."

23The young spies entered and led out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and everything belonging to her, led out all her kindred as well, and set them outside Israel's camp.

24They burned the city with fire, along with everything in it—except the silver, the gold, and the bronze and iron vessels, which they put into the treasury of Yahweh's house.

25Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father's household, and everything she had. She lived among Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, "Cursed before Yahweh is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he will lay its foundation with his firstborn and set up its gates with his youngest."

27Yahweh was with Joshua, and his fame spread through all the land.