Joshua 6:13, commentary and pictures

Joshua 6:13 describes the ordered procession around Jericho with chosen armed men first, then seven priests continually blowing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord, then the ark itself, then the rear guard, with the whole host following tribe by tribe under its standard. The march was made in solemn silence except for the tread of the host and the peal of the trumpets, while the sacred dress of the priests and the glory surrounding the ark struck terror into the guarded city behind its closed gates. They compassed the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day, when at the close of the circuit the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and the massive stone walls fell in ruin before Israel took possession. Heaven was present with the circuit, for Jesus the Captain of the Lord's host went before the ark attended by angels, and Christ and angels cast down the walls and delivered the city into Israel's hands. The conquest was wholly the Lord's and not by human strength or skill, and Israel's part was obedient faith in God's promise and directions under His appointed leadership, showing that God works by principles widely different from the world and gives victory when humble human effort unites with His power.

March Around Jericho

The procession was in strict order: a chosen body of armed men went first, then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD going on continually and blowing, then the ark itself carried by priests, then the rear guard coming after the ark, with the rest of the host following in perfect order each tribe under its standard. The armed men marched ahead and the rear guard followed behind as the priests kept blowing their trumpets before the ark in fulfillment of the commanded circuit. Each part — priests, armed men, and those bringing up the rear — carried out its assigned place in the ordered march around Jericho.

The circuit was made in solemn silence except for the measured tread of the host and the peal of the trumpets echoing among the hills and through the streets, the only sounds to be heard. The people were to remain silent until commanded to shout at Joshua's word. The priests wore rich dress denoting their sacred office and the ark was surrounded by a halo of divine glory. The pomp and majesty of the armed guard, the priests, and the sacred ark struck terror and awe into the watchmen, priests, and people of Jericho behind closed and guarded gates.

The army marched out from Gilgal, its first encampment in the promised land, to begin the conquest. Its object was Jericho, the key to Canaan, approached nearly forty years after the rebellion at Kadesh with the Lord's promise to go with them. They compassed the city once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day beginning at first dawn. After the trumpets had for an interval been silent they broke forth at the close of the seventh circuit in a blast that shook the earth, and the people shouted with a loud voice because God had given them the city. Then the massive walls of solid stone with their towers and battlements tottered and heaved from their foundations and fell in ruin, the inhabitants were paralyzed with terror, and Israel marched in and took possession. The ark was carried around the city for seven days in solemn silence, and when the trumpets sounded and the people shouted, the walls fell.

Heaven was present with the circuit, for Jesus the Son of God, the Captain of the Lord's host, went before the repository of His law attended by heavenly angels. Four angels always accompanied the ark in all its journeyings to guard it from all danger and to fulfill any mission required in connection with it. Christ and angels finally cast down the massive walls of the city and delivered Jericho into the hands of Israel.

Victory Through Obedient Faith

The conquest of Jericho was wholly the Lord's work and not the product of Israel's strength, skill, or military power. No human hand touched the walls, but the armies of the Lord's host under their heavenly General did the work, for it was Christ rather than Joshua who accomplished the victory. The trumpet blast was made effective by God's power to overthrow His enemies, showing His power to defeat Israel's foes, strengthening the faith of Israel, and rebuking their earlier unbelief. That victory was unlike any in the history of nations, won by simple means against all the power and skill of a bold, warlike race, and it must be ascribed to God alone to glorify His name and to bring His enemies to shame and confusion.

The battle plan was simple by design of the mighty General of armies so that no human being could take glory to himself and no person could boast or claim credit. God led the army and united divine and human agency, while no human hand touched the walls, and God alone was to receive the glory and be exalted. The work must be left in the hands of the great I AM in His own way, for God is Instructor and Worker through whom He will, and men must not draw attention to themselves or their prominence, desire too much power and control, feel qualified to hold the highest place, or take to themselves glory for the work accomplished.

Israel's strength lay in walking in obedience and belief, trusting God's promise to give the land and obeying His directions and His appointed leaders under divine supervision, with whom no harm could come to them. The sacredness of the ark and the promised blessing were bound to obedience to God's law contained in it, which represents God Himself, and not to the ark as a mere object or its bare presence. This obedient condition, when the ark was borne by holy men by express command with the Captain of the Lord's host going before the repository of His law to bring deliverance, stands in contrast to later going into battle without God and without appointed leadership, merely bringing the ark into camp when borne by sons of Belial, when following their own plans in opposition to divine counsel and authority the law under the mercy-seat condemned Israel to defeat, disaster, and death.

The capture, in which no human general devised the plan and no human hand touched its massive walls, was to be kept fresh in memory and repeated to children when they inquired about memorials, as an exhibition of God's power. Like the deliverance from bondage that they might serve Him and keep His Sabbaths, the water from the rock, the bread sent from heaven, and the commandments often repeated and kept before the mind, the order of armed men, seven priests blowing trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord, and the rereward as the Captain of the Lord's host giving His orders to the heavenly army until down came the walls was to be told to children.

God's principles and modes of working are widely different from those of the world, and it is not safe for God's people to adopt the maxims and customs of the ungodly. Human methods apart from God's power and wisdom fail, while even an unpromising method succeeds when God appoints it and His people act with humility and faith. The only sure ground of success is the help of God working with human effort, not trust in own wisdom and skill, through humble trust, faith, and implicit obedience irrespective of the world's opinion, preserving simplicity of faith. The work must be left in the hands of the great I AM in His own way, with men obeying God, following Jesus the Captain instead of running ahead of Him, giving God a chance to work rather than centering all ordering in finite men in one place or desiring too much power, control, and the highest place. The same God is still willing to work by whom He will, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit, and the lesson is to follow the directions of Jesus with the faith of faithful Calebs, trusting Him in Christian spiritual warfare against unseen foes more formidable than giants, for the devil cannot be overcome save by the sword of the Spirit.