The Conquest of Jericho

1Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites — no one leaving or entering. 2The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you.a 3March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. 4Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the ram’s horns.a 5When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead.”

6So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven ram’s horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7He said to the troops, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed men go ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

8After Joshua had spoken to the troops, seven priests carrying seven ram’s horns before the Lord moved forward and blew the ram’s horns; the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9While the ram’s horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of the priests who blew the ram’s horns, and the rear guard went behind the ark.a 10But Joshua had commanded the troops, “Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Shout! ’ Then you are to shout.” 11So the ark of the Lord was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.A

12Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the Lord, 13and the seven priests carrying seven ram’s horns marched in front of the ark of the Lord. While the ram’s horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the Lord. 14On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. 16After the seventh time, the priests blew the ram’s horns, and Joshua said to the troops, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction.a Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live,b because she hid the messengers we sent. 18But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If youA take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it. 19For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.”a

20So the troops shouted, and the ram’s horns sounded. When they heard the blast of the ram’s horn, the troops gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed.a The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. 21They completely destroyeda everything in the city with the sword — every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.

Rahab and Her Family Spared

22Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, “Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you swore to her.”a 23So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

24They burned the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25However, Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she still lives in Israela today.b

26At that time Joshua imposed this curse:

The man who undertakes

the rebuilding of this city, Jericho,

is cursed before the Lord.a

He will lay its foundation

at the cost of his firstborn;

he will finish its gates

at the cost of his youngest.b

27And the Lord was with Joshua,a and his fame spread throughout the land.