Joshua 6:20 So when the rams' horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.

◄ Joshua 6:20 ►

New International Version
When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

New Living Translation
When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.

English Standard Version
So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

Berean Standard Bible
So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.

King James Bible
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

New King James Version
So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

New American Standard Bible
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight ahead, and they took the city.

NASB 1995
So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

NASB 1977
So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down beneath itself, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

Amplified Bible
So the people shouted [the battle cry], and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, they raised a great shout and the wall [of Jericho] fell down, so that the sons of Israel went up into the city, every man straight ahead [climbing over the rubble], and they overthrew the city.

Christian Standard Bible
So 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. The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the people shouted, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The people advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.

American Standard Version
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Contemporary English Version
The priests blew their trumpets again, and the soldiers shouted as loud as they could. The walls of Jericho fell flat. Then the soldiers rushed up the hill, went straight into the town, and captured it.

English Revised Version
So the people shouted, and the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the troops shouted very loudly when they heard the blast of the rams' horns, and the wall collapsed. The troops charged straight ahead and captured the city.

Good News Translation
So the priests blew the trumpets. As soon as the people heard it, they gave a loud shout, and the walls collapsed. Then all the army went straight up the hill into the city and captured it.

International Standard Version
So the army shouted and the trumpets were blown again. As soon as the army heard the sound of the trumpets, they shouted loudly and the wall collapsed. The army charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

Majority Standard Bible
So when the rams? horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.

NET Bible
The rams' horns sounded and when the army heard the signal, they gave a loud battle cry. The wall collapsed and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

New Heart English Bible
So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Webster's Bible Translation
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

World English Bible
So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the people shout, and blow with the horns, and it comes to pass, when the people hear the voice of the horn, that the people shout [with] a great shout, and the wall falls under it, and the people goes up into the city, each straight before him, and they capture the city;

Young's Literal Translation
And the people shout, and blow with the trumpets, and it cometh to pass when the people hear the voice of the trumpet, that the people shout -- a great shout, and the wall falleth under it, and the people goeth up into the city, each over-against him, and they capture the city;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the people will shout and clang with the trumpets: and it will be as the people heard the voice of the trumpet, and the people will shout a great shout, and the wall will fall under it, and the people will go up to the city, each before him, and they will take the city.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
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 forth- with fell down: and every man went up by the place that was over against him: s and they took the city,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, with all the people shouting, and the trumpets blaring, after the voice and the sound increased in the ears of the multitude, the walls promptly fell to ruin. And each one climbed up at the place which was opposite where he was. And they seized the city.

New American Bible
As the horns blew, the people began to shout. When they heard the sound of the horn, they raised a tremendous shout. The wall collapsed, and the people attacked the city straight ahead and took it.

New Revised Standard Version
So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets; and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the people shouted and they sounded with the trumpets and when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, the people shouted a very great outcry and the wall fell onto its place, and the people came up to the city, each man next to it, and they subjected the city

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
So the people shouted, and [the priests] blew with the horns. And it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the horn, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priests sounded with the trumpets: and when the people heard the trumpets, all the people shouted at once with a loud and strong shout; and all the wall fell round about, and all the people went up into the city:

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Walls of Jericho
…19For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.” 20So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it. 21At the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Hebrews 11:30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Exodus 15:1-21
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea. / The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. / The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name. ...

1 Samuel 4:5-7
When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook. / On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp, / the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before.

Judges 7:20-22
The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” / Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. / And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

Isaiah 25:12
The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

Psalm 47:1
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout unto God with a voice of triumph.

Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”

1 Kings 20:30
The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

Isaiah 30:25
And from every high mountain and every raised hill, streams of water will flow in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Acts 16:25-26
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. / Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

2 Chronicles 13:15-16
and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. / So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.

Isaiah 26:5-6
For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust. / Feet trample it down—the feet of the oppressed, the steps of the poor.

Psalm 98:4
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!

Jeremiah 50:15
Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her.

Treasury of Scripture

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

the wall

Joshua 6:5
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

2 Corinthians 10:4,5
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) …

Hebrews 11:30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

flat [heb] under it

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Joshua 6

1. Jericho is shut up
2. God instructs Joshua how to beseige it
12. The city is composed
17. It is accursed
20. The walls fall down
22. Rahab is saved
26. The builder of Jericho is cursed

Berean Study Bible

So when the rams’ horns sounded
The phrase "rams’ horns" refers to the shofar, a musical instrument made from a ram's horn, used in ancient Israel for religious and military purposes. The Hebrew word for this is "shofar," which is deeply symbolic in Jewish tradition, often associated with calls to repentance and divine intervention. The sounding of the shofar here signifies God's presence and power, heralding a miraculous event. Historically, the shofar was used to signal the start of battle, and its sound would have been both a rallying cry and a spiritual signal to the Israelites that God was with them.

the people shouted
The act of shouting by the people is significant in its demonstration of faith and obedience. The Hebrew word for "shouted" is "rua," which can mean to raise a noise or to cry out in triumph. This shout was not just a physical act but a spiritual one, symbolizing the Israelites' trust in God's promise. It was a shout of victory even before the walls fell, reflecting their confidence in God's power to deliver on His promises.

and when they heard the blast of the horn
The "blast of the horn" is a pivotal moment, marking the culmination of the Israelites' obedience to God's unusual battle plan. The Hebrew word "teruah" is used here, which can mean a loud noise or a signal. This blast was the divine signal for the Israelites to act, demonstrating the importance of listening for and responding to God's timing in our lives. It underscores the theme of divine orchestration and timing in the narrative.

the people gave a great shout
The "great shout" is a collective expression of faith and unity among the Israelites. The Hebrew word "gadol" means great or mighty, indicating the intensity and power of their shout. This unified cry symbolizes the strength found in communal faith and obedience to God. It serves as a reminder of the power of collective worship and action in achieving God's purposes.

and the wall collapsed
The miraculous collapse of the wall is the climax of the narrative, demonstrating God's supernatural intervention. The Hebrew word "naphal" means to fall or collapse, indicating a sudden and complete destruction. Archaeological evidence suggests that the walls of ancient Jericho were formidable, making their collapse an undeniable act of God. This event serves as a testament to God's power to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles when His people act in faith.

Then all the people charged straight into the city
The phrase "charged straight into" indicates the immediacy and directness of the Israelites' action following the wall's collapse. The Hebrew word "alah" means to go up or ascend, suggesting a swift and determined movement. This action reflects the readiness and courage of the Israelites to seize the opportunity provided by God, emphasizing the importance of acting decisively when God opens doors.

and captured it
The capture of Jericho is the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites. The Hebrew word "lakad" means to capture or seize, indicating a complete and successful conquest. This victory is not just a military achievement but a spiritual one, symbolizing the faithfulness of God to His covenant promises. It serves as a powerful reminder that when God is for us, no obstacle can stand in our way.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets, and it came to pass. Literally, and the people shouted, and they blew with the trumpets, and it came to pass as soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet. The latter part of this sentence is a more full and accurate repetition of what is stated in the former. The shouting and the blowing with the trumpets were all but simultaneous, but the latter was in reality the signal for the former - a signal which was immediately and triumphantly responded to.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

So when the trumpets
בַּשֹּֽׁפָר֑וֹת (baš·šō·p̄ā·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7782: A cornet, curved horn

sounded,
וַֽיִּתְקְע֖וּ (way·yiṯ·qə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8628: To clatter, slap, clang, to drive, to become bondsman

the people
הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

shouted.
וַיָּ֣רַע (way·yā·ra‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7321: To mar, to split the ears, shout

When they
הָעָ֜ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

heard
כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ (ḵiš·mō·a‘)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the blast
ק֣וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of the trumpet,
הַשּׁוֹפָ֗ר (haš·šō·w·p̄ār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7782: A cornet, curved horn

the people
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

gave a great
גְדוֹלָ֔ה (ḡə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

shout,
וַיָּרִ֤יעוּ (way·yā·rî·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7321: To mar, to split the ears, shout

and the wall
הַֽחוֹמָ֜ה (ha·ḥō·w·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

collapsed.
וַתִּפֹּ֨ל (wat·tip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

The people
הָעָ֤ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

charged
וַיַּ֨עַל (way·ya·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

into the city,
הָעִ֙ירָה֙ (hā·‘î·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

each man
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

straight ahead,
נֶגְדּ֔וֹ (neḡ·dōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before

and captured
וַֽיִּלְכְּד֖וּ (way·yil·kə·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere

the city.
הָעִֽיר׃ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

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OT History: Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted and the priests (Josh. Jos)