What is the meaning of Joshua 6:1? Now Jericho Jericho, the first Canaanite city Israel would face after crossing the Jordan, sat just five miles west of that river, guarding the approach to the heartland of Canaan (Numbers 22:1; Joshua 3:16). Its formidable walls signaled strength, yet its position in God’s plan made it the opening act of Israel’s conquest (Deuteronomy 6:10–11). By naming the city first, Scripture places our focus squarely on the place where the Lord will soon display His power (Joshua 6:20). was tightly shut up Jericho’s gates were barred, fortifications sealed, and watchmen posted. The wording points to an intentional, total lockdown—every door locked, every entry sealed (cf. 2 Kings 6:14). The city’s response mirrors later sieges such as Samaria’s barricading against the Arameans (2 Kings 6:24). Yet no earthly barrier keeps God out (Psalm 24:7; Revelation 3:7). because of the Israelites Fear was the motivating factor. Jericho’s leaders knew what God had done at the Red Sea and the Jordan, events Rahab had already recounted (Joshua 2:9–11; Exodus 15:14–16). These reports stirred terror, not repentance. The city chose to resist rather than seek the mercy Rahab embraced (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). No one went out With supply lines cut and doors barred, daily commerce halted. No scouting parties ventured out, no ambassadors tried negotiation. The same paralysis gripped Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea’s chaos (Exodus 14:24–25) and later seized the Philistines when Jonathan attacked their garrison (1 Samuel 14:15–16). and no one came in Jericho allowed no refugees, merchants, or allies to enter. Isolation bred desperation, but God would use that desperation to magnify His deliverance of Israel (Isaiah 45:1–3). The city’s sealed condition foreshadows the sealed tomb on resurrection morning—what seems final never hinders the Lord’s plan (Matthew 27:66; John 20:19). summary Joshua 6:1 paints a picture of absolute human security set against God’s unstoppable purpose. Jericho’s locked gates reveal its terror of Israel’s God, yet its self-reliant defenses cannot withstand Him. The verse sets the stage: a strong city, an anxious enemy, and a faithful Lord ready to prove that no wall is too tall, no gate too strong, for the people who trust His promise. |
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