Joshua 6:8-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 6:17-27

The people had religiously observed the orders given them concerning the besieging of Jericho, and now at length Joshua had told them (Josh. 6:16), ?The Lord hath given you the city, enter and take possession.? Accordingly in these verses we have, I. The rules they were to observe in taking possession. God gives it to them, and therefore may direct it to what uses and intents, and clog it with what provisos and limitations he thinks fit. It is given to them to be devoted to God, as the first... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:8

And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken to the people ,.... Both armed and unarmed; had finished the orders and directions he gave them before mentioned: that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord ; in his sight, and by his direction, and at his command given by Joshua, and before the ark, the symbol of his presence: and blew with the trumpets ; a short blast as they went along; this they did on each of the six days: and the ark... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:9

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets ,.... Whom Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, interpret of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; that is, as many of them as Joshua took with him over Jordan; though rather all the armed men in the camp are meant; at least along with those mentioned went the standards of Judah and Ephraim: and the rereward came after the ark ; because the tribe of Dan was the rereward in journeying, Numbers 2:31 ; hence the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:10

And Joshua had commanded the people ,.... When he gave them their orders to pass on, and compass the city, Joshua 6:7 , saying, ye shall not shout ; that is, on any of the six days as they went round the city, only on the seventh; for this being a sign of victory, it was not to be made until the day when it should be obtained; otherwise, had they shouted, and nothing followed on it, it would have exposed them to the contempt of the inhabitants of Jericho, and would have put them in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:11

So the ark of the Lord compassed the city ,.... Being bore by the priests, who carried it round the city; it may as well be rendered and interpreted as it is by Kimchi,"he, i.e. Joshua, caused the ark of the Lord to compass the city;' that is, he gave orders to the priests to take it up, and go round with it on the first day: going about it once ; on that day, and no more; keeping at such a distance, as to be out of the reach of stones or arrows cast from the walls of the city: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:12

And Joshua rose early in the morning ,.... Of the second day; to take care of, direct, and prepare everything for another procession on that day; so active and diligent was he to do the will and work of God, exactly and punctually: and the priests took up the ark of the Lord ; and carried it about as they had done the day before. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:13

And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord ,.... See Gill on Joshua 6:4 , went on continually ; or, "going they went" F2 הלכים הלוך "euntes eundo", Montanus. : kept on going, making no stop at all, until they had compassed the city: and blew with the trumpets ; as they went along: and the armed men went before them, but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord ; which the Targum paraphrases as on Joshua 6:9 , the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:14

And the second day they compassed the city once ,.... Went round it one time only; as on the first: and returned into the camp : which was at Gilgal, Joshua 5:10 , so they did six days : four more after these two successively, and proceeded in the same order and manner as on those two days. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:15

And it came to pass on the seventh day ,.... Which Jarchi says was the Sabbath day, and which is a common notion of the Jews F3 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 312. 2. ; but whether it was or not, it is certain that one of these seven days must be a sabbath, in which the several things ordered were done, and the procession made. Kimchi observes, that their Rabbins say this was the sabbath day; and he adds, what is pretty remarkable,"though they slew and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:16

And it came to pass at the seventh time ,.... Of their going round the city on the seventh day: and at the seventh time: when the priests blew with the trumpets ; as they did every time they compassed the city: Joshua said unto the people, shout ; both those that were armed, and those that were not; they were to make one grand and general shout at once, as when victory is obtained, or is sure, and so it follows: for the Lord hath given you the city ; intimating that it would be... read more

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