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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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:17

And the city shall be accursed ,.... Or, be a "cherem", devoted to the Lord, as it follows: even it and all that are therein, to the Lord ; the city and the inhabitants of it should be devoted to destruction, and the riches and spoil of it dedicated to sacred uses, and not become the property of the Israelites; for as this was the first city in the had of Canaan that was conquered, it was fit the firstfruits of the conquest should be the Lord's, as an acknowledgment of his gift of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:18

And you in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing ,.... From laying hold on, secreting, and enjoying as their own, what was devoted to another use: lest ye make yourselves accursed ; or a "cherem", also devoted to destruction: when ye take of the accursed thing ; any part of it, be it what it will, gold or any other metal, or raiment, and the like: and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it ; for being done secretly, and not known who did it, the whole body... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:19

But all the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron , are consecrated to the Lord ,.... Or rather, "for all the silver", &c.; as the particle here used sometimes signifies, and is so rendered F4 וכל "nam totum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. : each of these metals, and whatsoever were made of them, were set apart for the Lord, and dedicated to sacred uses, and might not be converted to any other, unless what were upon their idols, which were to be burnt with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:20

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets ,.... As Joshua had charged them, Joshua 6:16 , and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet , and the people shouted with a great shout ; that is, gave a loud shout, on hearing the long blast of the trumpets blown by the priests the seventh time, as they were no doubt directed by Joshua, agreeably to the order given to him; see Joshua 6:5 , that the wall fell down flat ; the wall of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:21

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city ,.... All the inhabitants of it, by the direction of Joshua, and according to the order of the Lord, Deuteronomy 7:1 ; being guilty of capital crimes, which deserved death, as idolatry, incest, &c.; both men and women, young and old ; neither sex nor age were spared: and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword ; in which creatures chiefly lay the substance of the eastern people; see Job 1:3 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 6:9

The rereward came after the ark - The word מאסף measseph , from אסף asaph , to collect or gather up, may signify either the rereward, as our translation understands it, or the people who carried the baggage of the army; for on the seventh day this was necessary, as much fighting might be naturally expected in the assault, and they would need a supply of arms, darts, etc., as well as conveniences for those who might happen to be wounded: or the persons here intended might be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 6:14

So they did six days - It is not likely that the whole Israelitish host went each day round the city. This would have been utterly impossible: the fighting men alone amounted to nearly 600,000, independently of the people, who must have amounted at least to two or three millions; we may therefore safely assert that only a select number, such as was deemed necessary for the occasion, were employed. Jericho could not have been a large city: and to reduce it could not have required a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 6:15

The seventh day - they rose early - Because on this day they had to encompass the city seven times; a proof that the city could not have been very extensive, else this going round it seven times, and having time sufficient left to sack and destroy it, would have been impossible. It is evident that in the course of these seven days there must have been a Sabbath, and that on this Sabbath the host must have encompassed the city as on the other days: the Jews themselves allow this, and... read more

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