Joshua 6:17

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 6:17

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 6:17

The city shall be accursed - That is, it shall be devoted to destruction; ye shall take no spoils, and put all that resist to the sword. Though this may be the meaning of the word חרם cherem in some places, see the note on Leviticus 27:29 , yet here it seems to imply the total destruction of all the inhabitants, see Joshua 6:21 ; but it is likely that peace was offered to this city, and that the extermination of the inhabitants was in consequence of the rejection of this... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 6:17

Verse 17 17.And the city shall be accursed, etc Although God had determined not only to enrich his people with spoil and plunder, but also to settle them in cities which they had not built, yet there was a peculiarity in the case of the first city; for it was right that it should be consecrated as a kind of first fruits. Accordingly, he claims the buildings, as well as all the moveable property, as his own, and prohibits the application of any part of it to private uses. It may have been an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 6:1-21

We come now to the command that was laid on Joshua. And hero we may observe three points. I. SUCCESS WAS CERTAIN IF GOD 'S COMMANDS WERE OBEYED . God does not say, "I will give," but, "I have given" Jericho into thine hand. Not only has the fiat gone forth, but the work is done, when the soldier of the Lord has made up his mind to obey the Lord's commands. Thus, whatever be the work to which we set our hands, be it public or private, in the world or in our own hearts, so... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 6:17

Accursed. Rather, devotea, ἀναθεμα LXX . The original meaning of this word is derived from הרם to "shut up." Hence it originally means "a net." With this we may compare the well known Eastern word harem, meaning the enclosed apartments reserved for the women of the family. Hence it comes to mean under a ban, devoted, generally to utter destruction under the pressure of a vow to God, as in Numbers 21:2 , or in consequence of His command (see Le 27:29; Deuteronomy 13:15 ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 6:17

Accursed - Better as in margin, (“devoted” (Leviticus 27:28 note). In other cases the inhabitants only of the towns were slain; their cattle and property became the booty of the victors. But Jericho, as the first Canaanite city that was captured, was devoted by Israel as first-fruits to God, as a token that Israel received all the land from Him. Every living thing was put to death (Rahab and her household excepted) as a sacrifice to God, and the indestructible goods were Joshua 6:19 brought... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 6:17

Joshua 6:17. The city shall be accursed to the Lord That is, devoted to destruction, by the right which God has to punish such as offend against him. This he speaks by direction from God, (see 1 Kings 16:34,) whose will it was that every thing in Jericho should be utterly destroyed, as well inanimate things by burning them, &c, as men and cattle, by the edge of the sword; excepting only the things that were found in the house of Rahab, and the vessels of silver and gold, brass and iron,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:1-27

Click image for full-size version6:1-12:24 CONQUEST OF THE LANDDestruction of the CanaanitesThe following chapters show that the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan was well planned. First they won control of the central region (Chapters 6-9). This created a division between the northern and southern regions, and so prevented Canaanite tribes throughout the country from joining forces. Israel then had a much easier task in conquering the rest of Canaan, first the south (Chapter 10), then the north... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 6:17

accursed = devoted. Probably because this was the "first-fruit" of conquest. Numbers 31:54 . Compare Joshua 6:19 . she hid. Compare Joshua 2:4 . read more

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