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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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