John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:7
And he said unto the people, pass on, and compass the city ,.... The women and children, the young men under twenty years of age, the unarmed part of the camp, as distinguished from the armed men: and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord ; to guard the ark, protect the priests, and defend the people, should any sally be made by the enemy upon them. These seem to design all the males that were above twenty years of age able to bear arms, and fit for war; though some... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 6:6
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests ,.... Not the Levites and Kohathites, whose business it was in common to bear the ark, but upon this occasion the priests; not all of them, but as many as were sufficient for the purpose: and said unto them, take up the ark of the covenant ; by putting the staves into the rings of it, and so carry it, Exodus 25:14 ; see Numbers 7:9 , and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord : See Gill on ... read more