The city of Jericho stood in silent terror as the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in since the discovery of Joshua’s spies within their walls, which only confirmed their worst fears. The people had heard enough—tales of the Red Sea parting, of kings defeated, of a people led by a God who fought for them. However, the people of Jericho did not prepare for battle—they simply locked themselves in. The city’s gates, normally open for trade and movement, were now shut tight. This was not strength, but paralysis, as their fear had sealed the doors. Their once-proud fortress had become a prison of dread, waiting helplessly for the army of God to advance.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” – Joshua 6:2 (NIV)
The Lord revealed to Joshua that Jericho was already delivered into Israel’s hands. Joshua was to have the army march around the city once each day for six days, with seven priests blowing trumpets ahead of the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, then give a loud shout at the long trumpet blast, and the city wall would collapse. Joshua obeyed: the priests carried the ark and blew their trumpets, with armed men ahead and a rear guard behind. The people marched silently as instructed, circling the city once each day for six days before returning to camp each night.
The Seventh Day
On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. – Joshua 6:15 (NIV)
On the seventh day, the Israelites marched around Jericho seven times. At the final trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people to shout, declaring that the Lord had given them the city. The walls miraculously collapsed, and the Israelites charged in and captured Jericho. A question that often arises in the minds of first-time readers is: Why did God instruct the Israelites to march around Jericho for seven days before the walls collapsed?
It was not for military advantage or psychological warfare, as the fortified city was not going to be breached by strategy or strength—it was to be delivered simply by obedience and trust in God. This strange command from the LORD was meant to teach the Israelites to completely rely on Him. Their part was simple: obey. God’s part was the victory.
The seven-day march was not a ritual to unlock a miracle. There was nothing magical about the number seven. Much like Naaman dipping in the Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5), the purpose was not to complete a formula, but to foster faith. When the miracle happens exactly as God said it would, our confidence grows—not in chance or coincidence, but in His word. Otherwise, we are quick to credit the outcome to ourselves, modern medicine, weather cycles, perfect timing, or even our luck.
God consistently acts in ways that make it unmistakable that the power comes from Him. Elijah drenched the altar with water before calling fire from heaven. Gideon’s army was reduced to just three hundred men, so no one could boast about their strength. Likewise, the walls of Jericho fell not through military siege or tactical reconnaissance, but through surrendered obedience, so Israel would know who truly brought them the victory.
Rahab is Redeemed
Joshua instructed that the entire city be devoted to the Lord—everything was to be destroyed except Rahab and her household, who had protected the spies. The people were warned not to take any of the devoted things, which belonged to the Lord’s treasury. As commanded, Rahab and her family were rescued and placed outside the camp of Israel.
It was not her status, background, or worthiness that set Rahab apart, but her faith and actions. When the Israelite spies entered the city, Rahab recognised who they were and what God was doing through them. She hid them at great personal risk and declared her belief in the Lord, saying, “The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:11). In response, the spies promised her protection, a promise God honoured.
Interestingly, it was not God Himself who directly promised Rahab salvation—it was the spies. And yet, God made good on their word, even though it was given hastily and without consultation. However, even after being saved, Rahab and her family were placed outside the camp of Israel. This shows that the people had not fully accepted her. But God had. He did not accept Rahab because of what she had done or hadn’t done, but because of His grace.
He wove her into His redemptive plan, not just as a footnote, but as a key figure. Not from the line of Moses, nor from Joshua, but from Rahab came the lineage of Jesus Christ. Her story is a powerful reminder that God chooses and redeems not based on status or past sins, but through faith, obedience, and His boundless grace.
Joshua’s Curse
At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:
“At the cost of his firstborn son
he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
he will set up its gates.” – Joshua 6:26 (NIV)
Joshua placed a curse on Jericho to mark it as a place permanently judged by God. Just as the Tower of Babel was halted by God and never rebuilt, Jericho was a city overthrown not by human effort but by divine intervention. It stood as a testimony to God’s power, and rebuilding it would symbolise human pride defying that judgment.
This curse was fulfilled generations later in the time of King Ahab. Hiel of Bethel attempted to rebuild Jericho, and just as prophesied, he lost his firstborn son, Abiram, as he laid its foundation, and his youngest son, Segub, as he set up its gates (1 Kings 16:34). Whether the curse came directly from God or was spoken prophetically by Joshua, its fulfilment showed that the land was not to be reclaimed by man’s will.
Modern-day Jericho, located in the Palestinian West Bank, has a population of over 20,000 and is perhaps the only land that Israel will agree to part with after occupying it back in 1967. However, during Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees treated Jericho with contempt, associating it with God’s judgment. The ancient city was never truly redeveloped and remained largely in ruins.
Jesus Himself visited Jericho, not to rebuild its ruins but to redeem its people. It was in Jericho that He healed the blind beggar Bartimaeus (Luke 18:35–43) and called Zacchaeus the tax collector to repentance (Luke 19:1–10). His presence shows that while the physical city remained in ruins, the people within it were never beyond the reach of God’s grace.
So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land. – Joshua 6:27 (NIV)
In essence, Joshua’s curse was a warning against human pride trying to reverse God’s judgment. But in Christ, we see that redemption is always possible—not through rebuilding broken walls, but by transforming broken lives.
Discussion Questions
- Why did God ask the Israelites to march around Jericho for seven days before the walls fell?
- Is there significance in doing something seven times, as seen when Naaman was instructed to dip in the Jordan River seven times before being healed of his skin disease?
- Why was Rahab—a prostitute—the only one God chose to save from the entire population of Jericho?
- Why did Joshua curse the one who tried to rebuild the fallen city of Jericho?
The Jordan Valley 
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