Ver. 1. Now Jericho was strictly shut up.] Claudens, et clausa erat: but there is no power or policy against the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30) The “Captain of God’s hosts” was before the city, and therefore ευαλωτος η πολις, -as he told Phocas, -the town was soon taken.
Ver. 2. And the Lord said.] The man Christ Jesus, (Joshua 5:13) that man of war. (Exodus 15:3) “Jehovah is his name”: “Jehovah, mighty in battle,” (Psalms 24:8) whose “weakness is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)
Ver. 3. And ye shall compass the city.] At a just distance, no doubt, that ye may be extra iactum. See 2 Samuel 11:20,21. Thus shalt thou do six days.] All which time God held them in request: and exercised their faith and patience.
Ver. 4. Seven trumpets of rams’ horns.] God usually goeth a way by himself, and worketh his will by such means as the world judgeth absurd and ridiculous. And the seventh day.] Which, probably, was the Sabbath day, wherein, “by the foolishness of preaching,” God still overturneth the strongholds of Satan, (2 Corinthians 10:4) by the priests blowing with their trumpets.
Ver. 5. When they make a long blast.] Importing the triumph of their trust, the victory of faith: for it was by faith that these walls fell. (Hebrews 11:30) And the wall of the city shall fall down flat.] Corruet subtus se, that is, absorbebitur a terra, saith Vatablus, it shall be swallowed up of the earth.
Ver. 6. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests.] He yielded prompt and present obedience, ready and speedy, without shucking or hucking, without delays and consults; leaving us herein an excellent precedent.
Ver. 7. And let him that is armed.] Those two tribes and a half especially. (Joshua 1:14 4:12,13)
Ver. 8. And the ark of the covenant.] Called also the ark of the testimony. (Joshua 4:16 Exodus 25:16)
Ver. 9. And the rereward came after the ark.] Heb., The gathering host, that in their march through the wilderness was wont to arise at the fourth alarm, and their charge was to look that nothing was left behind. (Numbers 10:25) [See Trapp on “Ps 27:10”]
Ver. 10. Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise.] Turcae perpetuum silentium tenent, ut muti. The Turks, though when they storm a place they make hideous outcries, yet in their camp they are marvellously mute; being no otherwise commanded than by the beckoning or nod of their commanders. This was worthily wondered at by King Ferdinand’s ambassadors. Cuspin., De Caesarib. Turk. Hist., 715.
Ver. 11. So the ark of the Lord compassed the city.] The inhabitants marvelling, doubtless, what they meant by their tracing and circuiting.
Ver. 12. And Joshua rose early in the morning.] A little sleep served his turn:— “ Ου χρη παννυχιον ευδειν βουληφορον ανδρα ’’— Homer
Ver. 13. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets.] Here were many sevens, as also in the Revelation. Many mysteries throughout the Scriptures are set forth by this number: the Hebrew word signifieth fulness.
Ver. 14. And the second day.] See Joshua 6:3,11.
Ver. 15. They compassed the city seven times.] In sign, saith one, that the perseverance and continuance in faith and the actions thereof, at last obtaineth the victory: and that the nearer the end of the combat is, the more ought the faithful man to bestir him therein. Diodorus.
Ver. 16. Shout.] To show your faith, to encourage one another, and to terrify the enemy.
Ver. 17. And the city shall be accursed.] Anathematised, proscribed, devoted to destruction, offered up to God as a holocaust, whose pleasure it was that this people should be thus hanged up in gibbets, as it were, for a terror to the rest, who might hereby see what to trust to if they stubbornly stood out. The whole land was filled with the filthiness of the people from one end to another; (Ezra 9:11) and might not God begin to punish where he pleased
Ver. 18. Keep yourselves from the accursed thing.] This was a fair warning to that foul sinner Achan; but Δεινος και παντολμος της φιλοχρηματιας ερως, covetousness is deadly, daring, and desperate, saith Isidor Pelusiot. Lib. iii. epist. 24.
Ver. 19. But all the silver and the gold.] Only their idols of silver and gold were to be utterly destroyed, (Deuteronomy 7:25 Exodus 32:20) for detestation’s sake, and prevention of idolatry, that land desolating sin.
Ver. 20. So the people shouted.] See Joshua 6:16. The wall fell down flat.] See Joshua 6:5. So shall all our corruptions; in subduing whereof, though the Lord require our daily eudeavours during the six days of this life, yet it will never be fully done till the very time of death, which will be the accomplishment of our mortification.
Ver. 21. And they utterly destroyed all.] So God had commanded them; (Deuteronomy 20:16,17) and the iniquity of these Amorites was now full. (Genesis 15:16) Let us look upon these writs of execution recorded in Scripture, and be warned.
Ver. 22. As ye sware unto her.] Romanis promittere promptum est: promissis autem, quanquam iuramento firmatis, minime stare, said Mirchanes, the Persian general in Procopius. But Joshua was none such. Lib. i., De Bell Persic.
Ver. 23. And left them without the camp.] Lest it should be defiled by them, till they were proselyted. See Numbers 31:19.
Ver. 24. And they burnt the city.] In obedience to God, though they had need enough to have done otherwise. But men must silence their reason and exalt their faith.
Ver. 25. Even unto this day.] When this story was written, she was a great lady in Israel, being married to Salmon.
Ver. 26. Cursed be the man.] And yet there was found a man that durst rebuild it, (1 Kings 16:34) as if he would despitefully spit in the face of Heaven, wrestle a fall with the Almighty. In his firstborn.] God’s hand was very heavy upon William the Conqueror in his issue, for his depopulations in New Forest. Speed, p. 445.