Joshua 6:21 · Bible study
Joshua 6:21 Commentary: The Lord's Command to Destroy Jericho
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua 6:21 describes the total destruction of Jericho. Explore the meaning of 'utterly destroyed' and how Christians understand this act of divine judgment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God commanded the total destruction (ḥērem) of Jericho’s inhabitants and animals as a holy act of judgment against Canaanite wickedness.
- Key words: H2763 (utterly destroyed/devoted), H2719 (sword).
- Main debate: How to reconcile God’s command to kill every man, woman, child, and animal with His character of love and justice.
- Theological theme: Divine judgment, holiness, the wages of sin, and the sovereignty of God over life and death.
- Best use: Studied in the context of the conquest narrative, underscoring the seriousness of sin and the unique grace shown to Rahab as a foreshadowing of salvation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
At the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
KJV King James Version 1769
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and they devote all that is in the city, from man even unto woman, from young even unto aged, even unto ox, and sheep, and ass, by the mouth of the sword.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city; both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And killed all that were in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also, and the sheep, and the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y destruyeron todo lo que en la ciudad había; hombres y mujeres, mozos y viejos, hasta los bueyes, y ovejas, y asnos, á filo de espada.
E destruíram tudo o que na cidade havia; homens e mulheres, moços e anciãos, até os bois, e ovelhas, e asnos, a fio de espada.
et ils dévouèrent par interdit, au fil de l’ épée, tout ce qui était dans la ville, hommes et femmes, enfants et vieillards, jusqu’ aux bœufs, aux brebis et aux ânes.
und verbannten alles, was in der Stadt war, mit der Schärfe des Schwerts: Mann und Weib, jung und alt, Ochsen, Schafe und Esel.
En zij verbanden alles, wat in de stad was, van den man tot de vrouw toe, van het kind tot den oude, en tot den os, en het klein vee, en den ezel, door de scherpte des zwaards.
E votarono allo sterminio tutto ciò che era nella città, passando a fil di spada, uomini, donne, fanciulli e vecchi, e buoi e pecore e asini.
I wytracili wszystko, co było w mieście, męże i niewiasty, dzieci i starce; woły też i owce, i osły ostrzem miecza pobili.
А двум юношам, высматривавшим землю, Иисус сказал: пойдите в дом оной блудницы и выведите оттуда ее и всех, которые у нее, так как вы поклялись ей.
又將 城中 所有的，不拘男女 老 少， 牛 羊 和驢，都用刀 殺盡。
And they put everything in the town to the curse; men and women, young and old, ox and sheep and ass, they put to death without mercy.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 6:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse records the carrying out of a divine command to devote everything in Jericho to destruction. The Hebrew verb heḥerîm (H2763) means to put under the ban, to devote to the Lord through destruction. Gill states the inhabitants were guilty of capital crimes such as idolatry and incest, deserving death. Wesley notes that the infants, while not personally guilty of the same sins, were at the disposal of their Creator and were taken from future calamities. The Cambridge Bible observes that at Jericho not only the inhabitants but also the cattle were destroyed, while in other cities of Canaan the cattle were preserved. Clark insists that since God commanded it, the act is right, for the Judge of all the earth cannot do wrong. The consensus is that this was a unique, one-time act of holy war, the severity of which underscores the solemnity of God's judgment on Canaan's wickedness, while the sparing of Rahab (vv. 22, 25) shows that mercy was available even amid judgment.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Traditional divine judgment view: God commands destruction because the Canaanites’ sin had reached its full measure. Commentators like Gill, Wesley, and Clarke argue the command is just.
- Redemptive-historical view: The destruction of Jericho is a one-time act of holy war that points to God’s final judgment; Rahab’s salvation foreshadows salvation by grace. This view finds support in the New Testament’s reading of judgment (Matthew 25) and the story of Rahab in Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25.
What is clear: God explicitly commanded Joshua to devote Jericho to destruction, the Israelites obeyed, and Rahab and her household were spared as an exception of grace.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Divine command | All traditions affirm that Joshua acted on God’s explicit instruction (Deuteronomy 7:2, 20:16, 17). | Some traditions see the command as a unique historical mandate for Israel; others wrestle with the ethical implications for understanding God’s character. |
| Inclusion of children and animals | The text clearly states the ban extended to all living creatures; the severity is not disputed. | Some commentators (Wesley, Clarke) defend the justice of including children (citing original sin or removal from future suffering), while others see it as a note of tragedy or as a typological warning of final judgment. |
| Relevance for today | No serious tradition advocates for repeating this kind of warfare; Christians unanimously apply it to the context of ancient Israel. | Some see the passage as illustrative of God’s final judgment; others focus on the moral struggle and read it as a challenging part of redemptive history. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jericho was the first Canaanite city encountered after crossing the Jordan. As a fortified stronghold, its conquest was a critical first step in claiming the Promised Land. The Hebrew term ḥērem (devoted to destruction) describes a practice in which spoils of war, including people and livestock, were dedicated wholly to God, often through destruction, because the city and its contents were considered defiled by idolatry and rebellion against the Lord. This command is rooted in earlier instructions in Deuteronomy 7:2 and 20:16, 17, where Israel is told to show no mercy to the Canaanite nations and to save alive nothing that breathes. The Canaanite civilization was marked by practices such as child sacrifice, cultic prostitution, and other abominations (Leviticus 18), which the biblical writers see as filling the land with impurity and bringing God's judgment.
The destruction of the animals served a practical and symbolic purpose. As the Cambridge Bible notes, in later battles the cattle were spared, but at Jericho everything was devoted. All items of silver, gold, and metal were brought into the Lord's treasury (v. 19). The animals were part of the city's economic wealth, and devoting them to destruction prevented Israel from profiting from what God had judged. The sparing of Rahab, her family, and the households she protected (vv. 22, 25) stands as a counterpoint to the severity of the ban, demonstrating that God's judgment is not blind but can be turned aside by faith and allegiance. This chapter thus sets a pattern for holy war in the conquest that demands careful theological reflection.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the phrase ləpî-ḥāreb (by the mouth of the sword) is a standard idiom for total destruction in the Old Testament.
Reception History
From the early church to the Reformation, this verse was primarily read as an example of God’s just judgment against idolatry and a type of the final destruction of the wicked. Ancient writers such as Origen allegorized the fall of Jericho as the defeat of sin. Medieval commentators moralized the total destruction as the need to eradicate all vices. Reformation-era interpreters (Matthew Henry, Gill) stressed God’s sovereignty in commanding the destruction. Modern readers, while affirming the text’s inspiration, have increasingly focused on the ethical tension, seeking to understand how God’s actions here can be reconciled with the revelation of His character in Christ. The sparing of Rahab has been consistently highlighted as a sign of grace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s judgment is total and serious. The destruction of every living thing at Jericho shows that sin against a holy God has devastating consequences. Deuteronomy 7:2 and 20:17 reinforce this command.
- God’s mercy is specific and available. Rahab and her household were saved because of her faith and actions (Joshua 2, 6:22, 25). This shows that even in judgment, God provides a way of escape for those who turn to Him.
- God’s holiness demands our own devotion. The prohibition against taking any of the devoted things (v. 18) reminds Israel, and us, that we cannot mix the holy and the profane. Obedience to God’s Word requires complete trust.
Five-point outline
- God commands His people. The command came through Joshua, who was following the Lord’s instructions (Deuteronomy 20).
- Sin leads to judgment. The Canaanite nations had filled up their sin; God’s judgment was just.
- No partial obedience is acceptable. The ban on taking spoils (v. 18) teaches that God will not tolerate disobedience, as Achan later discovered.
- God preserves a remnant. Rahab’s salvation is a picture of grace within judgment, a prototype of salvation by faith.
- The ultimate Judge is righteous. This event points to a final judgment when God will separate the righteous and the wicked (Matthew 25).
Illustration hooks
- The concept of ḥērem is like a “sacred garbage”, something so contaminated by evil that it must be completely removed, like removing cancer from a body.
- Compare with a modern quarantine: when a dangerous infection is found, everything in the room might be destroyed to stop the spread. God’s holiness is more serious than any virus.
- The sparing of Rahab is like a safe room in a burning building: impossible to access except by the way God provides.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can a good God command the killing of children and animals?
- Does this passage justify modern “holy war” or violence in God’s name?
- What does this mean for how we read the Old Testament today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts us with the harsh reality of divine judgment. The Israelites were acting under direct command from God. How do we read this as followers of Jesus? The cross-references show that this was not a random act of violence but a specific judgment on a nation whose sins had reached a limit (Genesis 15:16). The sparing of Rahab shows that God’s mercy was present even here. As a group, allow space for struggle and honest questions.
Discussion questions
- What does the Hebrew phrase “utterly destroyed” (H2763) mean, and why is it important that this was an act of devotion to God?
- Read Joshua 6:17, 21. What do you notice about the contrast between what was destroyed and what was saved (silver, gold, Rahab)?
- Why were the animals also killed? How does this help us understand the severity of the ban?
- How does the salvation of Rahab (vv. 22, 25) shape the way we read this passage?
- How can we hold together God’s justice and mercy in this story? Does the New Testament reframe our understanding of judgment?
- What is your biggest struggle with this passage, and how might you seek to understand it better while still trusting God’s character?
- How can this passage deepen your appreciation for Christ’s taking of judgment on Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 2:34 | We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining. |
| Deuteronomy 7:2 | and when Yahweh your God delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them. |
| Deuteronomy 7:3 | You shall not make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. |
| Deuteronomy 7:16 | You shall consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God shall deliver to you. Your eye shall not pity them. You shall not serve their gods; for that would be a snare to you. |
| Deuteronomy 20:16 | But of the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes; |
| Deuteronomy 20:17 | but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Yahweh your God has commanded you; |
| Joshua 9:24 | They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. |
| Joshua 9:25 | Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that because God himself ordered the complete destruction of every living thing in Jericho, the act cannot be unjust. Since the Judge of all the earth cannot do wrong, the slaughter of men, women, and even animals was entirely right and proper by divine command.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights a notable difference in how Israel carried out God's judgment on Canaanite cities. At Jericho both people and livestock were destroyed, whereas in other cities like those of Sihon and Og, only the inhabitants were killed and the cattle were spared.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that this total destruction of Jericho, down to the last animal, was carried out as an explicit act of divine judgment. Every living thing was devoted to destruction because God commanded it, leaving no room for human hesitation or mercy.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the destruction of Jericho was a judicial execution, not mere violence. God commanded it because the inhabitants were guilty of capital crimes like idolatry and incest, so no one was spared by age or sex. The livestock too were destroyed, since they formed the people's wealth.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes the trumpets at Jericho as alarm or signal horns
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes the clear distinction between what is devoted to destruction and what is consecrated to the Lord. The entire city and its inhabitants were accursed, but the precious metals were set apart for God's treasury, and Rahab's family alone was preserved alive because of her faithful act in hiding the spies.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that slaying even infants was justified because all humans bear original sin and are subject to God's sovereign will. He adds that if the infants were innocent, their early death was a mercy, sparing them the worse sufferings their surviving countrymen would endure.