Joshua 6:6-10 Commentary: The March of Faith Before Jericho

Jericho was the gateway to Canaan, a heavily fortified city with walls that made it impregnable to a nomadic people lacking siege engines (Barnes). For Israel, this was the first conquest in the Promised Land, following the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River under the ark's leadership (Joshua 3, 4). The ark of the covenant represented Yahweh's throne on earth; it contained the tablets of the law and was covered by the mercy seat, the place of atonement.

The trumpets were shofarot, rams' horns, here specifically called yovelim, linking them to the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:10). The Jubilee was a year of liberation, the restoration of land and freedom. By using these trumpets, the procession proclaimed that Jericho's fall would be an act of divine emancipation.

The order of march followed the pattern established in the wilderness (Numbers 10). The chalutz (the armed men) went first, then the priests blowing the trumpets, then the ark, and finally the ma'assef (the rearguard, literally 'the gatherer'). Keil and Delitzsch note that the chalutz likely comprised the fighting men of the Transjordan tribes, while the rearguard came from the tribe of Dan (which traditionally closed the camp). The people marched in total silence, no battle cries, no words, no shouts, for six days, then seven times on the seventh day. This ritual echoed the creation week and the Passover, reminding Israel that God is Lord of time and history.

God's plan subverted every normal military expectation. No assault, no weapons, no strategy of human wisdom. The ark, trumpets, and silence were the only weapons, teaching Israel (and the watching Canaanites) that the battle belongs to Yahweh.

In verse 7, the Hebrew text reads va'yomeru (plural, 'they said') while several English versions render 'he said' (singular). Keil and Delitzsch explain that Joshua issued his orders through the shoterim (officers), so the plural reflects the group speaking on his behalf. The Masoretic Text is stable here, with no significant manuscript variants. The term 'rereward' (KJV, ASV) is an archaic rendering of ma'assef ('the gatherer'), translating the same word consistently. No other textual variants affect the interpretation.

Over the centuries, Joshua 6:6, 10 has been read primarily as a model of faith and obedience. Early church fathers interpreted the march around Jericho allegorically: the seven days represented the ages of the world, and the trumpets the preaching of the gospel that brings down the strongholds of sin. Medieval commentators saw the silence as a call to quiet contemplation before God's action. Reformation-era writers like Matthew Henry and the Geneva Bible stressed the necessity of following God's commands exactly, even when they appear foolish. In the modern period, the historicity of the miracle has been questioned, yet the passage remains a staple for teaching on spiritual warfare and trusting God's methods. Across traditions, the central message endures: victory comes by God's power, not human might.

Three-point outline

1. The ark at the center: God's presence leads the procession. Joshua places the ark in the middle of the march, flanked by armed men. This tells us that the conquest of Jericho is a holy war, not a land grab. The covenant God goes before his people.
2. The trumpets of jubilee: The shofarot announce liberation, not destruction. God is reclaiming the land for his people, releasing it from the grip of pagan culture. The trumpets call the people to remember God's promises.
3. The silence of faith: The people must remain completely quiet until Joshua gives the word. This silence requires trust, they are not to evaluate, speculate, or boast. They wait for God's timing.

Five-point outline

1. Joshua receives and transmits God's specific instructions (vv. 6, 7).
2. The priests bear the ark, and seven priests blow trumpets (v. 8).
3. The armed men and rear guard maintain the procession order (v. 9).
4. Joshua commands absolute silence, no shout, no voice, no word (v. 10).
5. The silence holds until the appointed day, when the shout will bring the walls down (v. 10b).

Illustration hooks

• Waiting for test results: You have done everything you can; now you wait in silence, not knowing the outcome, trusting the one who knows. The silence is an act of surrender.
• Following a coach's unusual playbook: A sports team prepares for a game, but the coach calls a wild trick play. The players must run it exactly as instructed, even when it looks foolish. Faith obeys before it sees the result.
• A wedding procession: The bride walks slowly down the aisle, everyone silent, watching. The silence builds anticipation. When the silence breaks, joy erupts. The march around Jericho built anticipation for the deliverance to come.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Why does God choose such a slow, strange method instead of a direct attack? Does he want us to do illogical things too?
• What does the silence teach us about our prayer lives? Is there a place for waiting quietly before God without demanding immediate answers?
• How can we practically prepare for God's victories when the battle plan seems foolish by worldly standards?

When God gives strange instructions, our first instinct is to question. In Joshua 6:6, 10, the people must have felt that tension. The ark, the trumpets, and especially the silence, none of it made military sense. This passage invites us to examine how we respond when God's way doesn't match our expectations. Read the passage aloud together, then discuss the questions below.

Discussion questions

1. Observation: What do you notice about the order of the procession? Who goes first, and who goes last? (List the groups in order.)
2. Interpretation: Why do you think the ark is so central to the strategy? What does the ark represent for Israel at this moment?
3. Interpretation: The trumpets are called 'trumpets of jubilee' (YLT, Darby). How does the Year of Jubilee concept shape the meaning of this battle?
4. Interpretation: Joshua commands total silence, no shouting, no voice, no word, until a designated day. What purpose does this silence serve? (Consider both Israel's faith and Jericho's perspective.)
5. Application: When have you experienced a situation where God seemed to ask you to wait and be silent instead of taking action? How did it feel, and what happened?
6. Application: The victory at Jericho depended on precise obedience to odd instructions. What 'odd instructions' from Scripture or the Spirit are you tempted to treat as optional?
7. Application: How can this passage encourage us when we face a situation that seems impossible by human reasoning?