Joshua 6:6-10 Meaning: Why the Silence?
6Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh’s ark.”
7They said to the people, “Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh’s ark.”
8It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of Yahweh’s covenant followed them.
9The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
10Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.”
6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.
7And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.
8And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
9And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
10And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of Jehovah.
7And they said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let the armed men pass on before the ark of Jehovah.
8And it was so, that, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Jehovah passed on, and blew the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah followed them.
9And the armed men went before the priests that blew the trumpets, and the rearward went after the ark, the priests blowing the trumpets as they went.
10And Joshua commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
6And Joshua son of Nun calleth unto the priests, and saith unto them, `Bear ye the ark of the covenant, and seven priests do bear seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark of Jehovah;'
7and He said unto the people, `Pass over, and compass the city, and he who is armed doth pass over before the ark of Jehovah.'
8And it cometh to pass, when Joshua speaketh unto the people, that the seven priests bearing seven trumpets of the jubilee before Jehovah have passed over and blown with the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is going after them;
9and he who is armed is going before the priests blowing the trumpets, and he who is gathering up is going after the ark, going on and blowing with the trumpets;
10and the people hath Joshua commanded, saying, `Ye do not shout, nor cause your voice to be heard, nor doth there go out from your mouth a word, till the day of my saying unto you, Shout ye--then ye have shouted.'
6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Carry the ark of the covenant, and seven priests shall carry seven blast-trumpets before the ark of Jehovah.
7And he said to the people, Pass on, go round the city, and they that are armed shall pass on before the ark of Jehovah.
8And it came to pass when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests carrying the seven blast-trumpets before Jehovah passed on and blew with the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went after them.
9And the armed men went before the priests who blew with the trumpets, and the rearguard came after the ark; they blew with the trumpets in marching.
10And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, Shout; then shall ye shout.
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua's strange orders for Jericho, ark, trumpets, silence, teach us to trust God's way of fighting. The battle is won by faith, not noise.
Context
Jericho stands locked and ready, the first obstacle in the Promised Land. God has already given Joshua the plan (verses 2, 5): a march, trumpets, and a shout. Now Joshua passes those orders to the priests and the people. This is not a normal military strategy. No siege towers, no arrows. The ark, the symbol of God's presence, leads the procession. Seven priests carry seven rams-horn trumpets, the same kind used in the Year of Jubilee to announce freedom. And the people are told to keep absolutely silent until the moment God tells them to shout. The scene forces everyone, Israelites and enemies alike, to watch and see what God will do.
Key Words
Three words in this passage carry the weight of the story. The "trumpets of rams' horns" (shofrot yovlim) link this march to the Year of Jubilee, a time of liberation, debts canceled, slaves set free. These horns do not declare war; they announce that God is about to set His people free. The word "shout" (ru'a) is not just any noise. It is a battle cry, but here it is a cry of praise and triumph that only comes after waiting. The people do not earn the victory by shouting; they answer God's signal. The "rearguard" or "rereward" (me'assef) comes from a verb meaning to gather up. This was the group that followed the ark, making sure no one was left behind. Even in a strange battle, God cared for every straggler.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen a pattern in this odd procession. Many read it as a picture of spiritual warfare: the ark shows God's presence leading; the trumpets proclaim God's Word; the silence teaches patient trust in His timing. Others note that the jubilee trumpets point to Christ's work, setting captives free by His victory. Some focus on the careful order: armed men first, then priests with trumpets, then the ark, then the rear guard. It speaks of a community moving together under God's command. All agree that God chose a method that left no doubt about who was fighting.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think the silence was for stealth, that Joshua wanted the army to creep up on Jericho unnoticed. In fact, the trumpets were loud and meant to be heard. The silence was a discipline of faith. The people had to hold back their own noise, their own plans, their own battle cries, and wait for God's signal. It was not a tactic to deceive the enemy; it was a posture of trust.
Living This Out
You may be facing a situation this week where you want to make noise, to argue, to force a breakthrough, to shout your frustration. God may be asking you to be still instead. Walk the path He has set before you, paying attention to His presence (the ark). Let your only sound be the quiet proclamation that He is with you. Then wait. The shout of victory will come at the right time, and it will be His doing, not yours.
Main takeaway: God's victories come through faithful obedience to His instructions, not through human effort or noise.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told Joshua's army to be very quiet as they walked around the city. They had to listen and wait. Sometimes God wants us to be quiet and trust Him.
For ages 9, 12
Joshua had a strange battle plan: walk, blow trumpets, and say nothing until God gave the signal. The trumpets reminded everyone that God was with them. Staying quiet was hard, but it showed they trusted God more than their own ideas. When you face something hard, you can trust God's way even if it feels strange.
Questions People Ask
Why did God tell the Israelites to march around Jericho?
God wanted to show His power, not human military strength. The march was an act of faith and obedience. By doing something that made no worldly sense, the people learned that victory comes from God alone.
What were the trumpets of rams' horns?
They were shofars, ram's horns used in Israel for special announcements. The same kind of horn was blown in the Year of Jubilee to proclaim freedom and the return of land. Here they announced God's deliverance.
Why did Joshua command silence?
To teach the people to wait for God's timing and to keep from claiming credit. The shout of victory would come only when God said so. Silence was a discipline of trust.
Was the ark of the covenant just a box, or did it represent something?
The ark represented God's throne and His presence among His people. It held the stone tablets of the covenant. Marching with the ark showed that God, not the army, was leading the battle.
How does this apply to Christians today?
Christians see that God often works in unexpected ways. We are called to trust His Word, follow His leading, and wait for His timing. Spiritual battles are won through faith and obedience, not human strength.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study