61 (And Jericho shutteth itself up, and is shut up, because of the presence of the sons of Israel—none going out, and none coming in;) 2 And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, 'See, I have given into thy hand Jericho and its king—mighty ones of valour, 3 and ye have compassed the city—all the men of battle—going round the city once; thus thou dost six days; 4 and seven priests do bear seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark, and on the seventh day ye compass the city seven times, and the priests blow with the trumpets, 5 and it hath been, in the prolongation of the horn of the jubilee, in your hearing the voice of the trumpet, all the people shout—a great shout, and the wall of the city hath fallen under it, and the people have gone up, each over-against him.'
6 And 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;' 7 and He said unto the people, 'Pass over, and compass the city, and he who is armed doth pass over before the ark of Jehovah.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 6:1-7
Commentary on Joshua 6:1-5
(Read Joshua 6:1-5)
Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master. It shut itself up, being strongly fortified both by art and nature. Thus were they foolish, and their hearts hardened to their destruction; the miserable case of all that strengthen themselves against the Almighty. God resolves Israel shall be its master, and that quickly. No warlike preparations were to be made. By the uncommon method of besieging the city, the Lord honoured the ark, as the symbol of his presence, and showed that all the victories were from him. The faith and patience of the people were proved and increased.
Commentary on Joshua 6:6-16
(Read Joshua 6:6-16)
Wherever the ark went, the people attended it. God's ministers, by the trumpet of the everlasting gospel, which proclaims liberty and victory, must encourage the followers of Christ in their spiritual warfare. As promised deliverances must be expected in God's way, so they must be expected in his time. At last the people were to shout: they did so, and the walls fell. This was a shout of faith; they believed the walls of Jericho would fall. It was a shout of prayer; they cry to Heaven for help, and help came.