¹⁴ He said, “Neither! I’m the commander of the Lord’s heavenly force. Now I have arrived!”

Then Joshua fell flat on his face and worshipped. Joshua said to him, “What is my master saying to his servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s heavenly force said to Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet because the place where you are standing is holy.” So Joshua did this.

Instructions about Jericho

6 Now Jericho was closed up tightly because of the Israelites. No one went out or came in. ² The Lord said to Joshua, “Look. I have given Jericho and its king into your power, along with its mighty warriors. ³ Circle the city with all the soldiers, going around the city one time. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry seven trumpets made from rams’ horns in front of the chest. On the seventh day, circle the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.

⁵ “Have them blow a long blast on the ram’s horn. As soon as you hear that trumpet blast, have all the people shout out a loud war cry. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will rise up, attacking straight ahead.”

Israel destroys Jericho

⁶ So Joshua, Nun’s son, called the priests. He said to them, “Lift up the covenant chest. Let seven priests carry seven trumpets made from rams’ horns in front of the Lord’s chest.” ⁷ He said to the people, “Go forward. Circle the city. Let the armed soldiers go in front of the Lord’s chest.” ⁸ As soon as Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying seven ram’s horn trumpets moved forward in front of the Lord. They blew the trumpets. The Lord’s covenant chest followed.