Joshua 6:9-18

Common English Bible

⁹ The initial group of soldiers was going in front of the priests who were blowing the trumpets. The rear guard was coming behind the chest, with trumpets blowing continuously. ¹⁰ Joshua ordered the people, “Don’t shout. Don’t let your voice be heard. Don’t let a word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then shout!”

¹¹ He made the Lord’s chest circle the city, going around one time. They went back to the camp and stayed there overnight. ¹² Joshua got up early in the morning. The priests lifted up the Lord’s chest. ¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets made from rams’ horns were going in front of the Lord’s chest, blowing trumpets continuously. The armed soldiers were going in front of them. The rear guard was coming after the Lord’s chest, blowing trumpets continuously. ¹⁴ They circled the city one time on the second day. Then they went back to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at dawn. They circled the city in this way seven times. It was only on that day that they circled the city seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets. Then Joshua said to the people, “Shout, because the Lord has given you the city! ¹⁷ The city and everything in it is to be utterly wiped out as something reserved for the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute is to stay alive, along with everyone with her in her house. This is because she hid the messengers we sent. ¹⁸ But you, keep away from the things set aside for God so that you don’t desire^[a] and take some of the things reserved. That would turn the camp of Israel into a thing doomed to be utterly wiped out and bring calamity on it.