What Does Joshua 6:20-25 Mean?
Joshua 6:20-25 describes the dramatic fall of Jericho’s walls after the Israelites marched around the city for seven days, blew trumpets, and shouted at God’s command. The walls collapsed, the city was destroyed, and every person and animal was devoted to destruction - except Rahab the prostitute and her family, who were spared because she had hidden the spies. This moment marks a powerful display of God’s faithfulness to His promises and His power to save, even through unlikely people.
Joshua 6:20-25
So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Joshua
Genre
Narrative
Date
c. 1400 BC (estimated)
Key People
Key Themes
Key Takeaways
- God destroys evil but saves all who trust Him.
- Faith, not background, determines who receives God’s mercy.
- God keeps His promises, even through unlikely people.
Context of the Fall of Jericho and Rahab's Rescue
The dramatic collapse of Jericho’s walls in Joshua 6:20-25 is the climax of a carefully obedient march commanded by God, setting the stage for both judgment and mercy.
After the Israelites crossed the Jordan, God instructed Joshua to march around Jericho for seven days, with priests carrying the ark and blowing rams’ horns, remaining silent until the final day - this unusual strategy emphasized total reliance on God, not military strength. On the seventh day, after seven circuits, the people shouted at God’s command, and the walls fell, allowing Israel to conquer the city completely. As part of God’s ‘herem’ - a holy war practice where everything in the city was devoted to destruction - every person and animal was killed, a severe act showing God’s judgment on Canaanite idolatry and His determination to protect Israel’s spiritual identity.
Yet amid this judgment, Rahab and her family were spared, fulfilling the spies’ oath in Joshua 2:17-21, where they promised to save her if she hung a scarlet cord in her window - a sign of faith and protection, much like the blood on the doorposts in Egypt.
God's Holy War and the Mercy of Rahab
The trumpet blasts that brought down Jericho’s walls were sacred sounds tied to God’s presence, not merely military signals. Ram’s horns (shofars) often marked divine appearances or moments of holy intervention, echoing the voice of God Himself.
In ancient Israel, the shofar was used at Sinai (Exodus 19:16), during worship, and to announce God’s coming judgment or deliverance - so these seven priests blowing seven trumpets around Jericho carried deep spiritual weight, signaling that this was not a normal battle but a theophanic act, where God Himself was marching in victory. The total destruction of the city - called 'herem' - wasn’t random violence but a sacred act of removing evil that had festered in Canaan for centuries (Genesis 15:16), where idolatry and practices like child sacrifice had corrupted life. This judgment was severe, but it reflected God’s holiness and His commitment to protect His people from spiritual ruin. Yet within this holy war, God made room for mercy: Rahab, a Canaanite woman and a prostitute, was spared not because of her status or morality but because she chose to trust the God of Israel, hiding the spies and declaring His power over all the earth (Joshua 2:11).
Her faith stands out even more when we see her later honored in Hebrews 11:31: 'By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given welcome to the spies in peace.' This inclusion of a foreign woman - morally and socially 'unclean' by Israelite standards - into the hall of faith shocks the reader and reveals God’s heart: He saves anyone, from any background, who turns to Him. Rahab’s scarlet cord, like the blood on the doorposts in Egypt (Exodus 12:13), became a symbol of protection through faith, not merit. Her story foreshadows the gospel, where Gentiles are brought into God’s family not by law or lineage but by trust in His promise.
Rahab’s scarlet cord was more than a signal - it was a sign of faith that placed her under God’s protection, just like the blood on the doorposts in Egypt.
The tension between judgment and mercy in this passage reflects God’s dual nature: He is both just and compassionate, willing to destroy evil but eager to save the repentant. Rahab’s rescue shows that no one is beyond redemption when they reach out to God in faith.
God's Sovereignty, Faithfulness, and the Call to Obedience in the Fall of Jericho
The fall of Jericho powerfully demonstrates God’s complete control over evil, His unwavering faithfulness to His promises, and His demand for total obedience from His people.
Even though Jericho was a strong, walled city, God declared it already delivered into Israel’s hands (Joshua 6:2) - showing that no evil is beyond His authority to overthrow. His timing and method, though unusual, required Israel’s full trust and compliance.
God’s promise to Rahab shows that His mercy is not earned but received by faith, and He always keeps His word.
God’s decision to spare Rahab and her family highlights His covenant faithfulness: the spies had sworn an oath to protect her (Joshua 2:14), and Joshua honored that promise, showing that God values integrity and keeps His word even in the midst of judgment. Rahab’s rescue also reveals that God’s mercy extends to anyone who turns to Him, regardless of past sins or foreign status. This foreshadows the gospel message where, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:6, 'God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' - just as God brought light to Rahab in her darkness, He calls all people from spiritual ruin into His redeeming light.
Rahab’s Legacy in God’s Redemptive Plan
This story of Rahab does not end with her rescue from Jericho but unfolds across Scripture as a powerful thread in God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s family.
She is named in Matthew 1:5 as an ancestor of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ - making her one of only five women listed in Jesus’ genealogy, a radical inclusion for a Canaanite prostitute.
This fulfills God’s ancient promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3: 'I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' Rahab chose to bless Israel by hiding the spies, and in return, she was grafted into the people of God, showing that His salvation was never meant for Israel alone. Her faith became a signpost of God’s heart for the nations - Gentiles included - long before the gospel went global.
Rahab, a foreigner and sinner, was not only spared but woven into the lineage of Christ - proving that God’s grace reaches every nation.
The book of Revelation paints the final picture of this promise fulfilled: Revelation 7:9 says, 'After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.' This vast, diverse crowd echoes Rahab’s story - she was the firstfruits of that multitude, a Canaanite woman saved by faith, standing in the company of the redeemed. Just as the scarlet cord saved her household, the blood of the Lamb saves all who trust in Jesus, no matter their past or origin. Rahab’s inclusion in Christ’s lineage shows that God’s grace has always reached beyond borders, calling outsiders in and making them heirs of His promise. Her life points forward to the gospel reality that in Jesus, there is no 'foreigner' or 'insider' - only those who are saved by faith and brought into the family of God.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
Imagine carrying shame from your past - mistakes, poor choices, a reputation that follows you. That’s where many of us feel stuck. But Rahab’s story flips the script. She wasn’t a priestess or a princess - she was a woman with a past, living on the edge of a doomed city. Yet when she heard about God’s power, she acted. She risked everything to hide the spies. God forgave her, brought her into His family, gave her a new name, a new home, and even placed her in the lineage of Jesus. That is mercy and transformation. If God can do that for Rahab, He can do it for anyone. Your past doesn’t disqualify you - it can become part of your testimony.
Personal Reflection
- Is there a part of your past you still let define you, even though God has offered you a new identity?
- When have you seen God work in an unexpected way, and how did it challenge your idea of who ‘deserves’ His grace?
- How can you show mercy to someone today, just as God showed mercy to Rahab, despite their background or mistakes?
A Challenge For You
This week, identify one way you’ve been holding onto guilt or shame that God has already forgiven. Write it down, thank Him for His mercy, and then tear it up as an act of faith. Then, find one practical way to extend grace to someone who feels like an outsider - someone who might feel ‘too far gone.’
A Prayer of Response
God, thank You that Your mercy reaches further than my mistakes. Like Rahab, I come to You not because I’m perfect, but because I trust in Your power and promises. Thank You for not leaving me in my past, but bringing me into Your family. Help me live with courage, show kindness to those the world overlooks, and never forget that I, too, was saved by grace.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Joshua 6:17
Joshua declares the city devoted to destruction, except Rahab, setting up her rescue in verse 25.
Joshua 6:26
Joshua curses anyone who rebuilds Jericho, showing the lasting spiritual significance of this victory.
Connections Across Scripture
Exodus 12:13
The blood on the doorposts spared Israel, just as Rahab’s scarlet cord marked her for protection.
Revelation 7:9
A great multitude from every nation stands before God, fulfilling Rahab’s foreshadowing of Gentile inclusion.
Genesis 12:3
God’s promise to bless all nations begins to unfold through Rahab’s faith and inclusion.