An Expert Breakdown of Joshua 6:20-27: Walls Came Down

The Fall of Jericho and the Mercy of God

After marching around Jericho for seven days in silence, following God’s specific instructions, the Israelites finally shouted and blew the trumpets on the seventh day, leading to the city’s walls collapsing and their victory.

This moment was the climax of God’s plan to give Israel the Promised Land, starting with Jericho, a fortified city that seemed impossible to conquer. The people obeyed God’s unusual command - marching, blowing rams’ horns, and staying silent until told to shout - showing that their strength wasn’t in armies or weapons, but in trusting God’s word. The complete destruction of the city, known as the *ḥerem* or total devotion to God in judgment, was part of ancient warfare practices under divine command. This made clear that Israel’s conquest was both political and spiritual.

Yet amid judgment, God made room for mercy: Rahab, a Canaanite woman, was spared because she hid the spies and declared faith in Israel’s God, showing that anyone who turns to Him can be saved, no matter their past.

God's Power, Holiness, and Mercy in the Fall of Jericho

The dramatic collapse of Jericho’s walls was a divine revelation, not just a military miracle. God Himself was present in the trumpet blast and the shout, acting as both judge and savior.

The trumpet sound that preceded the shout echoes the theophany at Sinai, where thunder, trumpet blasts, and God’s voice shook the mountain (Exodus 19:16, 19), showing that the same holy God who gave the Law now fights for His people in Canaan. In this moment, the blast of rams’ horns - symbols of sacrifice and divine provision, like the ram caught in the thicket for Isaac - points forward to the voice of God that brings life and judgment, just as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, 'For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.' The total destruction of Jericho, called *ḥerem*, was not random violence but a sacred act, setting the city apart completely to God as a sign of His absolute holiness and the seriousness of Canaanite idolatry. This act underlined that the land was being cleansed, not merely conquered. Obedience to God’s command - no plunder, no compromise - was essential for maintaining covenant purity.

Yet within this judgment, Rahab’s rescue stands as a powerful exception, rooted not in her status but in her faith: she hid the spies and declared, 'The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath' (Joshua 2:11), a confession that aligns her with Israel’s covenant. Her inclusion into Israel - later making her an ancestor of King David and even Jesus (Matthew 1:5) - shows that God’s mercy crosses ethnic and moral boundaries, welcoming outsiders who turn to Him. This foreshadows the gospel, where Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:6, 'For 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,' revealing that divine light breaks into darkness through faith, just as it did in Rahab’s heart.

The curse Joshua pronounces on anyone rebuilding Jericho (Joshua 6:26) is not superstition but a covenant safeguard, echoing the seriousness of Deuteronomy 27’s curses for disobedience and pointing to the permanence of God’s judgment on rebellion. This curse was later fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34 when Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho and lost his firstborn and youngest sons - proving that God’s words stand firm across generations.

The shout that toppled walls was not just a battle cry - it was the voice of God breaking through.

Together, the trumpet, the shout, the *ḥerem*, Rahab’s rescue, and the curse form a tapestry of divine authority, holiness, and grace - revealing a God who judges sin, keeps His promises, and saves those who take refuge in Him, a theme that runs from Joshua to Jesus.

Faith, Judgment, and Mercy Today: Lessons from Jericho

The story of Jericho reminds us that God is both holy and merciful - He judges sin but also saves those who turn to Him in faith, just as He did with Rahab.

We see in this passage that obedience to God can look unusual - marching in silence for days - but it reflects trust in His word rather than human logic. Rahab’s faith, highlighted in Hebrews 11:31 - 'By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies' - shows that God honors even imperfect faith when it reaches out to Him.

This balance of judgment and mercy calls us to live with reverence for God’s holiness while sharing His grace with others, no matter their past, pointing forward to the ultimate rescue offered through Jesus.

Jericho’s Curse and Rahab’s Legacy: From Judgment to Jesus

This final piece of the Jericho story - Joshua’s curse on its rebuilding and Rahab’s surprising inclusion in Israel - points forward in surprising ways to the coming of Jesus, showing how God’s judgment and mercy echo across generations.

The curse Joshua pronounced - 'At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates' (Joshua 6:26) - was not empty words. Centuries later, in 1 Kings 16:34, we read that 'In his days Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.' This exact fulfillment proves that God’s spoken word never fails, even across hundreds of years, and underscores the seriousness of defying His judgments.

Rahab’s story takes an even more astonishing turn in the New Testament. Though a foreigner and a woman of ill repute, she is not only spared but becomes part of the lineage of Christ. Matthew 1:5 records, 'And Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,' placing her name in the genealogy of Jesus. This is no accident - God’s grace reaches into the most unlikely places. Hebrews 11:31 confirms her faith: 'By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies,' lifting her as a hero of faith alongside Abraham and Moses.

Together, these threads show that God’s promises are both firm and far-reaching. His judgment stands - Jericho remains cursed - but His mercy extends even further, welcoming sinners into His story. Rahab’s faith, like Abraham’s, was counted as righteousness, pointing to the gospel truth that salvation has always been by grace through faith, not by heritage or morality. This foreshadows Paul’s message in Ephesians 2:8-9, that we are saved not by works but by God’s grace, so that no one can boast. From the rubble of Jericho rises a picture of the gospel: judgment for rebellion, but life for those who hide under the shadow of God’s promise.

God’s curse on Jericho stands firm, but His mercy through Rahab opens a door for all who believe.

The fall of Jericho and the survival of Rahab teach us that God’s plans are deeper than conquest - they are about redemption. As we move forward in the story of Scripture, we see this pattern again and again: God using the unlikely, saving the outsider, and keeping every promise - leading ultimately to Jesus, the true conqueror of strongholds and the Savior of sinners.

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