The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Joshua 6

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Joshua chapter 6 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.--” — the complete text of all 27 verses is below, free to read online.

1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.--

2And HaShem said unto Joshua: 'See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, even the mighty men of valour.

3And ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

4And seven priests shall bear seven rams' horns before the ark; and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the horns.

5And it shall be, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the horn, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.'

6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them: 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven rams' horns before the ark of HaShem.'

7And he said unto the people: 'Pass on, and compass the city, and let the armed body pass on before the ark of HaShem.'

8And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bearing the seven rams' horns before HaShem passed on, and blew with the horns; and the ark of the covenant of HaShem followed them.

9And the armed men went before the priests that blew the horns, and the rearward went after the ark, the priests blowing with the horns continually.

10And Joshua commanded the people, saying: 'Ye shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.'

11So he caused the ark of HaShem to compass the city, going about it once; and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

12And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of HaShem.

13And the seven priests bearing the seven rams' horns before the ark of HaShem went on continually, and blew with the horns; and the armed men went before them; and the rearward came after the ark of HaShem, the priests blowing with the horns continually.

14And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp; so they did six days.

15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times; only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

16And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the horns, that Joshua said unto the people: 'Shout; for HaShem hath given you the city.

17And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to HaShem; only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

18And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed by taking of the devoted thing, so should ye make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy unto HaShem; they shall come into the treasury of HaShem.'

20So the people shouted, and the priests blew with the horns. And it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the horn, that the people shouted with 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 took the city.

21And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

22And Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the land: 'Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye swore unto her.'

23And the young men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had, all her kindred also they brought out; and they set them without the camp of Israel.

24And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein; only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of HaShem.

25But Rahab the harlot, and her father's household, and all that she had, did Joshua save alive; and she dwelt in the midst of Israel, unto this day; because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26And Joshua charged the people with an oath at that time, saying: 'Cursed be the man before HaShem, that riseth up and buildeth this city, even Jericho; with the loss of his first-born shall he lay the foundation thereof, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.'

27So HaShem was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

27 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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