The Walls of Jericho
Following God's unusual battle plan, the Israelites march around Jericho for seven days, then shout, and the walls fall down flat.
Joshua 6:1-27
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The Story
Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. The city was completely fortified, its walls seemingly impenetrable.
The Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast, have the whole army give a loud shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse.'
Joshua gave the orders. For six days, they marched around the city once each day. The armed guard went ahead, the priests blowing trumpets came next, the ark of the Lord followed, and the rear guard came behind. Joshua commanded the people: 'Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout.'
Can you imagine what the people of Jericho thought? Warriors marching, trumpets blowing, but no attack—just one silent circuit and then back to camp. Day after day. The tension must have been unbearable.
On the seventh day, they rose at dawn and marched around the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people: 'Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!'
The people shouted, the walls collapsed, and every man charged straight in. They devoted the city to the Lord, destroying everything in it. But Joshua spared Rahab and everyone in her house, because she had hidden the spies.
The battle was won not by military strategy but by obedient faith in God's word. The walls fell by divine power, not human force. And in the midst of destruction, mercy was shown to a woman of faith.
The Walls Fall Down
Kids Version
The city of Jericho had HUGE walls. The gates were locked tight. The people inside thought they were safe from the Israelites.
But God had a plan—a very unusual plan!
God told Joshua, 'Here's how you'll beat Jericho: March around the city once a day for six days. Don't say anything! Just march and blow trumpets.
'On the seventh day, march around SEVEN times. Then blow the trumpets really loud and have everyone SHOUT! The walls will fall down!'
Wait, what? No fighting? No battering rams? Just... walking and shouting? It seemed crazy! But Joshua obeyed God.
Day 1: March, march, march. Trumpets blow. No talking. Go back to camp.
Day 2: Same thing.
Day 3, 4, 5, 6: March, march, march.
The people in Jericho must have been SO confused! 'What are they doing?!'
Day 7: The Israelites got up early. They marched around once... twice... three times... four, five, six times. Then the SEVENTH time around...
'BLOW THE TRUMPETS!' Joshua shouted.
BLAAAAAST! went the trumpets.
'NOW SHOUT!' Joshua commanded.
'AAAAAHHHHH!' The people shouted with all their might!
RUMBLE... CRASH!! The huge walls FELL DOWN FLAT! The Israelites ran straight in and took the city!
But they kept their promise to Rahab. When they saw the red rope in her window, they rescued her and her whole family.
God's ways don't always make sense to us. But when we obey Him, He does amazing things!
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Scripture — Joshua 6:1-27 (KJV)
1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. was: Heb. did shut up, and was shut up
2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once . Thus shalt thou do six days.
4And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
5And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. flat: Heb. under it
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 trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
7And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
8And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
9And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. rereward: Heb. gathering host
10And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. any noise: Heb. your voice to be heard
11So the ark of the LORD compassed 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 the LORD.
13And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
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 about 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 trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
17And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. accursed: or, devoted
18And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. accursed: or, devoted a curse: or, devoted
19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. consecrated: Heb. holiness
20So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. flat: Heb. under it
21And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
22But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. kindred: Heb. families
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 the LORD.
25And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
27So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
Memory Verse
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. was: Heb. did shut up, and was shut up”
— Joshua 6:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “The Walls of Jericho” in the Bible?
Following God's unusual battle plan, the Israelites march around Jericho for seven days, then shout, and the walls fall down flat. This story is found in Joshua 6:1-27.
Where is “The Walls of Jericho” found in the Bible?
“The Walls of Jericho” is found in Joshua 6:1-27, in the book of Joshua.
What can children learn from “The Walls of Jericho”?
This story teaches children about Obedience, Faith, God's unusual methods, Victory. God gave Joshua a strange battle plan: march around the city, blow trumpets, and shout. When they obeyed, the huge walls of Jericho fell down flat!