The Walls Come Tumblin' Down
- Jericho is in lock down for fear of the Israelites—no one gets in and no one gets outs.
- God gives Joshua very specific instructions. The Israelite warriors must march around Jericho for six days with seven priests carrying trumpets made from rams's horns.
- On the seventh day, the warriors should march seven times around the city blowing on the trumpets. When they make a long blast, then all the people should shout and the walls of the city will fall so Israel can charge forward (3-5).
- Joshua gives these orders to the Israelites, making explicit instructions to make no sound for six days. In case you were wondering, we'd totally fail this assignment.
- The Israelites do as God commands and march around Jericho for six days.
- How tired were their legs? Super tired. But when God says march, you march.
- On the seventh day before the siege, Joshua gives a rousing speech that is totally reminiscent of Aragorn's speech in Return of the King even though Tolkien wasn't even a glimmer in his mother's eye at this point.
- Joshua tells the Israelites that they cannot harm Rahab or her family.
- The Israelites must practice herem, meaning that they must destroy everything as a sacrifice to God and keep nothing for themselves… unless, of course, they want to bring destruction to their nation. Which they probably don't.
- At Joshua's command, the Israelites let their voices ring and the walls of Jericho come tumbling down.
- Once the walls are down, the Israelites charge and completely destroy Jericho.
- Then the Israelites make good with Rahab and bring her and her family out so they can be free among the Israelites.
- Joshua then curses the land (as one does) to make sure no one can build there again. All in a day's work.