| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| |
|
| 1 Now, Jericho, was shut up and barred because of the sons of Israel,–none came out and none went in. |
Jericho – A walled city about five miles from the Jordan. R5343:2
Typifying, for the Royal Priesthood, the weaknesses and shortcomings of the flesh. R4070:3
None went out – The salvation of the Lord cannot go out and come into the world with haste. C284*; R751:1*
|
| 2 Then said Yahweh unto Joshua, See, I have delivered, into thy hand, Jericho and her king,–the mighty men of valour. |
I have given – Our power over our natural desires (represented by the Jerichoites) must come from God. R1857:3
Into thine hand – The "old man" of our fallen nature is to be utterly destroyed by us as "New Creatures" under the lead of the real Joshua--Jesus. R1857:3
|
| 3 So then ye shall compass the city all ye men of war, going round the city, once,–thus, shall thou do six days. |
|
| 4 And, seven priests, shall bear the seven rams' horns before the ark, and, on the seventh day, shall ye compass the city seven times,–and, the priests, shall blow with the horns. |
Seven times – Showing completeness. R1857:6
With the trumpets – Typifying the proclamation of God's Word against sin and showing that he is able and willing to give the New Creatures victory over their carnal propensities. R1858:4
|
| 5 And it shall come to pass, when the ram's horn soundeth, when ye hear the sound of the horn, that all the people shall shout with a great shout,–and then shall the wall of the city fall down under it, and the people shall go up, every man straight before him. |
The wall – A necessity owing to frequent incursions from Syria and Egypt, being on a main line of travel. R5343:2
Showing that the natural appetites are protected by the will of the flesh, which must be broken down. R1857:3
Fall down flat – Possibly, though very unlikely, caused by vibrations of the musical chord, or by the march-step of the Israelites. R3087:6
|
| |
|
| 6 Then called Joshua son of Nun unto the priests, and said unto them, Bear ye the ark of the covenant,–and let, seven priest, bear seven rams horns, before the ark of Yahweh. |
|
| 7 Then said he unto the people, Pass on and compass the city,–and let, the armed host, pass on before the ark of Yahweh. |
|
| 8 And it was so, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that, the seven priests who were bearing the seven rams' horns before Yahweh, passed on and blew with the horns,–the ark of the covenant of Yahweh also coming after them. |
|
| 9 And, the armed host, went on before the priests who blew with the horns,–and, the rear-guard, came after the ark, going on and blowing with the horns. |
|
| 10 Now, unto the people, had Joshua given command, saying–Ye shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, neither shall there go out of your mouth, a word,–until the day when I say unto you Shout! then shall ye shout. |
|
| 11 So he caused the ark of Yahweh to compass the city, going round once,–and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. |
|
| 12 And Joshua rose early in the morning,–and the priests bare the ark of Yahweh; |
|
| 13 and, the seven priests who bare the seven rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh, went on and on, and blew with the horns,–with, the armed host going on before them, and, the rear-guard, coming after the ark of Yahweh, going on and blowing with the horns. |
|
| 14 So they compassed the city on the second day once, and returned into the camp,–thus, did they, six days. |
Six days – Nothing accomplished except the witnessing. Represents 6000 years in which sin has been entrenched and impregnable, and God's people have merely witnessed against it. R5344:1
|
| 15 And it came to pass, on the seventh day, that they rose early at the uprisings of the dawn, and compassed the city after this manner, seven times,–only on that day they compassed the city seven times. |
Seventh day – Represents the great seventh day, 1000 years of Messiah's reign. R5344:1
Seven times – The citadel of evil will be surrounded completely. R5344:1
|
| 16 And it came to pass, at the seventh time–when the priests blew with the horns, then did Joshua say unto the people–Shout, for Yahweh hath delivered unto you the city. |
Joshua – Type of Christ. A79
Shout – Not until we have faith in God's Word can we blend the shout of victory with the shout of the trumpet and see the obstacles fall. R4071:4
|
| |
|
| 17 And it shall be, that, as for the city, devoted, shall it be and all that is therein unto Yahweh,–nevertheless, Rahab the harlot, shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. |
|
| 18 But, in any wise, do, ye, beware of what is devoted, lest ye should covet, and then take of what is devoted,–and so cause the camp of Israel to be devoted, and bring trouble upon it. |
|
| 19 But, as for all silver and gold and vessels of bronze and iron, hallowed, it is to Yahweh,–unto the treasury of Yahweh, shall it come. |
Silver, and gold – Consecrated in advance for the furnishment and adornment of the Tabernacle and Temple. R5343:2
Of brass and Iron – Picturing true Israel's ordinary possessions. R4071:1
|
| 20 So the people shouted, when the horns were blown,–yea 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 under it, and the people went up into the city every man straight before him, and so they captured the city. |
With the trumpets – Typifying the trumpet notes of the Royal Priesthood; of obedience to God and opposition to sin. R3087:4
Giving forth the Bible message that ultimately sin shall be destroyed. R5344:1
That the wall – Representing the strong walls of sin and error. R5344:1
Possibly weakened by vibrations of the trumpets and shouts. R3087:6
Fell down – Typifying the utter overthrow of the power of sin. R3087:4
Probably the tremor of an earthquake, under divine direction, caused the fall. R5343:6
Flat – Seems too strong a translation to represent properly the original. The wall crumbled in front of the Ark. The section of the wall where Rahab's house was did not fall. R5343:5
|
| 21 And they devoted all that were in the city, both man and woman, both young and old,–and ox and sheep and ass, with the edge of the sword. |
Utterly destroyed – Typifying the complete extermination of sin in its every form. R3087:4
Showing how the "old man," our fallen nature, is to be utterly destroyed by us as New Creatures, under the lead of the real Joshua, Jesus. R1857:3, R4070:3
This was no injustice as they were all under the death sentence anyway. F174
|
| 22 But, unto the two men who spied out the land, Joshua said, Go into the house of the woman, the harlot,–and bring out thence the woman and all that she hath, as ye aware unto her. |
|
| 23 So 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, yea, all her kindred, brought they out,–and set them outside the camp of Israel. |
|
| 24 But, the city, burned they with fire, and all that was therein,–save only, the silver and the gold and the vessels of bronze and of iron, put they into the treasury of the house of Yahweh. |
And the gold – Representing our treasures. R4071:1
And of iron – Representing our ordinary possessions. R4071:1
Into the treasury – All the spiritual Israelite possesses is to be consecrated to the Lord's service. R1858:1
|
| 25 And, Rahab the harlot and the household of her father and all that she had, did Joshua save alive, so she hath dwelt in the midst of Israel until this day,–because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. |
Saved Rahab – Typifying the rescue, at the time of Babylon's fall, of the Great Company. R4054:2
Shows that some of our members once enemies of the new nature may be so transformed as to become servants of righteousness, through full consecration. R1857:6, R4070:6
Dwelleth in Israel – She afterward married into the tribe of Judah; and has the honor of being one of the ancestors of our Lord. R4070:6
|
| 26 And Joshua imposed an oath at that time, saying,–Cursed be the man before Yahweh who shall raise up and build this city–Jericho, At the price of his firstborn, shall he lay its foundation, and, at the price of his youngest, shall he set up its doors. |
|
| 27 And so it was that Yahweh was with Joshua,–and his fame was in all the land. |
|