Joshua
Chapter 6
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Leningrad Codex, through the Open Scriptures Westminster Leningrad Codex. The written consonants are printed. A Masoretic reading is footnoted when it differs. No Dead Sea reading was substituted unless it was read from a fragment. The Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions are witnesses, not the default.
A dotted word is a harder one. Point at it, or tap it, for a short definition.
1Jericho was shut and shut tight before the sons of Israel. No one was going out, and no one was coming in.
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The Hebrew doubles the shutting: sogeret u-mesuggeret, shut and shut tight.
2God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. said to Joshua, See, I have given into your hand Jericho and its king, the warriors of worth.
3You shall circle the city, all you men of war, going around the city once. This is what you shall do for six days.
4Seven priests shall carry seven ram horns before the chest. On the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the horns.
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Shofarot ha-yovelim are horns of rams.
5When the ram horn is drawn out, when you hear the sound of the horn, all the people shall shout a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall under it, and the people shall go up, each man straight before him.
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The written consonants are בשמעכם, “when you hear.” The Masoretic reading is כשמעכם, “as you hear.” The written “when you hear” is printed. Tachteha says the wall falls under itself.
6Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Lift the chest of the A solemn agreement that binds God and people., and let seven priests carry seven ram horns before the chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
7They said to the people, Cross over and circle the city, and let the armed men cross before the chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
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The written consonants are ויאמרו, “they said.” The Masoretic reading is ויאמר, “he said.” The written “they said” is printed.
8When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying seven ram horns before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. crossed over and blew the horns, and the chest of the A solemn agreement that binds God and people. of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. walked after them.
9The armed men walked before the priests. They blew the horns, and the rear guard walked after the chest, going and blowing the horns.
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The written consonants are תקעו, “they blew.” The Masoretic reading is תקעי, the participle “blowing.” The written “they blew” is printed.
10Joshua commanded the people, saying, You shall not shout, you shall not let your voice be heard, and no word shall go out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, Shout. Then you shall shout.
11The chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. circled the city, going around it once. They came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
12Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests lifted the chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
13The seven priests carrying seven ram horns before the chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. walked, going and blowing the horns, and the armed men walked before them, and the rear guard walked after the chest of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., going and blowing the horns.
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The written form of the rear guard’s walking is הולך, the participle “going.” The Masoretic reading is הלוך, the infinitive absolute. The written participle is printed.
14They circled the city on the second day once, and they returned to the camp. Thus they did for six days.
15On the seventh day they rose early, as the dawn came up, and they circled the city in this manner seven times. Only on that day did they circle the city seven times.
16At the seventh time the priests blew the horns, and Joshua said to the people, Shout, for God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. has given you the city.
17The city shall be Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed., it and all that is in it, to God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary.. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
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Cherem is what is devoted, set apart for destruction or for Yahweh. Zonah is a prostitute.
18Only you, keep yourselves from the Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed. thing, or you will become Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed. when you take from the Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed. thing, and you will make the camp of Israel Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed., and you will bring trouble on it.
19All the silver and the gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary.. They shall come into the treasury of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
20The people shouted, and they blew the horns. When the people heard the sound of the horn, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell under it, and the people went up into the city, each man straight before him, and they captured the city.
21They Set apart for God. In this book it is often marked to be destroyed. all that was in the city, from man to woman, from youth to old man, and as far as ox and sheep and donkey, by the mouth of the sword.
22To the two men who had spied out the land Joshua said, Go into the house of the woman, the prostitute, and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.
23The young men, the spies, went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her. All her families they brought out, and they set them outside the camp of Israel.
24They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and the gold and the vessels of bronze and iron they put into the treasury of the house of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
25Rahab the prostitute, and her father’s house, and all who belonged to her, Joshua let live. She has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26Joshua swore at that time, saying, Cursed before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. is the man who rises and builds this city, Jericho. With his firstborn he shall found it, and with his youngest he shall set up its doors.
27God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. was with Joshua, and the report of him was in all the land.