וִירִיחוֹ סֹגֶרֶת וּמְסֻגֶּרֶת מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין יוֹצֵא וְאֵין בָּא

Jericho was closed and sealed against the children of Israel, with no one departing and no one entering. Jericho was a fortified city and therefore difficult to conquer. It had closed in upon itself due to the nearby Israelite army.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה'אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ רְאֵה נָתַתִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶת יְרִיחוֹ וְאֶת מַלְכָּהּ גִּבּוֹרֵי הֶחָיִל

The Lord said to Joshua, perhaps through the agency of the aforementioned angel, as angels often speak to people in God’s name, in the first person: See, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, and its king. You will emerge victorious in this battle, as you will conquer the city and defeat its king and his men, its mighty warriors.

וְסַבֹּתֶם אֶת הָעִיר כֹּל אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַקֵּיף אֶת הָעִיר פַּעַם אֶחָת כֹּה תַעֲשֶׂה שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים

You shall circle the city; all the men of war, the soldiers alone, shall circle the city once each day, while the rest of the nation will remain encamped in their place. So you shall do six days.

וְשִׁבְעָה כֹהֲנִים יִשְׂאוּ שִׁבְעָה שׁוֹפְרוֹת הַיּוֹבְלִים לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תָּסֹבּוּ אֶת הָעִיר שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וְהַכֹּהֲנִים יִתְקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת

Seven priests shall carry seven rams’ shofars before the ark, which shall also be brought for these encirclements; and on the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times, and the priests shall sound the shofars as you encircle the city.

וְהָיָה בִּמְשֹׁךְ בְּקֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר יָרִיעוּ כָל הָעָם תְּרוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וְנָפְלָה חוֹמַת הָעִיר תַּחְתֶּיהָ וְעָלוּ הָעָם אִישׁ נֶגְדּוֹ

It shall be that when they sound the ram’s horn, when they make a blast, or upon the extended last blast, or at the end of all the blasts, when you, the entire nation, hear the sound of the shofar, this will be the sign that all the people shall cry a great cry, and the wall of the city will collapse beneath itself, and the people shall go, each man straight ahead. All those standing opposite the wall will be able to enter the city directly from their spots.

וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם שְׂאוּ אֶת אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית וְשִׁבְעָה כֹהֲנִים יִשְׂאוּ שִׁבְעָה שׁוֹפְרוֹת יוֹבְלִים לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן ה'

Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them: Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and let seven priests take up seven rams’ shofars before the Ark of the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל הָעָם עִבְרוּ וְסֹבּוּ אֶת הָעִיר וְהֶחָלוּץ יַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן ה'

He said to the people: Go forth and circle the city, and the vanguard, the members of the tribes who inherited their portion on the eastern side of the Jordan River, namely, Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, shall go forth before the Ark of the Lord.

וַיְהִי כֶּאֱמֹר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל הָעָם וְשִׁבְעָה הַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאִים שִׁבְעָה שׁוֹפְרוֹת הַיּוֹבְלִים לִפְנֵי ה' עָבְרוּ וְתָקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם

It was, as Joshua spoke this order to the people, that the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ shofars before the Lord went forth before the ark, and they sounded the shofars, and the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord went after them.

וְהֶחָלוּץ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים תֹּקְעֵי הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וְהַמְאַסֵּף הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי הָאָרוֹן הָלוֹךְ וְתָקוֹעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת

The vanguard went before the priests, sounders of the shofars, and the rear guard went after the ark, continually sounding the shofars. This translation assumes that in addition to the priests, the rear guard also sounded the shofars. However, many commentaries interpret the verse to mean that the rear guard went after the ark and the priests, who were continually sounding the shofars. The same two possible interpretations apply to verse 13.

וְאֶת הָעָם צִוָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֵאמֹר לֹא תָרִיעוּ וְלֹא תַשְׁמִיעוּ אֶת קוֹלְכֶם וְלֹא יֵצֵא מִפִּיכֶם דָּבָר עַד יוֹם אָמְרִי אֲלֵיכֶם הָרִיעוּ וַהֲרִיעֹתֶם

Meanwhile, Joshua issued another order. He commanded the people, saying: Do not cry out, and do not sound your voice, and nothing shall issue from your mouth. The procession around the city must be performed in silence, until the day I say to you: Cry out; then you shall cry out.

וַיַּסֵּב אֲרוֹן ה' אֶת הָעִיר הַקֵּף פַּעַם אֶחָת וַיָּבֹאוּ הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיָּלִינוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה

The Ark of the Lord circled the city on the first day, going around once. All the men of war marched around in a quiet procession, with the armed men of the two and a half tribes going before the ark. Only the sounds of the rams’ horns were heard. And they came to the camp and stayed the night in the camp.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּשְׂאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת אֲרוֹן ה'

Joshua arose early in the following morning, and the priests took up the Ark of the Lord.

וְשִׁבְעָה הַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאִים שִׁבְעָה שׁוֹפְרוֹת הַיֹּבְלִים לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן ה' הֹלְכִים הָלוֹךְ וְתָקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וְהֶחָלוּץ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהַמְאַסֵּף הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי אֲרוֹן ה' הָלוֹךְ וְתָקוֹעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת

The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ shofars before the Ark of the Lord went steadily, and they sounded the shofars; the vanguard went before them, and the rear guard went after the Ark of the Lord, steadily sounding the shofars.

וַיָּסֹבּוּ אֶת הָעִיר בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי פַּעַם אַחַת וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּחֲנֶה כֹּה עָשׂוּ שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים

They circled the city on the second day one time, and they returned to the camp; so they did for six days.

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ כַּעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר וַיָּסֹבּוּ אֶת הָעִיר כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים רַק בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא סָבְבוּ אֶת הָעִיר שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים

It was on the seventh day, and they rose early at dawn, and circled the city in the same manner seven times. The verse reemphasizes that only on that day did they circle the city seven times. Some commentaries explain that the first part of the verse is referring to the initial encompassing of the city on the seventh day, which was the last encirclement necessary to bring the number of encirclements to seven, one per day, while the second part of the verse adds that on that same day they performed another six encirclements, for a total of seven on that day.

וַיְהִי בַּפַּעַם הַשְּׁבִיעִית תָּקְעוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל הָעָם הָרִיעוּ! כִּי נָתַן ה' לָכֶם אֶת הָעִיר

It was at the seventh time that the priests sounded the shofars that Joshua said an order to the people: Cry out, as the Lord has given you the city.

וְהָיְתָה הָעִיר חֵרֶם הִיא וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ לַה' רַק רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה תִּחְיֶה הִיא וְכָל אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבַּיִת כִּי הֶחְבְּאַתָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָכִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁלָחְנוּ

Joshua further instructed all of Israel, and especially the officers: The city shall be proscribed; it and everything that is in it is for the Lord. Anything that can be taken as plunder shall be consecrated to God, while all the people and animals are to be killed. Only Rahav the prostitute shall live, she and everyone who is with her in the house, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. She alone is entitled to protection. You must respect the sign that distinguishes her house, and you are prohibited from harming anyone inside.

וְרַק אַתֶּם שִׁמְרוּ מִן הַחֵרֶם פֶּן תַּחֲרִימוּ וּלְקַחְתֶּם מִן הַחֵרֶם וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֵרֶם וַעֲכַרְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ

As for you, beware of that which is proscribed, make sure that neither you nor anyone else takes from it, lest you plunder and take from the proscribed spoils, and set a proscription against the camp of Israel, tainting or defiling it. The term “tainting” is important for the continuation of the story (see 7:25).

וְכֹל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וּכְלֵי נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל קֹדֶשׁ הוּא לַה' אוֹצַר ה' יָבוֹא

All silver and gold, and bronze and iron vessels, are sacred to the Lord. You may throw away worthless items, but you are not permitted to take any valuable article for yourselves. Although objects of these kinds are generally plundered by soldiers, they shall come to the treasury of the Lord.

וַיָּרַע הָעָם וַיִּתְקְעוּ בַּשֹּׁפָרוֹת וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ הָעָם אֶת קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר וַיָּרִיעוּ הָעָם תְּרוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וַתִּפֹּל הַחוֹמָה תַּחְתֶּיהָ וַיַּעַל הָעָם הָעִירָה אִישׁ נֶגְדּוֹ וַיִּלְכְּדוּ אֶת הָעִיר

The people cried out spontaneously. When they heard Joshua’s instructions, including his assurance of victory, the silence of their procession was broken as they erupted with enthusiastic shouts. And they, the priests, sounded the shofars. It was when the people heard the sound of the shofar that the people cried out a great cry, not a hurrah like the previous cry, and then the wall collapsed beneath itself, and the people went up into the city, each man straight ahead of him, and they captured the city.

וַיַּחֲרִימוּ אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּעִיר מֵאִישׁ וְעַד אִשָּׁה מִנַּעַר וְעַד זָקֵן וְעַד שׁוֹר וָשֶׂה וַחֲמוֹר לְפִי חָרֶב

They destroyed everything that was in the city, both man and woman, both youth and old man, and ox, sheep, and donkey, by the sword.

וְלִשְׁנַיִם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמְרַגְּלִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ אָמַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֹּאוּ בֵּית הָאִשָּׁה הַזּוֹנָה וְהוֹצִיאוּ מִשָּׁם אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתֶּם לָהּ

To the two men who spied the land, Joshua said: Go to the house of the prostitute and take the woman and all that is hers from there, for you took an oath to her. Since you accepted upon yourselves the responsibility of protecting her, you must now take the necessary steps to ensure that your oath is fulfilled.

וַיָּבֹאוּ הַנְּעָרִים הַמְרַגְּלִים וַיֹּצִיאוּ אֶת רָחָב וְאֶת אָבִיהָ וְאֶת אִמָּהּ וְאֶת אַחֶיהָ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהּ וְאֵת כָּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֶיהָ הוֹצִיאוּ וַיַּנִּיחוּם מִחוּץ לְמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל

The young men, the spies, went and took out Rahav, her father, her mother, and her brothers, and all that was hers; they took out all her families. She had apparently brought her extended family into her house. And they set them in a safe place outside the camp of Israel.

וְהָעִיר שָׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ רַק הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב וּכְלֵי הַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְהַבַּרְזֶל נָתְנוּ אוֹצַר בֵּית ה'

They burned the city with fire, and everything that was in it; only the silver, the gold, and the bronze and iron vessels they gave to the treasury of the House of the Lord.

וְאֶת רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה וְאֶת בֵּית אָבִיהָ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהּ הֶחֱיָה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי הֶחְבִּיאָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָכִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְרַגֵּל אֶת יְרִיחוֹ

But Rahav the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that was hers, Joshua kept alive, and she resided in the midst of Israel to this day because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy Jericho.

וַיַּשְׁבַּע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בָּעֵת הַהִיא לֵאמֹר אָרוּר הָאִישׁ לִפְנֵי ה' אֲשֶׁר יָקוּם וּבָנָה אֶת הָעִיר הַזֹּאת אֶת יְרִיחוֹ בִּבְכֹרוֹ יְיַסְּדֶנָּה וּבִצְעִירוֹ יַצִּיב דְּלָתֶיהָ

Joshua administered an oath to the people at that time, saying: Cursed is the man before the Lord who will arise and build this city, Jericho; with his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with his youngest he will erect its gates. Besides the prohibition against taking the property of the city at that time, Joshua wanted Jericho to remain a ruin forever. He therefore added an explicit curse upon anyone who would attempt to reestablish the city: All his sons would die. His firstborn would perish when he laid its foundation, and when he finished building its walls and sought to set up the city gates, his youngest son would also pass away.

וַיְהִי ה' אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיְהִי שָׁמְעוֹ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ

The Lord was with Joshua; his fame was in the entire land. The miracle of the conquest of Jericho affected the people of Canaan far more than the earlier wonders that were performed for Israel upon their entry into the land.