The Walls of Jericho

The Battle of Jericho is a battle in the biblical

Book of Joshua, (Joshua 6:1-27) the first battle
of the Israelites during their conquest of
Canaan. According to the story, the walls of
Jericho fell after Joshua's Israelite army
marched around the city blowing their
trumpets.

Book of Joshua

Before crossing into the land west of the River

Jordan, Joshua sent two spies to look over the land.
The king of Jericho heard that two Israelite spies
were within his city and ordered them to be
brought out to him. The spies were tasked with
ascertaining where the guards were placed,
whether anyone disliked the king and could help
them, what weaponry and armour the guards had,
when the guards changed shifts, how much food,
water, and other supplies the city had, and the
height and width of the walls so as to determine
how to overcome the city.

Biblical Story

The woman with whom the spies were staying

was named Rahab and she protected them by
hiding the two men on her roof. She tells them
how the citizens of Jericho had been fearful of
the Israelites ever since they defeated the
Egyptians via the Red Sea miracle (some 40
years prior), and agrees to cover for them on
condition that she and her family are spared in
the upcoming battle. The spies agree provided
three conditions are met:

Continued

She must distinguish her house from the others so the

soldiers will know which one to spare
Her family must be inside the house during the battle,
and
She must not later turn in the spies.
Rahab agrees to the conditions: she hangs a scarlet rope
outside her window to distinguish her house from the
others.

Safely escaping the city, the two returned to Joshua and

reported that the "whole land was melting with fear."

Continued

The biblical account describes the Israelites being led by Joshua and
crossing the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of
Jericho. There, God spoke to Joshua telling him to march around the
city once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram's
horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day they were to march
around the city seven times and the priests were to blow their ram's
horns. And Joshua ordered the people to shout. The walls of the city
collapsed, and the Israelites were able to charge straight into the city.
The city was completely destroyed, and every man, woman, child
and animal in it was killed by Joshua's army as an offering to God.
Only Rahab and her family were spared, because she had hidden
the two spies sent by Joshua. After this, Joshua burned the remains
of the city and cursed any man who would rebuild the city of
Jericho would do so at the cost of his firstborn son. It is generally
accepted that the biblical date for the fall of the walls is the 28th of
Nisan, according to the Hebrew calendar.

The Battle