Now Jericho, Besieged By Israel

Now Jericho, besieged by Israel, Had shut its doors, and none went in or out. The LORD told Joshua, “If you’ll believe, We’re going to bring these walls down with a shout. His mighty men of valor are inside; The king of Jericho also awaits. You and your men of war shall march around The city once a day, outside the gates. For six days, thus you shall just hold the line, While seven priests before you bear the ark, But on the seventh day, we’ll mix things up, And march around the walls from dawn till dark. Yes, seven times around we’ll go that day, And all the time we will not say a word, But when the final circuit is complete, The priests will lift their horns and make them heard. And when the people hear the trumpet sound, They’ll shout a mighty shout with one loud voice. This fortress, Jericho, will see its end. The walls will simply fall; they’ll have no choice.” Now Joshua was faithful to the LORD, And honored Him by bringing this report, But one can scarce conceive his fighting men’s Response to battle planning of this sort. But wonders also work in people’s hearts; The plan unfolded as the LORD conceived. For faithfully, the LORD had led His flock, And so they heard their leader and believed. So for the days that numbered one through six, The vanguard, ark, and priests all went around, Encircling the city with their march, They made no noise except the trumpet sound. The seventh day arrived; long was the march, For seven times around those walls, they went, And when the priests set lips upon the horns, The host cried out: one voice without relent. And lo, it came to pass just as God said; The walls of Jericho fell, tumbled flat. Devotion to destruction happened next; We’ll have a bit more to say about that. For God had looked on Canaan as a judge, And found them guilty of a great offense; They gave their children over to false gods. Incensed, His wrath against them was intense. And so, in handing over Jericho, He gave to Joshua a harsh command, “You must destroy, yes, every living thing To rid the evil in this promised land.” So Joshua then did as he was told; The Canaanites, once giants, now ran scared. But he made good; Rahab befell no harm, And her entire house, he also spared. (from Joshua 6)