6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration:48 “The man who attempts to rebuild49 this city of Jericho50 will stand condemned before the Lord.51 He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!”52
tn Normally the Hiphil of שָׁבַע (shava’) has a causative sense (“make [someone] take an oath”; see Josh 2:17, 20), but here (see also Josh 23:7) no object is stated or implied. If Joshua is calling divine judgment down upon the one who attempts to rebuild Jericho, then “make a solemn appeal [to God as judge]” or “pronounce a curse” would be an appropriate translation. However, the tone seems stronger. Joshua appears to be announcing the certain punishment of the violator. 1 Kgs 16:34, which records the fulfillment of Joshua’s prediction, supports this. Casting Joshua in a prophetic role, it refers to Joshua’s statement as the “word of the Lord” spoken through Joshua.
tc The LXX omits “Jericho.” It is probably a scribal addition.
51
tn The Hebrew phrase אָרוּר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (’arur lifney yéhvah, “cursed [i.e., condemned] before the Lord”) also occurs in 1 Sam 26:19.
52
tnHeb “With his firstborn he will lay its foundations and with his youngest he will erect its gates.” The Hebrew verb יַצִּיב (yatsiv, “he will erect”) is imperfect, not jussive, suggesting Joshua’s statement is a prediction, not an imprecation.