6:1 no one was going out or coming in The people of Jericho were expecting the Israelites to besiege their city (compare 2:10–11).

6:3 you will do so for six days The Israelites’ behavior is essentially a spiritual exercise—a ritual act of obedience to Yahweh. There is no apparent military strategy behind the activity. See v. 4.

6:4 On the seventh day you will march around The role of the priests, the use of the ark of the covenant, and the number of days (seven) indicate these instructions are ritual in nature.

seven times The number seven is used symbolically in Scripture to denote completeness or totality (for example, the Sabbath week). The number appears frequently in the account.

the trumpets Chapter 6 uses three different Hebrew terms for horns or trumpets: qeren, shophar, yovel. All three are animal horns. The qeren is described as an instrument of sound in v. 5. The shophar was often used in warfare for signals. The yovel was also used to signal, though apparently not in war (Exod 19:13). Shophar is used 14 times in Josh 6, which focuses on warfare.

6:5 on the horn of the ram Refers to a qeren; see note on v. 4.

the trumpet Refers to a shophar; see note on v. 4.

the wall of the city will fall flat The text does not specify that every wall in every place would fall. Archaeological excavation indicates that the walls fell flat in various places (see vv. 15–21).

6:6 Joshua son of Nun See Exod 17:9 and note; Num 27:18–20.

the priests See note on Josh 3:3.

the ark of the covenant See note on Exod 25:10.

the trumpets of the rams’ horns Refers to yovelim; see note on Josh 6:4.

6:8 before the presence of Yahweh Before the ark, which symbolized God’s presence (see Exod 25:10 and note).

6:16 Yahweh has given you the city The biblical account is clear that Israel’s invasion of Canaan was authorized by Yahweh (compare Josh 10:29–30; 11:6) and that Yahweh would be assisting them to ensure success (see Exod 23:27–28). While the idea of divinely sanctioned warfare involving the wholesale destruction of towns and cities appears troublesome, Yahweh authorizes the invasion as judgment on the Canaanites for their wickedness (Dt 9:4–6; Ge 15:16). The wickedness of the Canaanite nations is partly rooted in the idea that all of these nations had rejected Yahweh and were under the authority of other divine beings—so-called “sons of god” who rule unjustly (compare Deut 32:8; Psa 82:1–2, 6–7). Israel is under the authority of Yahweh alone (Deut 4:19–20). Over and against these other divine beings, Yahweh is laying claim to what is rightfully His (Deut 32:9). This is a war against the people and the nations that worship other gods (compare Num 13:32–33).

6:17 devoted to Yahweh The act is described using the Hebrew noun cherem, which indicates things being set apart as sacred property. (There is no good English equivalent for this concept, so translations usually discuss things being put “under the ban” or “devoted to destruction” to represent the idea.) No one was allowed to profit personally from the attack (Josh 7:1). The spoils of war belonged to God, so their destruction ensured no one else acquired them. However, some of the valuables were not destroyed but placed in Yahweh’s treasury (v. 19). Compare note on 2:10.

she hid the messengers whom we sent See Josh 2.

6:19 holy to Yahweh Indicates that they are set apart to Yahweh for His ownership and use. This command relates to the cherem (see note on v. 17).

they must go to Yahweh’s treasury The Hebrew term otsar is also used for the treasury in Solomon’s temple (see 1 Kgs 7:51). Since there was no temple in Joshua’s time, the nature of this “treasury” is uncertain.

6:22 two men who spied on See Josh 2:1.

the prostitute’s house Refers to Rahab; see 2:1 and note.

bring out from there the woman See 2:12–21.

6:25 she has lived in the midst of Israel See note on 4:9. Can refer only to time within the span of Rahab’s own lifetime.

she hid the messengers See 2:1–7.

6:26 at the cost of his youngest Similar to Moses’ directions in Deut 13:12–16 that cities tolerating the worship other gods besides Yahweh should be destroyed.