One day after the Israelites had made their camp at Gilgal, Joshua went out to see the city of Jericho for himself. As he looked at the great stone wall that surrounded the city, perhaps he wondered how his army could ever force its way in. The gate was tightly locked, he knew; for the people of Jericho were expecting the Israelites to fight against them, and they were afraid to go outside the city wall.
Presently Joshua saw a strange man standing near by. This stranger was dressed like a soldier and he carried a bright sword in his hand. He, too, had been looking toward Jericho, and Joshua wondered whether he was a friend or an enemy of the people who lived there. So he asked, “Are you a friend of the people of Jericho or a friend of the Israelites?” The stranger answered, “I am Captain of the Lord’s army.”
Then Joshua was glad, for he knew that God would help him capture the city of Jericho. He believed this Captain of the Lord’s army had come to lead the Israelites to their battle against their enemies. So he bowed down to the ground and worshiped before this mighty Captain. Then the Captain commanded him to take off his shoes because the ground where he stood was made holy by the presence of this holy One from heaven. Joshua quickly removed his shoes, just as Moses had done before the burning bush, at Mount Horeb.
The Captain of the Lord’s army told Joshua how the Israelites should make an attack against Jericho. And he told how God would give a great victory to the Israelites if they would carefully obey his orders. Then he went away, and Joshua did not see him again. But Joshua knew now how to lead his army through the great stone wall of Jericho, and he was glad.
When Joshua returned to the camp at Gilgal he told the people about his visit, with the Captain of the Lord’s army. And all the people were ready to obey the orders which this mighty Captain had given. Perhaps on the very next day the Israelites began their attack. They did not expect to gain the victory on that first day, nor on the next; for the Lord had commanded them to go out every day for one whole week and march around the city.
When the people of Jericho looked out of the windows of their tallest buildings they saw a host of soldiers marching around their city. Just behind the soldiers seven priests walked along, blowing ram’s horns. And behind the seven priests came other priests carrying a strange-looking burden wrapped so securely that the people of Jericho could not even guess what might be inside. But the Israelites knew this burden was the ark of the covenant, which belonged to the tabernacle. And the people of Israel followed behind the priests who carried the ark. Every one walked quietly along, making no noise except with the tread of his feet upon the ground. Once around the great stone wall they marched, and then they quietly returned to their camp at Gilgal. “What can this mean?” the people of Jericho wondered. “We can not understand those Israelites. They do not light like other men.” The next day again they saw the strange march around their city. And again on the third day, and on the fourth day, and on every day of the week. Finally they may have supposed the Israelites were only trying to make them afraid. But Rahab believed the Israelites were surely going to capture Jericho. She called her father and mother and brothers and sisters into her house. a And together they looked out of the window where the scarlet cord hung, and together they watched the strange actions of the people who worshiped the true God.
On the seventh day the Israelites marched seven times around the wall of Jericho. On that morning they had risen early and prepared for their long march. They knew the day for victory had come. At the end of the seventh march around the great wall the Israelites stood still. They did not turn toward the camp at Gilgal, as on other days, but now every one looked toward the wall. Then the priests blew loudly with their trumpets and all the people shouted with a great noise. At that moment the stone wall began to tremble, then it shook, and then fell down flat. What a great miracle! The Israelites knew God had caused the wall to tumble, because they had not even touched it. But they had obeyed God.
Joshua sent the two spies to bring Rahab and her family out of the city to a safe place. Then the soldiers of Israel climbed over the broken wall and killed all the wicked people and their wicked king. They took all the gold and all the silver that they found in Jericho, and every dish that was made of iron or of brass. These things they brought to the tabernacle at Gilgal; for God had commanded that no man should save anything for himself. Then the soldiers set the ruined city on fire, and Jericho was burned to ashes. In this way God gave a great victory to his obedient people.