And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua's command, "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city," isn't just about celebrating victory, but about proclaiming their faith before the walls even fell. This moment highlights that obedience and belief in God's promise are the true catalysts for breakthrough, not just the final act of destruction.
And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After six days of silently marching around the fortified city of Jericho once each day, on the seventh day, the Israelites are instructed to circle the city seven times while the priests blow trumpets. This specific moment comes after the final trumpet blast, signifying the culmination of God's unusual, faith-testing instructions. Joshua then commands the people to shout, proclaiming that God has already granted them victory over the city.
Imagine marching around a city for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, with just trumpets. What would you think? This wasn't a typical battle plan!
God's instructions for taking Jericho were incredibly unusual. For six days, the Israelites were to march around the city once in silence. On the seventh day, they circled it seven times with priests blowing trumpets. Only then were they to shout.
This was a test of faith and obedience. Their natural instinct would be to fight, to strategize, to use military might. But God's command required them to trust His unseen power over their visible efforts. It shows that obedience isn't always logical to us; sometimes it means doing exactly what God says, even when it seems strange or ineffective.
Joshua didn't say, 'Shout when you see the walls falling.' He said, 'Shout, for the LORD has given you the city.' There's a crucial difference!
Joshua's command to shout wasn't just a cue to start making noise; it was a declaration of faith in God's promise. The word 'for' indicates the reason for shouting: the victory was already secured in God's hands.
This teaches us that in our spiritual battles, we can often declare victory based on God's promises, even before we see the outcome. Our shouts of praise and thanksgiving are acts of faith that acknowledge God's power to do what He has promised. This perspective shifts us from anxiously waiting for results to confidently praising God for His faithfulness.
Understand the original words
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YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God of Israel, revealing His covenant nature and faithfulness. It signifies His absolute sovereignty and holiness.
shophar · Hebrew Noun
An instrument made of a ram's horn used in Israel for signaling, announcing, or in cultic worship. It signifies the call to battle, the declaration of God’s presence, or the heralding of divine events.
This divine strategy for Jericho's conquest wasn't just about military tactics; it was a profound test of the Israelites' faith and obedience, requiring them to trust God's power over their own understanding and perceived strength.
c. 1406 BC
Israel Enters the Promised Land
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, finally cross the Jordan River and enter the land God promised to Abraham.
c. 1406 BC
The Siege of Jericho Begins
The formidable city of Jericho, with its massive walls, becomes the first major obstacle for the invading Israelites.
c. 1406 BC
Divine Instructions for Jericho's Fall
God provides a unique and seemingly bizarre strategy: march around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, march around seven times with priests blowing trumpets, followed by a communal shout.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
The Seventh Day of Marching and Shouting
On the seventh day, after completing the seven circuits and hearing the trumpets, Joshua commands the people to shout, trusting God's promise.
c. 1406 BC
The Walls of Jericho Collapse
In response to the people's shout, the walls of Jericho miraculously fall down flat, allowing the Israelites to capture the city.
c. 1406 BC
Jericho is Devoted to God
The city and everything in it are declared 'devoted' (or cursed) to the LORD, with only Rahab and her family spared for their kindness to Israelite spies.
This passage directly references the fall of Jericho, highlighting how faith, demonstrated through obedience to God's seemingly unusual instructions, leads to victory.
1 Corinthians 1:27God's choice to use the unconventional method of marching and shouting to defeat Jericho illustrates His way of using 'foolish' or weak things to shame the wise and strong, a theme echoed in Paul's writings.
Exodus 14:13Similar to the Israelites being told to 'stand still and see the salvation of the LORD' at the Red Sea, they were commanded to be silent and wait for God's timing and signal before shouting, showing God's direct intervention.
Romans 4:20Joshua's command to shout 'for the LORD has given you the city' required immense faith, mirroring Abraham's faith in God's promise against all odds, showing that belief precedes possession.
gillJoshua 6:16: "And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city."
And it came to pass at the seventh time,.... Of their going round the city on the seventh day: and at the seventh time: when the priests blew with the trumpets; as they did every time they compassed the city: Joshua said unto the people, shout; both those that were armed, and those that were not; they were to make one grand an…
bensonJoshua 6:16: "And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city."
Joshua 6:16 . At the seventh time Joshua said, Shout — To testify your faith in God’s promise, and thankfulness for this glorious mercy; to encourage yourselves and brethren, and to strike a terror into your enemies. The Lord hath given you the city — It is given to you to be devoted to God, as the first (and perhaps the worst…
Joshua's command, "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city," isn't just about celebrating victory, but about proclaiming their faith before the walls even fell. This moment highlights that obedience and belief in God's promise are the true catalysts for breakthrough, not just the final act of destruction.
After six days of silently marching around the fortified city of Jericho once each day, on the seventh day, the Israelites are instructed to circle the city seven times while the priests blow trumpets. This specific moment comes after the final trumpet blast, signifying the culmination of God's unusual, faith-testing instructions. Joshua then commands the people to shout, proclaiming that God has already granted them victory over the city.
After six days of silently marching around the fortified city of Jericho once each day, on the seventh day, the Israelites are instructed to circle the city seven times while the priests blow trumpets. This specific moment comes after the final trumpet blast, signifying the culmination of God's unusual, faith-testing instructions. Joshua then commands the people to shout, proclaiming that God has already granted them victory over the city.
"And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city." — Joshua's command, "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city," isn't just about celebrating victory, but about proclaiming their faith before the walls even fell. This moment highlights that obedi…
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Last reviewed October 2026