This command to march around the city for six days is a profound lesson in obedience. God's instructions, which seem utterly illogical and ineffective to human reason, reveal that victory doesn't come from Israel's strength or strategy, but solely from His divine appointment and blessing.
You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After God's promise to deliver Jericho into Israel's hands, He immediately lays out a bizarre, seemingly illogical battle plan. The mighty men of war are instructed to march around the impregnable city once a day for six days, a strange ritual designed to test their faith rather than their might. This unusual tactic, culminating in a seven-day procession on the seventh day, emphasizes that victory comes from God's power, not human strategy.
Marching around a city for days seems… well, odd. Why would God command such a strange tactic?
A Test of Faith, Not Strategy
Look at Joshua 6:3: "You shall march around the city... Thus shall you do for six days." On the surface, this plan is baffling. It wasn't a military strategy that would shake fortifications or intimidate an enemy through conventional means. In fact, it might have even invited ridicule from the people of Jericho!
But here’s the key insight: God’s commands are not always meant to make sense to our human logic. The repeated, seemingly pointless action of marching around Jericho was a deliberate test. It forced the Israelites to look beyond their own strength, their military tactics, and their
This wasn't just any procession. What made this parade around Jericho so significant?
The Ark: God's Guarantee
This wasn't just a military parade. The instructions in the broader passage (though not solely in verse 3) reveal the Ark of the Covenant was central. The men of war marched, priests blew trumpets, and the Ark moved with them. This was a profound declaration: God Himself was leading the charge.
The symbolism is powerful. The Ark represented God’s tangible presence with His people. By marching with it, they weren't just following orders; they were walking in God's power. The inhabitants of Jericho would see not just an invading army, but a people in covenant with the Almighty.
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This procession was designed to impress both the Israelites and their enemies: that victory comes not by human might, but by divine presence and appointment. It was a constant, visible reminder that God was their strength and their protector.
Understand the original words
aron · Hebrew Noun
A portable, sacred chest representing the presence and throne of God among His people. It contained the tablets of the Law and served as a focal point for Israel's worship and military campaigns.
shophar · Hebrew Noun
A wind instrument used in ancient Israel for religious and military purposes. They were used to signal the beginning of religious festivals, announce the presence of God, or sound alarms and commands during warfare.
This seemingly strange command to march around Jericho for six days wasn't about military strategy, but a profound lesson in faith. It was designed to teach the Israelites to rely solely on God's power, not their own strength or worldly wisdom.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Enter Promised Land
After 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Jericho's Walls Are Shut
The city of Jericho is strongly fortified and its gates are closed, presenting a significant obstacle to the advancing Israelites.
c. 1400 BC
God Commands the Marching Protocol
Joshua receives divine instructions for the Israelites to march around Jericho daily for six days, with specific instructions for the seventh day.
c. 1400 BC
The Fall of Jericho
On the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times and sounding the trumpets, the walls of Jericho miraculously collapse.
This passage directly references the fall of Jericho, highlighting how faith, not military might, led to its walls falling after the Israelites marched around it.
1 Corinthians 1:27The strategy used at Jericho, which seemed foolish to human reason (marching and blowing horns), demonstrates God choosing the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise, a principle illustrated here.
Exodus 14:13-14Similar to Joshua's command to be silent and wait for God's signal, this passage shows Moses instructing the Israelites to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, emphasizing reliance on God rather than their own actions.
Isaiah 30:15This verse speaks to the core lesson of Jericho: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust is your strength.' It contrasts with human striving and echoes the obedience required of Israel.
bensonJoshua 6:3: "And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days."
Joshua 6:3 . Round about the city once — At a convenient distance, out of the reach of their arrows. Six days — Every day once. This and the following course might seem ridiculous and absurd, and is therefore prescribed by God, that they might learn to take new measures of things, and to expect success, not from their own valour, or skill, but merely from God’s appointm…
jfbJoshua 6:3: "And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days."
3-5. ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war. … Thus shalt thou do six days, &c.—Directions are here given as to the mode of procedure. Hebrew, "horns of jubilee"; that is, the bent or crooked trumpets with which the jubilee was proclaimed. It is probable that the horns of this animal were used at first; and that afterwards, when metallic trumpets were introduced,…
This command to march around the city for six days is a profound lesson in obedience. God's instructions, which seem utterly illogical and ineffective to human reason, reveal that victory doesn't come from Israel's strength or strategy, but solely from His divine appointment and blessing.
After God's promise to deliver Jericho into Israel's hands, He immediately lays out a bizarre, seemingly illogical battle plan. The mighty men of war are instructed to march around the impregnable city once a day for six days, a strange ritual designed to test their faith rather than their might. This unusual tactic, culminating in a seven-day procession on the seventh day, emphasizes that victory comes from God's power, not human strategy.
After God's promise to deliver Jericho into Israel's hands, He immediately lays out a bizarre, seemingly illogical battle plan. The mighty men of war are instructed to march around the impregnable city once a day for six days, a strange ritual designed to test their faith rather than their might. This unusual tactic, culminating in a seven-day procession on the seventh day, emphasizes that victory comes from God's power, not human strategy.
"You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven…" — This command to march around the city for six days is a profound lesson in obedience. God's instructions, which seem utterly illogical and ineffective to human reason, reveal that victory doesn't com…
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Last reviewed October 2026
