Joshua 6:4
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)
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The text doesn't specify rams' horns, but rather "jubilee trumpets" (often translated as such). This subtle distinction points to the sounds of a joyous celebration and restoration, not just a war horn, hinting that this victory is about God's restoration and proclaimed triumph. The repeated emphasis on the number seven throughout the instructions further underscores this, as seven was a biblical symbol for divine completeness and perfection.
Before this command, Jericho’s walls are described as impossibly shut and fortified, making any direct assault seem hopeless. Now, God gives Joshua a highly unconventional battle plan: march around the city for six days with the ark and priests blowing trumpets, then do it seven times on the seventh day, after which the people will finally shout. This detailed, ritualistic instruction emphasizes that victory will come solely through God's supernatural power, not human strategy.
The specific instruments used in the conquest of Jericho might surprise you. Were they mere rams' horns, or something more symbolic?
The Hebrew word translated as 'rams' horns' in Joshua 6:4 is actually 'jobelim' (or 'yobelim'). While some scholars believe these were indeed made from rams' horns, many ancient versions and commentators suggest they were 'jubilee trumpets.'
A Deeper Meaning
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Seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days, seven circuits... why was the number seven so important in this divine command?
The repeated use of the number seven in the instructions for Jericho's conquest is no accident. It's a deeply symbolic number in Scripture and ancient cultures, pointing to completeness and divine perfection.
Seven's Sacred Significance
Could this battle have been won by natural means? The text insists on a supernatural intervention.
Despite attempts to explain the fall of Jericho through natural causes like earthquakes or engineering, the biblical account leaves little doubt: this was a miracle.
Beyond Human Strength
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.
The instructions for Jericho's conquest, involving seven priests, seven trumpets, and a seven-day procession culminating in seven circuits on the seventh day, emphasize the sacredness of the number seven, signifying divine perfection and completion. This ritualistic approach, rooted in ancient Near Eastern symbolism and specifically tied to jubilee celebrations, underscores that Israel's victory was not through human might but by God's direct, miraculous intervention.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, marking their entry into the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Siege of Jericho Begins
The city of Jericho, a formidable stronghold, was the first major obstacle for the Israelites in Canaan. Its inhabitants were aware of the Israelites' approach.
c. 1446 BC
Fall of Jericho
Following God's specific instructions, the walls of Jericho miraculously collapsed after a week-long procession and the blowing of trumpets, leading to its destruction.
c. 1446 BC
The Ban of Jericho
Jericho was devoted to destruction as the firstfruits of the conquest, with its inhabitants and possessions to be utterly destroyed, except for Rahab and her household.
This passage directly relates to the 'trumpets of jubilee' mentioned in Joshua 6:4, highlighting their use in announcing the Year of Jubilee, connecting the ceremonial sound with divine proclamation.
Numbers 10:1-10This chapter details the use of silver trumpets for various signals in Israel's journey, contrasting them with the rams' horns used at Jericho and underscoring the unique, symbolic nature of the Jericho command.
Hebrews 11:30This New Testament passage offers a faith-based interpretation of the fall of Jericho, stating that the walls fell after being marched around for seven days, directly linking the event to faith in God's power.
1 Corinthians 15:52This verse speaks of a trumpet blast at the resurrection, drawing a parallel between the triumphant sound at Jericho, which signaled conquest, and the final trumpet that signifies victory over death.
Revelation 6:1-8This passage describes four horsemen, with the fourth riding a pale horse, and the accompanying text mentions a 'voice like the voice of a lion' and other sounds, echoing the extraordinary and divinely orchestrated events at Jericho where sounds preceded a monumental outcome.
cambridgeJoshua 6:4: "And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets."
4 . trumpets of rams’ horns ] Rather, trumpets of soundings, or, of jubilee; “seuen trompes, vhose use is in the jubile.” Not the long straight trumpets generally used, but the same kind that were to be employed on the first day of the seventh month ( Leviticus 23:24 ), and to announce the year of Jubile…
gillJoshua 6:4: "And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets."
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns,.... The ark was to be taken up and carried by priests round the city. Ben Gersom observes, that this was to direct the Israelites to keep and do according to all that was written in it; that is, in the law, which was contained in…
The text doesn't specify rams' horns, but rather "jubilee trumpets" (often translated as such). This subtle distinction points to the sounds of a joyous celebration and restoration, not just a war horn, hinting that this victory is about God's restoration and proclaimed triumph. The repeated emphasis on the number seven throughout the instructions further underscores this, as seven was a biblical symbol for divine completeness and perfection.
Before this command, Jericho’s walls are described as impossibly shut and fortified, making any direct assault seem hopeless. Now, God gives Joshua a highly unconventional battle plan: march around the city for six days with the ark and priests blowing trumpets, then do it seven times on the seventh day, after which the people will finally shout. This detailed, ritualistic instruction emphasizes that victory will come solely through God's supernatural power, not human strategy.
Before this command, Jericho’s walls are described as impossibly shut and fortified, making any direct assault seem hopeless. Now, God gives Joshua a highly unconventional battle plan: march around the city for six days with the ark and priests blowing trumpets, then do it seven times on the seventh day, after which the people will finally shout. This detailed, ritualistic instruction emphasizes that victory will come solely through God's supernatural power, not human strategy.
"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." — The text doesn't specify rams' horns, but rather "jubilee trumpets" (often translated as such). This subtle distinction points to the sounds of a joyous celebration and restoration, not just a war…
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