Joshua 6 2

Joshua 6:2 kjv

And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.

Joshua 6:2 nkjv

And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.

Joshua 6:2 niv

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.

Joshua 6:2 esv

And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.

Joshua 6:2 nlt

But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.

Joshua 6 2 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Exod 14:14The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.God fights for His people.
Deut 1:30The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, just as he fought for you in Egypt...God's leading and fighting on their behalf.
Deut 3:21-22...your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord your God himself will fight for you.God's power seen in past victories and promise for future.
Deut 7:2...you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.Command for total conquest.
Deut 20:4For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.Assurance of divine presence in battle.
Josh 1:3Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I promised Moses.Echoes "I have given" - the land promise.
Josh 10:8The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I will give them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to stand against you."Similar divine promise of victory.
Josh 10:42All these kings and their land Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.Confirmation that the Lord fought.
Judg 1:2The Lord said, "Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand."Similar language of divine delivery of enemies.
1 Sam 17:47...that all the world may know that there is a God in Israel. It is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s...Victory belongs to God, not human might.
1 Chr 14:10And David inquired of God, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?" And the Lord said to him, "Go up..."Divine consultation for assured victory.
Ps 24:1The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.God's ultimate ownership and power.
Ps 33:16-17No king is saved by the size of his army... A horse is a vain hope for deliverance...Human strength is insufficient; salvation is from God.
Ps 44:3For by their own sword they did not possess the land... but by Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your countenance, for You favored them.God's power, not human effort, gave them the land.
Isa 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you... and uphold you with my righteous right hand.Divine presence and strength in difficult situations.
Rom 4:18-21Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed... being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.Faith in God's power to fulfill promises, even when impossible.
1 Cor 15:57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Spiritual victory is a gift from God.
2 Cor 10:4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.Divine methods for overcoming strongholds.
Heb 4:1Let us, therefore, be careful that while the promise of entering his rest still stands, none of you... come short of it.Entering God's rest through obedience and faith.
Heb 11:30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.Directly references Jericho's fall by faith.
Rev 11:15The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.God's ultimate, complete triumph.

Joshua 6 verses

Joshua 6 2 Meaning

Joshua 6:2 reveals God's definitive declaration to Joshua, assuring him that Jericho, its king, and its mighty warriors have already been delivered into Israel's power. This statement emphasizes divine sovereignty and the certainty of God's promise before the battle even begins, signaling that the victory is a divine accomplishment rather than a human one, requiring faith and obedience from Joshua and the Israelites.

Joshua 6 2 Context

Joshua 6:2 is uttered by God to Joshua following Israel's crossing of the Jordan River, their circumcision, and the celebration of Passover, signifying their readiness and sanctification before the Lord. The specific chapter context is the command and promise concerning the formidable city of Jericho, the first major city in Canaan to be confronted. Historically, this event marks Israel's strategic entry into the Promised Land, an act of divine warfare where God demonstrates His absolute power and faithfulness to His covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jericho, a strong, fortified city, represented a significant initial challenge, and God's prior declaration of its surrender underscores that the battle's outcome was already divinely determined.

Joshua 6 2 Word analysis

  • And the LORD (wYHWH): Connects this verse to the preceding divine instructions. "The LORD" (Yahweh) emphasizes God's covenant name, signifying His personal and active involvement, not a generic deity. He is the God who fulfills His promises and actively intervenes in human history.
  • said to Joshua: Direct, personal communication. God speaks directly to His chosen leader, providing clarity and authority for the challenging task ahead.
  • See,: An imperative verb, inviting Joshua to behold or understand. It implies that Joshua is to recognize a present reality, not just a future possibility. It urges attention and acceptance of divine truth.
  • I have given (nātatî): This is a perfect tense verb in Hebrew. It signifies a completed action with ongoing results. The victory over Jericho is not something God will do, but something He has already done from His sovereign perspective. It declares certainty and assures success before a single battle step is taken, demanding faith. This removes any doubt from human capability or effort as the primary factor.
  • into your hand (bəyādəḵā): A common idiomatic expression meaning "into your power," "under your control," or "at your disposal." It emphasizes the transfer of authority and control from the enemy to Joshua, signifying absolute victory.
  • Jericho,: The specific, heavily fortified city. Its name, possibly related to "fragrant" (from palm trees) or "moon" (as a moon city), belied its formidable defenses. It was a critical, strategic stronghold guarding the central route into Canaan.
  • and its king,: Represents the leadership and sovereignty of the enemy city. Its fall signifies complete systemic defeat, political and military. The king embodies the entire authority structure.
  • and its mighty men of valor: Refers to the elite soldiers or valiant warriors of Jericho. This inclusion highlights that even the strongest, most capable human resistance is powerless before God's decreed will. It contrasts human strength with divine omnipotence.

Joshua 6 2 Bonus section

The phrase "I have given" serves as a direct polemic against the notion that Israel's conquest of Canaan was solely due to their strength or military superiority. Instead, it powerfully asserts that God alone is the source of their victory and land inheritance, dispelling any pride that might arise from their achievements. This concept runs throughout the Torah and subsequent historical books, attributing success directly to divine action rather than human might or number (Deut 9:4-6; Judg 7:2). Furthermore, God's decree signifies that the inhabitants of Jericho, known for their wickedness, were already condemned by divine judgment, a theological justification for the severe actions taken. The command is essentially a call to act on what God has already decreed, teaching Israel about living by faith in the divine promises.

Joshua 6 2 Commentary

Joshua 6:2 is a profound statement of divine sovereignty and assured victory. Before the elaborate plan for marching around Jericho is revealed, God declares the outcome: Jericho, its king, and its mighty men have already been delivered into Joshua's hand. This is not a prediction based on human strategy or Israel's might, but a divine declaration rooted in God's omnipotence and faithfulness. The perfect tense "I have given" is crucial; it reveals that the battle, in God's eyes, is already won. This assurance bypasses human fear and inadequacy, emphasizing that the impending "battle" is a demonstration of God's power and a test of Israel's faith and obedience, not their military prowess. It underscores the principle that God fights for His people, making His promise of the land an inevitable reality. The detailed, unconventional instructions for the siege that follow serve to highlight this truth further: it is by divine intervention, not human military might, that the strong walls of Jericho would fall.