Joshua 6 20

Joshua 6:20 kjv

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:20 nkjv

So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:20 niv

When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:20 esv

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

Joshua 6:20 nlt

When the people heard the sound of the rams' horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.

Joshua 6 verses

Joshua 6 20 Meaning

Joshua 6:20 describes the miraculous moment when, after Israel's week-long obedience to God's unique instructions, the walls of Jericho collapsed. As the priests blew trumpets and the people raised a thunderous shout, the formidable fortifications fell completely, allowing the Israelite army to immediately and effortlessly storm the city, securing its capture without conventional siege warfare. This event serves as a powerful demonstration of God's direct intervention and faithfulness to His promises, proving His might far beyond human military power.

Joshua 6 20 Context

Joshua chapter 6 details God's extraordinary and unconventional plan for the conquest of Jericho, the first city Israel was to face in Canaan. The previous five chapters establish God's renewal of His covenant with Israel, the consecration of the people, and the divine appointment of Joshua. Jericho, with its formidable defenses, stood as a massive barrier to Israel's entry into the Promised Land, representing an impossible human military challenge. God commanded a highly specific, seemingly illogical, ritual: for six days, the armed men, priests, and the Ark of the Covenant were to circle the city once, with priests blowing trumpets (shofars). On the seventh day, they were to circle seven times, and upon the final trumpet blast, everyone was to shout loudly, and the wall would collapse. Verse 20 describes the climax of this ritual, where absolute obedience led to a supernatural triumph, affirming that the conquest was God's doing, not Israel's military might. Historically, Jericho was an ancient and strategic fortress, typical of well-defended Bronze Age cities, whose fall signified not only military victory but divine judgment against the wicked inhabitants of Canaan and God's fulfillment of His covenant promises to Israel. This event directly challenged the reliance of surrounding cultures on impenetrable city walls and their local deities believed to protect them.

Joshua 6 20 Word analysis

• So: (Hebrew: waw connective) Signifies direct consequence and continuation, linking the preceding obedience (marching, trumpeting) to the immediate outcome.
• the people: (Hebrew: hāʿām - הָעָם) Refers to the entire Israelite community, emphasizing their collective participation and unity in obedience, not just a segment of the army.
• shouted: (Hebrew: wayyāriʿū - וַיָּרִיעוּ) From the root rua' (רוּעַ), meaning "to shout," often with a military or cultic connotation, a sound of alarm, war, triumph, or celebration. It's more than a mere yell; it's a commanded, concerted, and perhaps faith-filled roar. It connects to the ritual use of noise.
• when the priests: Highlights the sacred nature of the battle; it was led by religious officials bearing sacred objects (trumpets, ark), rather than solely military commanders or conventional weapons. This emphasizes God's active, direct role.
• blew with the trumpets: (Hebrew: tiqeʿū baššōpārōt - תָקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת) The instruments were shofars (ram's horns), associated with divine announcements, assembly, and spiritual warfare, rather than solely military trumpets. Their sustained blast indicated a culmination and an act of worship or declaration before the divine action.
• it came to pass: (Hebrew: wayhî - וַיְהִי) A common narrative marker, indicating a sequential event, often with a sense of divine orchestration.
• when the people heard the sound of the trumpet: Emphasizes the precise timing and the collective response to a specific, pre-arranged signal from the priestly instruments. It underscores the exact obedience required.
• and the people shouted with a great shout: (Hebrew: wayyāriʿū tĕruʿah gĕdōlāh - וַיָּרִיעוּ תְּרוּעָה גְדֹלָה) "A great shout" (teruah gedolah) emphasizes the immense, overwhelming nature of the collective cry. It wasn't a casual sound but a mighty, directed, faith-infused exclamation that served as the final human act in God's plan.
• that the wall fell down flat: (Hebrew: wattippōl haḥōmāh taḥtehā - וַתִּפּוֹל הַחוֹמָה תַּחְתֶּיהָ) "Fell in its place" or "fell beneath itself." This vividly portrays a complete, miraculous, and non-directional collapse, suggesting the walls utterly disappeared or leveled to the ground, rather than merely creating a breach. This denies any natural or human cause and affirms supernatural destruction. It's a polemic against the efficacy of ancient fortifications against God.
• so that the people went up into the city: Direct result of the collapse, allowing immediate and easy access.
• every man straight before him: (Hebrew: ʾîš lĕnegdô - אִישׁ לְנֶגְדּוֹ) Implies an unhindered, direct, and unstrategic advance for each individual. No need to seek a breach or follow a path; the entire defensive perimeter was gone, allowing entry anywhere. It conveys the totality of the collapse and the effortless nature of the entry.
• and they took the city: A concise summary of the successful conquest, bringing the command to fruition.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets... the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout": This sequence emphasizes the coordination between the religious signal and the human response, highlighting their combined, precise action according to divine instruction. The repeated emphasis on "the people shouted" underlines the pivotal nature of this act of obedience in conjunction with the priestly trumpet blast.
• "the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city": This phrasing creates a clear cause-and-effect relationship, explicitly attributing the immediate and successful entry to the miraculous collapse of the walls. It shows God actively removing the obstacle to allow His people's progression.
• "every man straight before him, and they took the city": This detail stresses the complete nature of the victory and the unhindered access provided. It communicates that no further strategizing or struggle was needed, signaling God's comprehensive triumph and the effortless capture for Israel once the walls were down.

Joshua 6 20 Bonus section

• The collapse of Jericho's walls directly countered common ancient Near Eastern beliefs in the impregnability of heavily fortified cities and the protective power of their patron deities. It served as a powerful polemic, demonstrating the absolute supremacy of Yahweh over all human strongholds and other gods.
• The ritualistic circling for seven days, culminating on the seventh day with seven circuits and seven priests blowing seven trumpets, strongly emphasizes the symbolic significance of the number seven, representing divine completeness and perfection, underscoring that this was God's perfectly executed plan.
• Jericho, as the "firstfruits" of the conquered land, was dedicated to God (a ḥerem or 'devoted thing'), meaning it was to be utterly destroyed, and its spoil largely consecrated, except for specific metals to be brought into God's treasury. This highlights a unique judgment specific to this city.
• The only exception to the total destruction of Jericho's inhabitants was Rahab and her household (Josh 6:25), due to her faith and obedience, providing a clear illustration of God's grace amidst judgment and His power to save all who trust Him.
• The meticulous adherence to a non-military strategy reveals that the conquest of Canaan was fundamentally a spiritual endeavor, a demonstration of God's covenant faithfulness and judgment, rather than a mere geopolitical invasion.

Joshua 6 20 Commentary

Joshua 6:20 is the dramatic crescendo of God's specific instructions for Jericho, showcasing the potent outcome of complete obedience. It is not Israel's military prowess or strategic brilliance that brings down Jericho's walls, but a supernatural intervention initiated by a simple act of collective faith: a commanded shout and priestly trumpet blast. This moment highlights several core biblical truths: God alone is the source of victory; human strength and wisdom are insufficient for spiritual conquest; and humble, seemingly irrational obedience to God's commands yields supernatural results. The "falling flat" signifies an utterly complete collapse, beyond any natural explanation or conventional siege warfare. This event serves as a foundational lesson that the path to victory often involves divine intervention, not human innovation, and that God delights in using the "weak" (human shout and trumpet) to demonstrate His unparalleled strength against seemingly impregnable obstacles, assuring Israel that their God was truly fighting for them in the Promised Land.