Joshua 6:21 kjv
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 6:21 nkjv
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 6:21 niv
They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it?men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
Joshua 6:21 esv
Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 6:21 nlt
They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords ? men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.
Joshua 6 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:2 | "you must utterly destroy them; make no covenant...show them no mercy" | Command for cherem against nations |
| Deut 20:16-17 | "you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, but you shall utterly destroy them" | Specific instruction for cherem in the land |
| Lev 27:28-29 | "but everything devoted to destruction…shall not be sold or redeemed…must be put to death." | Law of cherem: no redemption, for God |
| Num 21:2-3 | "If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities." | Earlier instance of cherem vow fulfilled |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that belongs to him..." | Saul's command for cherem and his failure |
| Deut 9:5 | "Not because of your righteousness...but for the wickedness of these nations..." | God's judgment based on nations' wickedness |
| Gen 15:16 | "for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." | Divine timing for judgment on Canaanites |
| Exod 23:23-24 | "I will cut them off. You shall not bow down to their gods..." | Command to drive out and destroy idols |
| Psa 149:7-9 | "To execute vengeance on the nations…This honor have all His saints." | Saints executing divine judgment |
| Jer 50:21 | "Go up against the land of Merathaim…devote it to utter destruction." | Prophetic cherem against Babylon |
| Isa 34:2 | "For the LORD is enraged against all the nations…He has devoted them to destruction." | Universal judgment of God |
| Hab 1:5-6 | "Look among the nations, and see…I am raising up the Chaldeans..." | God using instruments of judgment |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven…utterly consume them." | Final judgment, consuming the wicked |
| Matt 3:10 | "Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." | Analogy for judgment on unrighteousness |
| Luke 19:27 | "But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me." | Parable reflecting King's judgment |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness..." | God's wrath against sin |
| Rom 2:5-6 | "treasuring up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath…who will render to each one according to his works." | Retribution for accumulated sin |
| 2 Thess 1:8-9 | "inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel…suffer eternal destruction." | Future divine judgment |
| Heb 10:31 | "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." | Acknowledgment of God's fearsome judgment |
| Rev 19:15 | "He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty." | Ultimate divine judgment and wrath |
| Rev 20:9 | "fire came down from heaven and consumed them." | Final judgment on those against God |
| Acts 17:31 | "He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness." | Assurance of future judgment |
Joshua 6 verses
Joshua 6 21 Meaning
Joshua 6:21 describes the complete and utter destruction of everything within the city of Jericho, which was "devoted to destruction" as an offering or sacrifice to God, an act known as cherem. This divine command mandated the obliteration of all living beings, both human and animal, along with the city's possessions, signifying God's judgment against the wickedness of Jericho and demonstrating His absolute authority and holiness in the conquest of Canaan. It represents a purification of the land before Israel.
Joshua 6 21 Context
Joshua 6:21 takes place immediately following the miraculous fall of the walls of Jericho. The chapter describes the meticulous, divinely commanded siege strategy, involving a unique seven-day marching ritual around the city, culminating in a mighty shout on the seventh day. Verse 21 is the direct execution of God's explicit instruction to Israel, first mentioned in Joshua 6:17, concerning the treatment of Jericho. As the first city conquered in Canaan, Jericho was to be an exceptional offering to the Lord, an ishet cherem or devoted thing, symbolizing Israel's total reliance on God and His absolute right over the land and its inhabitants.
Historically, this act reflects God's judgment on the Canaanites, whose spiritual and moral corruption was complete (cf. Gen 15:16). Their pervasive idolatry, child sacrifice, and sexual depravity had filled their "cup of iniquity." The cherem was not a general practice for all future warfare but a specific divine act of judgment and purification, unique to the initial conquest to demonstrate God's sovereignty and holiness and to prevent Israel from being corrupted by these pagan practices.
Joshua 6 21 Word analysis
- And they: Refers to "the people" (Joshua 6:20) of Israel, specifically the soldiers who entered the city. Their immediate action highlights obedience to God's precise instructions.
- devoted to destruction: The Hebrew root is חרם ( ḥ-r-m), the Hiphil form הֶחֱרִ֖ימוּ (heḥerimu) of the verb meaning "to put under the ban," "to utterly destroy," or "to devote (to God)." This is the principle of cherem (חֵרֶם), which means something irrevocably consecrated to God, often involving complete eradication for judgment or separation. It’s not just killing, but a theological act of setting something apart for God, to be dealt with solely by Him, which in this context means destruction because of sin and defilement. It underscores the severity of God’s judgment and His demand for holiness in the land.
- with the edge of the sword: Hebrew לפי חרב (lepi ḥerev). Literally "to the mouth/edge of the sword." The sword here is the instrument of God’s judgment, wielded by Israel under divine command. This phrase signifies a thorough and complete killing, leaving no survivors.
- all that was in the city: Emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the command and its execution. No part of Jericho, except Rahab's household (Joshua 6:25), was spared.
- both men and women, young and old: Specifically lists all demographics of human life. This detail underlines the thoroughness of the cherem judgment, indicating no distinction in age or gender when it came to the judgment against the sinful inhabitants of Jericho.
- and oxen, sheep, and donkeys: Specifies all types of domestic animals found within the city. Unlike some other cherem commands (e.g., Deut 20:14 where spoil could be taken), in Jericho, even the livestock was to be completely destroyed, reflecting Jericho’s unique status as the first fruit of the conquest, totally consecrated to the Lord as a burnt offering, leaving nothing for Israel. This further stresses the totality of the dedication to God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "They devoted to destruction... with the edge of the sword": This phrase encapsulates the cherem command and its ruthless implementation. It signals a divine act, not merely human warfare, where the instruments (sword, Israel) are carrying out God's judgment against specific wickedness. The absence of a personal benefit for Israel (no plunder for them) elevates this from a conquest to a spiritual act of cleansing.
- "all that was in the city, both men and women, young and old, and oxen, sheep, and donkeys": This exhaustive enumeration highlights the absolute scope of the cherem. It portrays a scene of total desolation and eradication, demonstrating that God’s judgment extended to every facet of life connected with the condemned city. It sets Jericho apart from typical warfare; this was divine quarantine of evil.
Joshua 6 21 Bonus section
The destruction of Jericho through cherem also functioned as a strategic act of disinheritance for a people (Canaanites) whose time of grace had run out. It served as a warning to other cities in Canaan about the consequences of resisting the God of Israel and His chosen people. The "cursed thing" (Joshua 6:18) implies that any Israelite who violated the cherem by taking spoil would bring God's curse upon themselves, as tragically seen with Achan (Joshua 7), underscoring the sacredness and strictness of this command. This unique instance also illustrates that God’s methods of purification are severe when human sin reaches its fullness, demonstrating that there is a boundary to God’s patience and a limit to the mercy offered to the unrepentant. This unique situation for Jericho also made the subsequent settlement in the land easier without ongoing idol influence initially.
Joshua 6 21 Commentary
Joshua 6:21 vividly describes the execution of the cherem (devotion to destruction) against Jericho, marking a pivotal moment in Israel's conquest of Canaan. This act was not an expression of arbitrary cruelty but a severe, deliberate, and divinely mandated judgment against the deeply entrenched wickedness and idolatry of the Canaanites (Gen 15:16; Lev 18:24-28). Jericho, as the "first fruits" of the conquest, was to be entirely set apart to the Lord through complete destruction, signifying Israel's utter obedience and acknowledging God's rightful ownership of the land.
This passage demonstrates God's absolute holiness, His unwavering justice against sin, and the consequences of rejecting His truth. It also served as a clear object lesson for Israel: not to compromise with pagan practices, thereby preventing moral and spiritual contamination. The complete annihilation, extending even to animals, underscored that the judgment was against an entire system and place deemed irredeemably corrupted and inimical to God's holy presence among His people. While a difficult text for modern sensibilities, understanding it within its specific historical-theological context reveals a God who purges evil to establish His redemptive purposes, ultimately for the good of His chosen people and the establishment of a land where His righteousness could be manifest.