Joshua 6 4

Joshua 6:4 kjv

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.

Joshua 6:4 nkjv

And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

Joshua 6:4 niv

Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.

Joshua 6:4 esv

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.

Joshua 6:4 nlt

Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.

Joshua 6 verses

Joshua 6 4 Meaning

Joshua 6:4 details a pivotal part of the divine strategy given to Israel for the conquest of Jericho. It outlines a ritualistic procession where seven priests carrying seven ram's horn trumpets lead the Ark of the Covenant, signifying God's presence. Crucially, on the seventh and final day, this procession was to encircle the city seven times, culminating in the priests blowing their trumpets, thereby initiating God's supernatural intervention for the walls to fall. The verse highlights Israel's complete dependence on God's unique methods for victory rather than human military might or strategy.

Joshua 6 4 Context

Joshua 6:4 is part of God's direct instructions to Joshua regarding the fall of Jericho, Israel's first major obstacle in the promised land. Following Israel's miraculous crossing of the Jordan River and their renewed covenant with God through circumcision and Passover, the divine focus shifts to conquest. Jericho was a formidable, heavily fortified city, representing an insurmountable military challenge for the newly arrived Israelites, who lacked siege engines or established military strategies.

The verse's immediate context (Josh 6:1-3) reveals that God, not Joshua or Israel, would orchestrate the battle. This unconventional military strategy emphasizes that the conquest was a "holy war" led by Yahweh. Historically, the inhabitants of Canaan were entrenched in pagan practices, including idol worship and child sacrifice. By commanding such a unique and seemingly irrational strategy, God asserts His supremacy, dismantling human notions of power and challenging the efficacy of the Canaanite gods. This event establishes a paradigm for subsequent conquests: Israel would succeed not through conventional strength, but through absolute obedience and faith in their covenant-keeping God, Who alone would fight for them.

Joshua 6 4 Word analysis

• And seven priests: "Seven" (שֶׁבַע, sheva) is a number profoundly significant in Scripture, often denoting completeness, perfection, divine orchestration, or the full cycle of time (e.g., creation week, seven-day festivals). The "priests" (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim), chosen from the tribe of Levi, served as mediators of the covenant and officiated in sacred duties. Their presence emphasizes that this was a divine, consecrated mission, not merely a military campaign, underscoring the spiritual nature of the conflict.
• shall bear: This indicates a specific carrying duty, highlighting a disciplined and solemn procession, rather than an improvised movement.
• seven trumpets: The repeated emphasis on "seven" (seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days, seven times) builds to the climax, intensifying the symbolic weight and divine order.
• of rams' horns: (Hebrew: שׁוֹפָרוֹת הַיּוֹבְלִים, shofarot ha'yovelim - "trumpets of jubilee" or "ram's horns"). Unlike the more complex silver trumpets, these shofars were primitive instruments used for various religious purposes: calling assemblies, sounding alarms, or marking sacred times like the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:9). Their use signifies God's voice, divine pronouncements, and the sacred nature of the battle, contrasting sharply with standard military horns and highlighting reliance on God's power, not human musicality or volume.
• before the ark: The Ark of the Covenant, adorned with the mercy seat, represented God's tangible presence, His throne, and His covenant relationship with Israel. Leading the procession, the Ark signified that Yahweh Himself was marching at the forefront of the battle, making it a divine undertaking, assuring His presence, power, and authority over the conquest.
• And the seventh day: This emphasizes the culmination of the divine timing. The special significance of this day highlights the distinctiveness of God's method and builds anticipation for the supernatural climax.
• you shall march around the city: This commanded action was a display of unwavering obedience and faith in a seemingly illogical military strategy. It was a symbolic act of taking possession, encompassing the city under God's claim. This repetitive, disciplined, and silent procession demonstrated reliance on divine instruction over conventional tactics.
• seven times: This reiterates the sacred significance of the number seven, marking the full extent of the ritualized obedience required before God's ultimate intervention. It symbolizes the completion of God's appointed period and further tests and builds Israel's faith.
• and the priests shall blow the trumpets: The command for the priests to blow the shofars at the decisive moment signals the climax of the divine action. This was not a military charge signal for Israelite soldiers, but a sound indicating God's intervention, a prophetic declaration of the impending miraculous fall of the walls by divine power.

Words-group analysis:

• "seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark": This phrase defines the sacred nature of the procession and highlights divine perfection and completeness through the repeated "seven." The presence of the kohanim and shofarot signifies a liturgical act, while the Ark leading indicates that God is the true leader and power behind the impending victory, showcasing a spiritual approach to warfare.
• "And the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets": This clause describes the specific, culminating action. The "seventh day" and "seven times" intensify the obedience required and mark the perfect divine timing for intervention. The collective act of "marching" by the people and the priests "blowing the trumpets" underscores the synchronized obedience of all Israel to God's precise and unusual commands, which unlock His supernatural power.

Joshua 6 4 Bonus section

• Polemics against Pagan Beliefs: The entire ritual acted as a powerful theological statement against the gods of Canaan and the military strategies of pagan nations. Unlike those who trusted in fortifications, military might, or the favor of their idols through human sacrifices, Israel's victory through silent obedience and symbolic sounds glorified Yahweh alone, demonstrating His singular power and unique methods.
• The Sound of the Shofar: Beyond its function as a trumpet, the shofar carries deep symbolic meaning in Scripture. It often represents the voice of God, a divine declaration, a call to worship, a warning, or the signal for God's direct intervention in history or at the end times (e.g., God's voice at Sinai in Exod 19:16). Thus, the sound was not just a signal, but a divine utterance bringing down strongholds.
• A "Ritual Warfare": The conquest of Jericho wasn't a conventional battle. It was a divinely mandated "ritual warfare" that demonstrated God's absolute sovereignty over human efforts and the elements. It showed that the conquest of the Promised Land was primarily a spiritual undertaking, not merely a military one.

Joshua 6 4 Commentary

Joshua 6:4 unveils the extraordinary and divinely orchestrated plan for the fall of Jericho, a strategy that radically defies human military logic. God's blueprint involves specific elements: the recurring sacred number "seven," the consecrated priests, the primitive ram's horn trumpets (shofars), and the leading presence of the Ark of the Covenant. This convergence emphasizes that the victory would belong entirely to Yahweh, executed through Israel's simple, faith-filled obedience.

The act of silently marching around an impenetrable city day after day, culminating in an intensified, seven-fold circumambulation and trumpet blast on the seventh day, was a profound test of faith. It challenged Israel to trust God's unconventional ways over their own reasoning or strength. The shofarim, traditionally instruments for assembly, alarm, or marking holy times, served as a divine declaration rather than a call to human arms, underscoring that the battle was won by the voice of God, not by physical assault. This episode showcases that when God's people act in obedience to His unique methods, no human stronghold can withstand His power.

Example: Like Gideon's 300 men, who used trumpets and jars instead of weapons (Judg 7), Jericho's fall highlights that divine power often works through means that nullify human might, ensuring all glory goes to God.