Joshua 6:23 Kommentar

Joshua opened the campaign with the siege of Jericho, a city which could not trust so much to the courage of its people as to act offensively, and to send out its forces to oppose Israel's landing and encamping, but trusted so much to the strength of its walls as to stand upon its defence, and not to surrender, or desire conditions of peace. Now here we have the story of the taking of it, I. The directions and assurances which the captain of the Lord's host gave concerning it (Jos 6:1-5). II. The trial of the people's patient obedience in walking round the city six days (Jos 6:6-14). III. The wonderful delivery of it into their hands the seventh day, with a solemn charge to them to use it as a devoted thing (Jos 6:15-21 and Jos 6:24). IV. The preservation of Rahab and her relations (Jos 6:22, Jos 6:23, Jos 6:25). V. A curse pronounced upon the man that should dare to rebuild this city (Jos 6:26, Jos 6:27). An abstract of this story we find among the trophies of faith, Heb 11:30. "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 6 In this chapter Joshua is assured, though Jericho was closely shut up, it should be delivered into his hands, Jos 6:1; and he is directed, with the army, to go round the city six days together, seven priests bearing the ark of the Lord, with seven trumpets sounding; and on the seventh day to go round it seven times in like manner, when its wall should fall, Jos 6:3; which order Joshua communicated to the priests, and to the people, and which was put into execution by them, with some other instructions he gave them, Jos 6:6; particularly that the city, and all in it, should be devoted to the Lord, and none spared, but Rahab and her family, Jos 6:17; the success was according to the assurance given by the Lord, Jos 6:20; when all in the city were destroyed, and that was burnt with fire, and the gold, silver, brass, and iron, brought into the house of the Lord, and Rahab and her father's household were saved alive, Jos 6:21; and the chapter is closed with an adjuration of Joshua, cursing the man that should rebuild the city; and with this observation, that the fame of Joshua upon this was spread abroad throughout the country, Jos 6:26.

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab,.... Not only went into the city, but into Rahab's house, which they knew again by the scarlet thread hung out at the window of it. But here a difficulty occurs, how they could be said to go into her house, when it was built on the town wall, Jos 2:15; and that was now fallen down flat. Abarbinel thinks that when the spies went round the city, they saw the scarlet thread in the window of her house, and set their eyes on the house, or wistly observed it; and marked it in such manner, that after the fall of the wall they went to the place of her house, and brought her out, though her house was broken down, and no wall standing: but then they could not be said properly to go into her house, and bring her out. Kimchi is of opinion that not all the wall of the city fell, but what was over against the camp of Israel; and that the house of Rahab was on the wall on the other side: but it seems by the account of it as if the whole wall fell; and the apostle says, "the walls of Jericho fell down", Heb 11:30; all of them; and so the Septuagint version of Jos 6:20."and the whole wall, or all the wall fell round about:''and I see not why it may not be thought that the whole wall fell, excepting that small part alone which Rahab's house stood; and that standing alone would make the miracle the greater, and show the divine approbation of saving Rahab and her family: besides, if the wall sunk down in its place all around into the earth, as the Jews understand the phrase; See Gill on Jos 6:5; the house might continue on it firm and unmoved, going down with it to the surface of the earth, where it may be supposed the top of the wall was; and so they might go in and take her out, and preserve her from being destroyed with the rest of the inhabitants; and not only her: but her father and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; all other relations that were with her, particularly her sisters, which are in her request, Jos 2:13; with all that appertained to her brethren and sisters, which is there expressed also: and they brought out all her kindred; before mentioned, or if there were any other of her relations she had taken into her house for safety; or "all her families" (e), for her father's household might be branched out into various families, and become numerous, and so be an emblem of the number of Gentile sinners saved by Christ the antitype of Joshua: and left them without the camp of Israel; until they, became proselytes, and embraced the religion of Israel, as Kimchi remarks. However, being Gentiles, some external rites and ceremonies were to be performed upon them, as well as a declaration at least of their renouncing idolatry was required of them, before they could be admitted into the camp of Israel; and which was required even of a proselyte of the gate, or of one that was only a sojourner among them. (e) "omnes familias ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version.

Let us prepare ourselves for the sacrifice of the lamb.… Nor let us be under the impression that this yearling lamb can be eaten anywhere. The precept bids us to partake of it in one house only, lest we think that the lamb may be immolated outside the church. From this, it is evident that the Jews and heretics, and all assemblies of perverted doctrine, because they do not eat the lamb in the church, do not eat the flesh of the lamb but the flesh of the dragon, which, as the psalmist tells us, was given as food to the Ethiopians. Just as in the flood no one was saved who was not in the ark of Noah, and in the fall of Jericho, only the house of the harlot Rahab—which signifies the faithful church of the Gentiles—was spared, so is it true that in the sacrifice of the lamb, the lamb is slain only when it is sacrificed in the one house.

The inhabitants of Jericho close their gates, Jos 6:1. Continuation of the discourse between the captain of the Lord's host and Joshua. He commands the people to march round the city six days, the seven priests blowing with their trumpets; and to give a general shout, while marching round it on the seventh, and promises that then the walls of the city shall fall down, Jos 6:2-5. Joshua delivers these directions to the priests and to the people, Jos 6:6, Jos 6:7. The priests and people obey; the order of their procession, Jos 6:8-16. He commands them to spare the house of Rahab, Jos 6:17, and not to touch any part of the property of the city, the whole of which God had devoted to destruction, Jos 6:18, Jos 6:19. On the seventh day the walls fall down, and the Israelites take the city, Jos 6:20, Jos 6:21. The spies are ordered to take care of Rahab and her family - the city is burnt, but the silver, gold, brass, and iron, are put into the treasury of the house of the Lord, Jos 6:22-24. Rahab dwells among the Israelites, Jos 6:25; and the city is laid under a curse, Jos 6:26.

Brought out Rahab, and her father, etc. - Rahab having been faithful to her vow of secrecy, the Israelites were bound by the oath of the spies, who acted as their representatives in this business, to preserve her and her family alive. And left them without the camp - They were considered as persons unclean, and consequently left without the camp; (see Lev 13:46; Num 12:14). When they had abjured heathenism, were purified, and the males had received circumcision, they were doubtless admitted into the camp, and became incorporated with Israel.

JERICHO SHUT UP. (Jos 6:1-7) Now Jericho was straitly shut up--This verse is a parenthesis introduced to prepare the way for the directions given by the Captain of the Lord's host.

they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel--a temporary exclusion, in order that they might be cleansed from the defilement of their native idolatries and gradually trained for admission into the society of God's people.