The fall of Jericho is one of the most striking moments in the history of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. This event, recorded in Joshua 6, demonstrates God’s power, the importance of obedience, and His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises.
Where Was Jericho?
Jericho was a heavily fortified city in the Jordan Valley, near the Jordan River, just west of where the Israelites had crossed into Canaan. It was one of the oldest cities in the world and served as a stronghold for the Canaanites. This city was significant because it stood at the entrance to the land that God had promised to Israel, making it the first major battle in their conquest.
As the Israelites approached, Jericho was already in a state of fear. Joshua 2:9-11 records the words of Rahab, a woman living in Jericho, who told the Israelite spies,
“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”
This passage reveals that the Canaanites were already aware of God’s power, and yet they still resisted Him. Instead of repenting, they shut themselves inside their city, trusting in their walls instead of turning to the Lord.
Who Lived in Jericho? Were They Giants?
Jericho was inhabited by the Canaanites, a people known for their extreme wickedness, including idolatry, child sacrifice, and gross immorality. God had decreed their destruction long before, telling Abraham in Genesis 15:16 that his descendants would not inherit the land until “the iniquity of the Amorites” was complete. This judgment was now at hand.
The Canaanites included the Amorites, and Scripture tells us that some of them were giants. When Moses sent twelve spies into the land forty years earlier, they brought back this report in Numbers 13:32-33,
“The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
This fear led to Israel’s disobedience at that time, causing them to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Now, under Joshua’s leadership, a new generation had come to conquer the land, fully trusting in the Lord.
While the Bible does not explicitly say there were giants in Jericho, we do know that giants were present in other cities of Canaan. Joshua 11:21-22 later records how Joshua destroyed the Anakim (giants) from the land, except for some who remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. This would later become significant, as Goliath, the Philistine giant, came from Gath.
What Did God Instruct Israel to Do?
God’s battle plan for Jericho was unlike any other military strategy. Instead of attacking, God commanded them to march. In Joshua 6:2-5, the Lord said to Joshua,
“See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 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. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
For six days, Israel obeyed. They marched around the city once each day, in complete silence except for the sound of the trumpets. The Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence, was carried with them. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times. Then, at Joshua’s command, they lifted up a mighty shout, and Joshua 6:20 says,
“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.”
Why Did the Walls Fall?
The walls did not fall because of an earthquake or military force. They fell because of faith and obedience. Hebrews 11:30 confirms this, saying,
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.”
The victory belonged to God, not to Israel’s strength. This is a powerful reminder that when we trust in the Lord, He fights our battles for us.
What Happened After the Walls Fell?
When the walls collapsed, the Israelites rushed into the city and utterly destroyed it. God had commanded that everything in the city be devoted to destruction except for Rahab and her family. Joshua 6:17 says,
“Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.”
Rahab and her household were spared because she had put her faith in the God of Israel. Joshua 6:25 tells us,
“And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”
Not only did she survive, but she became part of Israel and was later included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:5. After the destruction, Joshua pronounced a curse over anyone who would rebuild Jericho. Joshua 6:26 says,
“Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, ‘Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.’”
This prophecy was fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34, when Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho, and his sons died as a result.
My Final Thoughts
The fall of Jericho is a testament to the power of God and the importance of obedience. Israel did not win by military strength but by faith in the Lord. Just as they faced an impossible obstacle and saw God move, we too face walls in our lives that seem unbreakable. Yet, through faith and obedience, we can trust that God will bring down strongholds that stands in the way of His will.
The destruction of Jericho also reveals God’s judgment. The Canaanites had many years to repent, but they refused, choosing to fight against the God of Israel. Only Rahab and her family turned to the Lord and were saved. This is a picture of salvation—judgment is coming, but those who put their trust in God will be spared.
