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Joshua 6:3
And ye shall compass the city, allye men of war,and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

Joshua 1:14
Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

Joshua 4:13
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Advance and march around the city
The city in question is Jericho, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, located in the Jordan Valley. The command to march around the city is part of a divine strategy for conquest, emphasizing faith and obedience over military might. This act of marching is symbolic of God's people claiming His promises through faith.

with the armed troops going ahead
The presence of armed troops signifies the readiness for battle, yet the battle plan is unconventional, highlighting reliance on God's power rather than human strength. This mirrors the spiritual battles believers face, where reliance on God is paramount.

of the ark of the LORD
The Ark of the Covenant represents God's presence among His people. It contained the tablets of the Law, Aaron's rod, and manna, symbolizing God's covenant, authority, and provision. The ark leading the procession underscores the centrality of God's presence and guidance in achieving victory. This foreshadows Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of God's presence with His people.

• Joshua, as God’s appointed leader, relays an instruction received directly from the LORD (Joshua 6:2).

• His pattern of immediate, public communication mirrors earlier moments—“Joshua commanded the officers of the people” (Joshua 1:10)—showing the importance of transparent leadership.

• By speaking to “the people,” not just the officers, Joshua involves every Israelite in obedience, echoing Moses’ charge to “all Israel” inDeuteronomy 31:1–6.

Cross reference:Exodus 17:9, where Moses also gives a clear directive before battle, demonstrating that victory begins with believing God’s word.

• A single, decisive command that calls for movement rather than hesitation—much like the LORD’s word to Moses at the Red Sea: “Tell the Israelites to move on” (Exodus 14:15).

• Faith is expressed through forward motion (Philippians 3:13–14); Israel trusts God’s promise of Jericho’s fall (Joshua 6:2) by stepping out before seeing evidence.

• For believers today, “advance” still means acting on God’s promises even when the path seems illogical.

• God’s unconventional strategy contrasts human warfare; walls fall by obedience, not siegecraft (Hebrews 11:30).

• The daily circuits (Joshua 6:3–4) teach perseverance—obedience repeated even when nothing appears to change.

• Walking around Jericho also testifies to its inhabitants, giving an opportunity for repentance similar to Jonah’s warning parade through Nineveh (Jonah 3:3–5).

• This act proclaims that the city already belongs to the LORD, just as Abraham walked through Canaan to claim promised territory (Genesis 13:17).

• Orderly procession: warriors first, priests and ark next, people last (Joshua 6:9). God values structure—“everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

• The front guard represents spiritual readiness; in every age, God’s people engage battles “not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12) but with disciplined preparedness.

• Placing soldiers before the ark underscores that God works through human responsibility while remaining sovereign.

• The ark embodies God’s holy presence and covenant faithfulness (Numbers 10:33–36;Psalm 132:8).

• Its central placement in the procession declares that victory hinges on God among His people, just as the Jordan parted when “the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth” went first (Joshua 3:11).

• By circling Jericho with the ark, Israel proclaims that the LORD, not human might, lays claim to the city (1 Samuel 4:4–5 shows the ark’s power, though there misused).

• For Christians, the ark foreshadows Christ—God with us—around whom all spiritual warfare and victory revolve (Colossians 2:15).

Joshua 6:7 calls Israel to move forward, encircle Jericho, and trust the LORD’s presence for victory. The verse highlights obedient faith in action, orderly cooperation between God and His people, and the centrality of God’s presence symbolized by the ark. Believers today advance in the same spirit—acting on God’s Word, persevering in what seems improbable, and relying wholly on Him to bring walls down.

Looked at thus, the shout of Israel at the sound of the trumpet on the seventh day becomes no inapt figure of that which is connected with it by the language of Holy Scripture--"the shout," accompanied by "the voice of the archangel and the trump of God," which shall notify to the world our Lord's second coming. "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence" any more (Ps. 1. 3 and 21;1Thessalonians 4:16).