HarperCollins Study Bible, page 96
3.16 The water that would have flowed downstream was cut off because it stood still sixteen miles (twenty-six kilometers) upstream at Adam (Tell ed-Damiyeh).
JOSHUA 4
Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal
1When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua: 2“Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.’” 4Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. 5Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, 6so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.”
8The Israelites did as Joshua commanded. They took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD told Joshua, carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there. 9(Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.)
10The priests who bore the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over in haste. 11As soon as all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of the LORD, and the priests, crossed over in front of the people. 12The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites, as Moses had ordered them. 13About forty thousand armed for war crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for battle.
14On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
15The LORD said to Joshua, 16“Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant,b to come up out of the Jordan.” 17Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.
19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, 21saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea,a which he dried up for us until we crossed over, 24so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”
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a Or Sea of Reeds
b That is the Hill of the Foreskins
c Related to Heb galal to roll
4.1–5.1 Israel at Gilgal. These verses appear to describe two sets of twelve stones. One set is installed midstream (v. 9). Another set is erected on shore (vv. 3, 5, 8, 20) and would become a memorial to the crossing: this is the shrine at Gilgal (v. 19), which means “Circle.” Gilgal was a major political and religious center in the premonarchical period. There Saul was made king (1 Sam 11.15) and David’s relations with Judah were later repaired (2 Sam 19.15, 40). Gilgal flourished as a sanctuary in the eighth century BCE, when it was roundly denounced by prophets (Hos 4.15; 9.15; 12.11; Am 4.4; 5.5).
4.1 A comparison of this verse with 3.17; 4.11 shows that readers are to understand that the actions of vv. 2–10 took place while the crossing was still under way.
4.3 The stones will be temporarily placed in the camp, then set up permanently at Gilgal (v. 20).
4.6–7 The stones will teach future generations about the crossing (cf. Deut 6.20–25). Repetition highlights the marvel that the water was cut off. In contrast, vv. 22–24 emphasize that Israel crossed on dry ground.
4.9 To this day is a formula that signals an etiology, a story that explains the origin of a name, place, circumstance, or custom known to readers. Cf. 5.9; 6.25; 7.26; 8.28–29; 9.27; 10.27; 13.13; 14.14; 15.63; 16.10.
4.11 The narrative sets aside the topic of the stones and picks up the description of the crossing from v. 1.
4.12–13 The presence of the eastern tribes emphasizes that all Israel engaged in the conquest as a cooperative venture. As Moses had ordered. See Deut 3.18–20.
4.14 This fulfills the Lord’s promise made in 3.7.
4.18 These incidents undo each event described in 3.15–16.
4.19 The first month, Abib, i.e., March-April, later called Nisan. This note points forward to the date of Passover (5.10).
4.22–23 This response focuses on similarities to the Red Sea crossing on dry ground (in contrast to vv. 6–7).
4.24 The Jordan crossing has two ongoing purposes: that all the peoples of the earth will acknowledge the power (hand) of the Lord, and that Israel’s descendants (the children of vv. 21–22) will hold the Lord in reverent awe (fear).
JOSHUA 5
The New Generation Circumcised
1When all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted, and there was no longer any spirit in them, because of the Israelites.
2At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites a second time.” 3So Joshua made flint knives, and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth.b 4This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the warriors, had died during the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt. 5Although all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people born on the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6For the Israelites traveled forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the warriors who came out of Egypt, perished, not having listened to the voice of the LORD. To them the LORD swore that he would not let them see the land that he had sworn to their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8When the circumcising of all the nation was done, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgalc to this day.
The Passover at Gilgal
10While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
Joshua’s Vision
13Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?” 14He replied, “Neither; but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to him, “What do you command your servant, my lord?” 15The commander of the army of the LORD said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
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5.1 Neighboring kings react in fear, confirming Rahab’s observations (2.9–11). Their loss of courage will motivate their strategy (9.1–2; 10.1–5; 11.1–5) and make it possible for Israel to win the victories described in chs. 6–11.
5.2–12 Circumcision and Passover. All males participating in the Passover must be circumcised (Ex 12.48), but the practice had not been followed during the wilderness period.
5.2 A second time. The men previously circumcised had died in the wilderness, so circumcision had to be repeated for the post-exodus generation.
5.3 This narrative explains a place-name near Gilgal, Gibeath-haaraloth, “Foreskin Hill.”
5.9 The disgrace of Egypt signifies Israel’s low status as Egyptian slaves and perhaps insults directed at them by their captors.
5.11 Unleavened cakes and parched grain are appropriate foods for the first day after the celebration of the Passover because they could be prepared quickly.
5.12 Manna is replaced by the crops of the land of Canaan, signifying that Israel has moved from wilderness scarcity to agricultural productive land.
5.13–15 The commander of the Lord’s celestial army. Somewhere near Jericho, Joshua is granted a theophany—the appearance of a heavenly being—much in the manner of Gideon (Judg 6.11–12).
5.13 Joshua evidently assumes that this man is merely a human soldier. His drawn sword signals impending battle.
5.14 The presence of this supernatural commander signifies sacral war. The Lord’s heavenly forces will be fighting on Israel’s side.
5.15 A direct quotation of Ex 3.5 recognizes Joshua as the direct successor of Moses.
JOSHUA 6
Jericho Taken and Destroyed
1Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. 2The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. 3You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, 4with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. 5When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.” 6So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.” 7To the people he said, “Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD.”
8As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them. 9And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rear guard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10To the people Joshua gave this command: “You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11So the ark of the LORD went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp.
12Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually. 14On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
15On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. 17The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live because she hid the messengers we sent. 18As for you, keep away from the things devoted to destruction, so as not to coveta and take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it. 19But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” 20So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. 21Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
22Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman out of it and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23So the young men who had been spies went in and brought Rahab out, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her—they brought all her kindred out—and set them outside the camp of Israel. 24They burned down the city, and everything in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25But Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, Joshua spared. Her familyb has lived in Israel ever since. For she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26Joshua then pronounced this oath, saying,
“Cursed before the LORD be anyone who tries
to build this city—this Jericho!
At the cost of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest he shall set up its gates!”
27So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.
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a Gk: Heb devote to destruction Compare 7.21
b Heb She
6.1–27 Jericho is captured first in a classic sacral war and placed off-limits for Israelites. The account is framed by verses that connect with the Rahab story: vv. 1–2, mentioning the king and soldiers, and vv. 22–25, describing the deliverance of Rahab and her household in accordance with Joshua’s instructions in v. 17.
6.1 That Jericho was shut up inside and out describes Israel’s dilemma. Jericho’s wall was an impregnable defense.
6.2 A divine promise of victory was a central element of sacral-war tradition (cf. 8.1; 10.8).
6.3–4 The siege is to reflect ceremonial features of sacral war, with a procession and priests blowing trumpets.
6.5 A long blast on a trumpet gives the signal, and the people’s great shout launches a human assault made possible by a divine miracle (see vv. 16, 20). Archaeology shows that Jericho’s last defensive wall no longer existed at the time of Israel’s emergence. We are in the realm of confessional folklore rather than history.
6.8–9 The order of march: armed men followed by seven priests blowing trumpets, then the ark, and finally a rear guard.
6.17 Devoted to the LORD for destruction. The Hebrew word cherem describes things and people that fall into the distinctive category of being the Lord’s exclusive property (cf. Lev 27.20–21, 28–29). Because the Lord achieved Israel’s victories, booty and captives won in sacral war were classified as cherem. As the Lord’s irrevocable possession, such cherem had to be kept from human use; because they would be valuable as slaves, the entire enemy population was to be killed (Deut 20.16–17). Although material booty and cattle did not usually fall into the cherem category (8.2; 11.14), Jericho is an especially rigorous case (vv. 19, 21, 24).
6.18 According to the principle of contagion, to take any of the devoted things (i.e., cherem) would place Israel itself in the deadly category of cherem (an object for destruction). This verse foreshadows Achan’s crime (7.21).
6.20 Straight ahead. Because Israel encircles the city, it can make a frontal assault from all sides simultaneously.
6.23 Israel’s sacral-war encampment has to remain ritually clean (Deut 23.9–14), so Rahab and her family must remain outside the camp.
6.25 This note shifts focus away from the fall of the city and onto the story of covenant keeping by and with Rahab, explaining how a foreign group has lived in Israel ever since.
6.26 Cursed before the LORD. Joshua blocks any reconstruction and resettlement of Jericho (cf. Deut 13.16). 1 Kings 16.34 reports the fulfillment of this curse. A story concerning Elisha gives evidence that Jericho’s spring was thought to be unhealthy until he miraculously put it right (2 Kings 2.19–22).
The conquest of Canaan according to the narratives in Joshua. Other sources and archaeological evidence show different patterns of early Israelite settlement.
JOSHUA 7
The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment
1But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Not all the people need go up; about two or three thousand men should go up and attack Ai. Since they are so few, do not make the whole people toil up there.” 4So about three thousand of the people went up there; and they fled before the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from outside the gate as far as Shebarim and killing them on the slope. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water.
