9. Soldiers with weapons marched in front of the priests, and armed men walked behind the Ark. The priests were blowing their trumpets.
10. But Joshua had told the people not to give a war cry. He said, “Don’t shout. Don’t say a word until the day I tell you. Then shout.”
11. So Joshua had the Ark of the Lord carried around the city one time. Then they went back to camp for the night.
12. Early the next morning Joshua got up, and the priests carried the Ark of the Lord again.
13. The seven priests carried the seven trumpets and marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their trumpets. Soldiers with weapons marched in front of them, and other soldiers walked behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their trumpets.
14. So on the second day they marched around the city one time and then went back to camp. They did this every day for six days.
15. On the seventh day they got up at dawn and marched around the city, just as they had on the days before. But on that day they marched around the city seven times.
16. The seventh time around the priests blew their trumpets. Then Joshua gave the command: “Now, shout! The Lord has given you this city!
17. The city and everything in it are to be destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone in her house should remain alive. They must not be killed, because Rahab hid the two spies we sent out.
18. Don’t take any of the things that are to be destroyed as an offering to the Lord. If you take them and bring them into our camp, you yourselves will be destroyed, and you will bring trouble to all of Israel.
19. All the silver and gold and things made from bronze and iron belong to the Lord and must be saved for him.”
20. When the priests blew the trumpets, the people shouted. At the sound of the trumpets and the people’s shout, the walls fell, and everyone ran straight into the city. So the Israelites defeated that city.
21. They completely destroyed with the sword every living thing in the city—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.
22. Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house. Bring her out and bring out those who are with her, because of the promise you made to her.”
23. So the two men went into the house and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all those with her. They put all of her family in a safe place outside the camp of Israel.
24. Then Israel burned the whole city and everything in it, but they did not burn the things made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron. These were saved for the Lord.
25. Joshua saved Rahab the prostitute, her family, and all who were with her, because Rahab had helped the men he had sent to spy out Jericho. Rahab still lives among the Israelites today.
26. Then Joshua made this oath:“Anyone who tries to rebuild this city of Jerichowill be cursed by the Lord.The one who lays the foundation of this citywill lose his oldest son,and the one who sets up the gateswill lose his youngest son.”
27. So the Lord was with Joshua, and Joshua became famous through all the land.