Joshua 6:14
in Joshua 6So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
KJV
And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
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This verse in Joshua 6
Commentary
2 notes on this verseSo they did six days - It is not likely that the whole Israelitish host went each day round the city. This would have been utterly impossible: the fighting men alone amounted to nearly 600,000, independently of the people, who must have amounted at least to two or three millions; we may therefore safely assert that only a select number, such as was deemed necessary for the occasion, were employed. Jericho could not have been a large city: and to reduce it could not have required a hundredth part of the armed force under the command of Joshua.
This site's exposition
rose early in the morning
on Joshua 6:12-14
These verses repeat verses 8 to 11 almost word for word, and the repetition is the point: six days pass, the same thing happens, and the text records nothing happening. Seven consecutive days of marching means one of them fell on a sabbath, which Henry and Clarke both raise, and the chapter gives neither exemption nor comment. The text never says the people were told in advance how long this would go on.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The rearmost. This refers to the tribe of Dan that traveled last and gathered all those who lagged behind.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
On the seventh day. This was on the Shabbos. 2 They were permitted to wage war and to kill on Shabbos by the Divine command, that instructed them to lay siege to the city according to the word of God, as told to Yehoshua. See verses 2-5, this chapter.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּסֹ֨בּוּ | vaiyasobu | and they went around | H5437 → | 161 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעִ֜יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| בַּיּ֤וֹם | baiyom | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַשֵּׁנִי֙ | hasheni | <the> second | H8145 → | 156 times |
| פַּ֣עַם | paam | a time | H6471 → | 118 times |
| אַחַ֔ת | ʾachat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ | vaiyashuvu | and they returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה | hamachaneh | the camp | H4264 → | 215 times |
| כֹּ֥ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| עָשׂ֖וּ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| שֵׁ֥שֶׁת | sheshet | six | H8337 → | 216 times |
| יָמִֽים׃ | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
וַיָּסֹ֨בּוּand they went around
vaiyasobuH5437 →161 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעִ֜ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
בַּיּ֤וֹםon the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַשֵּׁנִי֙<the> second
hasheniH8145 →156 times
פַּ֣עַםa time
paamH6471 →118 times
אַחַ֔תone
ʾachatH259 →971 times
וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּand they returned
vaiyashuvuH7725 →1056 times
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑הthe camp
hamachanehH4264 →215 times
כֹּ֥הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
עָשׂ֖וּthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
שֵׁ֥שֶׁתsix
sheshetH8337 →216 times
יָמִֽים׃days
yamimH3117 →2304 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 6:3March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:7
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
- Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD…
- 1 Corinthians 1:21–25
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
- Joshua 6:7
And he told the people, “Advance and march around the city, with the armed troops going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:7
Through
Joshua 6:15Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:147
I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.
- Matthew 28:1
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
- 2 Peter 1:19
We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day…
- Psalms 119:147
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth.