Joshua 6:1

“Now Jericho was straitly shut up, because of the children of Israel, etc.] Or “it shut up”, or “was shutting, and was shut up” f81; that is, the king and the inhabitants shut it up within; the Targum says with iron doors, and bars of brass, and it was blocked up without by the children of Israel: none went out and none came in; none of their forces went out to make a sally on the Israelites, or to seek to make peace with them; nor any of their neighbours went in to them, to carry them any provision, or to assist them, or to be sheltered by them, not being able to do it because of the camp of Israel.”

“JERICHO SHUT UP. (Jos 6:1-7) Now Jericho was straitly shut up--This verse is a parenthesis introduced to prepare the way for the directions given by the Captain of the Lord's host.”

“This verse is strictly parenthetical. It is inserted to explain the declaration commenced Joshua 5:14, and interrupted by Joshua’s question and obeisance Joshua 5:14-15, but resumed in Joshua 6:2. Straitly shut up - See the margin, i. e., not only shut, but barred and bolted. return to 'Top of Page'”

“6:1 Jericho guarded two important entrances into the heart of the hill country. If the Israelites did not conquer the city first, they would leave a well-armed enemy at their back, standing between the Israelite forces and their families encamped at Gilgal. They had to conquer Jericho first.”

“was straitly: Heb. did shut up, and was shut up, Jos 2:7; Kg2 17:4 because: Jos 2:9-14, Jos 2:24; Psa 127:1 Joshua 6:2”

“When Joshua had taken off his shoes, the prince of the army of God made known to him the object of his coming ( Jos 6:2-5). But before relating the message, the historian first of all inserts a remark concerning the town of Jericho, in the form of an explanatory clause, for the purpose of showing the precise meaning of the declaration which follows. (Note: If there is any place in which the division of chapters is unsuitable, it is so here; for the appearance of the prince of the angels does not terminate with Jos 5:15, but what he had come to communicate follows in Jos 6:2-5, and Jos 6:1 merely contains an explanatory clause inserted before his message, which serves to throw light upon the…”