Joshua 6:5

“And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long [blast] with the ram’s horn, etc.] Continue blowing, and protracting, and drawing out the sound a long time; which they did only on the seventh day; on the other days it was but a short blast they made at a time; so that this being different, it would be a good sign and token to the people to do what they are next directed to: [and] when ye hear the sound of the trumpet; drawn out to a great length: all the people shall shout with a great shout; at once, as when an onset is made in battle, or a victory is obtained: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat; or “under itself” f86; which Jarchi interprets, in its place; that is, where…”

“The command of the Lord as to the mode in which the fall of Jericho should be brought about is given in these verses in a condensed form. Further details (see Joshua 6:8-10, Joshua 6:16-17, etc.), were, no doubt, among the commands given to Joshua by the Angel. Joshua 6:4 Trumpets of ram’s horns - Render rather here and in Joshua 6:5-6, Joshua 6:8, etc., “trumpets of jubilee” (compareLeviticus 25:10; Leviticus 25:10 note). The instrument is more correctly rendered “cornet” (see Leviticus 25:9, note). Various attempts have been made to explain the fall of Jericho by natural causes, as, e. g., by the undermining of the walls, or by an earthquake, or by a sudden assault. But the narrative of…”

“The wall - Not all of it; which was unnecessary, and might have given the people better opportunity of escaping, but only a considerable part of it, where the Israelites might fitly enter: for Rahab's house was not overthrown, Jos 6:22. Flat - Heb. under it, it was not battered down with engines which would have made part of it fall out of its place; but it fell of its own accord, and therefore in the place it did formerly stand in. God chose this way, to try the faith and obedience of the people: whether they would observe a precept, which to human policy seemed foolish, and believe a promise, which seemed impossible to be performed: whether they could patiently bear the reproaches of their…”

“make a long: Jos 6:16, Jos 6:20; Exo 19:19; Ch2 20:21, Ch2 20:22 the people: Jdg 7:20-22; Sa1 4:5, Sa1 17:20, Sa1 17:52; Ch2 13:14, Ch2 13:15; Jer 50:15 and the wall: The words wenaphelah chomath hair tachteyha, are literally, "and the wall of the city shall fall down under itself;" which appears simply to mean, that the wall shall fall down from its very foundation; which was probably the case in every part, though large breaches in different places might have been amply sufficient first to admit the armed men, after whom the host might enter to destroy the city. There is no ground for the supposition that the walls sunk into the earth. Isa 25:12, Isa 30:25; Co2 10:4, Co2 10:5; Heb 11:30…”