Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Joshua 6:20
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
So the people shouted when [the priests] blew with the trumpets, etc.] As Joshua had charged them, (<060616>Joshua 6:16); and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout; that is, gave a loud shout, on hearing the long blast of the trumpets blown by the priests the seventh time, as they were no doubt directed by Joshua, agreeably to the order given to him; (see <060605>Joshua 6:5,16); that the wall fell down flat; the wall of the city of Jericho, as the Lord said it should, (see Gill on “<060605>Joshua 6:5”): so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city; they went up to it from the plain, where they were, and entered it without any difficulty, the wall being fallen, and that everywhere: so that they went directly from the place where they were, and went in right over against them, into every quarter and, part of the city, and seized on it, and possessed it at once. Various things may be observed concerning this surprising event; as that it was supernatural, and cannot be ascribed to second causes, there being nothing in the procession round the city, the blowing of the trumpets, or shout of the people, that could occasion the wall to fall; and that no defences or fortifications are anything against God, when it is his will a city should be taken, with whom nothing is impossible; and that sometimes unlikely means are appointed and used by him for doing great things, that the power may appear to be his by which they are done; and that faith stops at nothing, when it has the word and promise of God to encourage and support it; and that God does everything in his own time and way. The falling of the walls of Jericho may be considered as an emblem of the fall of Babylon; these two cities agree, as in their greatness, so in their wickedness, (<661704>Revelation 17:4 18:2); and as Jericho stood in the way of Israel’s inheriting the land, being a frontier and barrier town; so mystical Babylon stands in the way of the kingdom of Christ, and its spread in the world, and particularly of the conversion of the Jews, (<661114>Revelation 11:14,15 19:1-8). The fall of Jericho was very sudden, and when not expected by the inhabitants of it; and so will be the fall of Babylon, (<661807>Revelation 18:7-9); and as Jericho fell at the sound of rams horns, the destruction of antichrist, or mystical Babylon, will be through the preaching of the Gospel, (<661406>Revelation 14:6-9); and as the one was by the sounding of seven priests, at the seventh time of sounding, on the seventh day; so the ruin of antichrist will be at the seventh angel’s sounding the seventh trumpet, and pouring out the seventh vial, (<661007>Revelation 10:7 11:15 16:17,19); and as at the destruction of the one, so of the other, but few saved from the common calamity, (<661804>Revelation 18:4,5); and both never to be raised up and built again, (<661821>Revelation 18:21); And it may be considered also as an emblem of the subjection of the Gentile world to Christ; which, like Jericho, or the moon, as some observe the name signifies, is very changeable; and as that city, and the inhabitants of it, an enemy to God, and his people, and yet made subject by the ministry of his word; as particularly it will be when the kingdoms of this world shall become his: or rather it may be an emblem of the subjection of particular souls to Christ, and the means thereof; who are like the walled…
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