📖 Biblical Definition
The first conquest-city of the Canaan campaign. By YHWH's command, Israel marched around Jericho's walls once daily for six days, and seven times on the seventh day; on the final circuit the priests blew rams' horns, the people shouted, and the walls fell down flat (Josh 6). Rahab's house on the wall was preserved. The miracle is referenced in Hebrews 11:30 ("by faith the walls of Jericho fell down").
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Joshua 6's miraculous fall of the first Canaan-conquest city.
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The first city Israel conquered upon entering Canaan. By YHWH's command (Josh 6:2-5), Israel marched around the walls once daily for six days, with the priests bearing the ark and seven priests blowing seven rams' horns. On the seventh day they marched seven times, the priests blew, the people shouted with a great shout, and the walls "fell down flat." Israel took the city under herem-ban (everything devoted to destruction except metal for the treasury). Rahab's house on the wall was preserved by the scarlet cord. Hebrews 11:30 cites the event in the faith-roll.
📖 Key Scripture
Joshua 6:20 — "So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city."
Hebrews 11:30 — "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."
Joshua 6:25 — "And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Children's Bible Jericho is shouting and walls falling; the herem-judgment context and Rahab's preservation are essential.
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Sunday-school Jericho focuses on the shout and fall. Joshua 6 includes the herem-ban (everything destroyed except metal-for-the-treasury), Achan's later sin in taking devoted spoil, and Rahab the prostitute's preservation through her scarlet cord. The fall isn't merely military — it is judicial.
Recover the whole: judgment fell on Jericho; mercy spared Rahab; Achan stole devoted spoil and brought judgment on himself. Same narrative; multiple lessons.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew Yericho.
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['Hebrew', 'H3405', 'Yericho', 'Jericho']
Usage
"Walls fell down flat after the shout."
"Rahab preserved by scarlet cord."
"Herem-judgment + mercy + later disobedience."