Joshua 6:13

And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua initiates a daily military procession as the priests lift the ark of the LORD and lead the column toward Jericho, with armed troops and rear guards maintaining formation around it (Joshua 6:12; Joshua 6:14).

The words — The Hebrew שְׁפָרוֹת הַיֹּבְלִים (shəfārōt hayyōḇəlîm) literally names the ram’s horn trumpets carried and blown by the seven priests who march ahead of the ark.

The thread — This sustained marching pattern functions as a narrative example of the perseverance commanded in Galatians 6:9 and Matthew 24:13, while mirroring the Levitical ark-bearing and sacrifice sequence recorded in 1 Chronicles 15:26.

Why it lands — The verse records a rigid, repetitive formation where troops follow the ark and horns sound continuously, demanding disciplined endurance through repeated action rather than immediate tactical results.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְשִׁבְעָ֣הve./shiv.'Ahand/ seven הַכֹּהֲנִ֡יםha./ko.ha.Nimthe/ priests נֹשְׂאִים֩no.se.'Im[who] were carrying שִׁבְעָ֨הshiv.'Ahseven שׁוֹפְר֜וֹתshof.Rot[the] trumpets of הַיֹּבְלִ֗יםhai./yoe.Lim<the>/ rams' horns לִפְנֵי֙li/f.Nei<to>/ before אֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh הֹלְכִ֣יםho.le.Khim[were] walking הָל֔וֹךְha.Lokhcontinuously <to walk>וְתָקְע֖וּve./ta.ke.'Uand/ they gave blasts בַּשּׁוֹפָר֑וֹתba./sho.fa.Roton the/ trumpets וְהֶחָלוּץ֙ve./he./cha.Lutzand/ the/ armed [man]הֹלֵ֣ךְho.Lekh[was] walking לִפְנֵיהֶ֔םli/f.nei./Hem<to>/ before/ them וְהַֽמְאַסֵּ֗ףve./ha/m.'a.Sefand/ the/ rearguard הֹלֵךְ֙ho.leKh[was] walking אַֽחֲרֵי֙'a.cha.Reibehind אֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh הָל֖וֹךְho.lekhwalking וְתָק֥וֹעַve./ta.Ko.a'and/ giving blasts בַּשּׁוֹפָרֽוֹת׃ba./sho.fa.Roton the/ trumpets

King James Version

And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Cross-references

Galatians 6:9 Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Matthew 24:13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
1 Chronicles 15:26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.