Joshua 6:5

And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — God delivers the tactical instruction to Joshua and the Israelite army prior to the seven-day marching sequence. The command outlines the specific auditory signal that will trigger the final assault on Jericho.

The words — The Hebrew phrase בִּ/מְשֹׁ֣ךְ (bi/m.Shokh) means "when blow," paired with הַ/יּוֹבֵ֗ל (hai./yo.Vel), literally "<the> ram's horn." These terms establish the precise sonic trigger for the commanded shout.

The thread — This event is later cited as a demonstration of faith in Hebrews 11:30, while the loud horn sound parallels God's theophanic presence in Exodus 19:19. The collapsing walls also prefigure the spiritual demolition described in 2 Corinthians 10:4.

Why it lands — The text requires obedience to a specific sequence where auditory signals directly precede physical results. Readers must recognize that the commanded shout and subsequent charge depend entirely on the preceding divine instruction.

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

King James Version

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
Exodus 19:19 And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.
Joshua 6:16 After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!
1 Samuel 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
2 Chronicles 13:14 When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
Joshua 6:20 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it.
Judges 7:20 The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”
1 Samuel 17:20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry.
1 Samuel 17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.