Reading 31 | The Bible in 100 Passages

Tuesday, October 14, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Joshua 6:1–11, 20–21

Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.”

So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” To the people he said, “Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.” As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rear guard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. To the people Joshua gave this command: “You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” So the ark of the Lord went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp. So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys. (NRSV)

Reflection

Moses’ death and the transition to Joshua’s leadership marks a major turning point in the arc of the Hebrew Bible, as we move from the foundational texts of the Torah/Pentateuch into a wider series of texts covering several centuries of Israel’s history, ranging from the establishment of the people in the land of Canaan, the rise and fall of Israel’s monarchy, and the powerful words of the prophets.

Today’s passage from Joshua begins our first foray into this history with the “Fall of Jericho” serving as the earliest example of the far-ranging and brutal conquest of Canaan’s native people that occurs throughout much of the wider book, often portrayed as being carried out at God’s request. Recognizing the cultural context of the original author does not excuse the portrayal of divinely-sanctioned violence that we read throughout these texts; instead, it becomes all the more important to acknowledge how readily human beings have distorted “God’s will” towards our own benefit throughout history, and to resist attempts to do so today, particularly given the horrific effects wars and bombings have on vulnerable communities.

Wars over land and territory are as old as human history, but it is hard to read passages like this and not think about our own current context, whether Israel’s invasion of Palestine or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mercifully, as I write this, there is cautious optimism for peace in the Middle East, as Israel and Palestine have agreed to a ceasefire and a release of hostages and prisoners. I believe, deep in my heart, that that is God’s will — swords beaten into plowshares, communities built up rather than being torn down, and every person given an opportunity to flourish. We are nowhere near close enough to that as a shared reality in our world, but just as the calls for conquest in Joshua would transform over the generations into calls for compassion through the prophets, so too may we foster a world seeking to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8).

Prayer

Holy God, you who are “merciful and gracious” and “abounding in steadfast love” (Exodus 34:6), help us build a world in which your mercy, grace, and love are better known by all. Amen.

Written by Matt Helms, Associate Pastor

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email