Joshua 6:1-10

EasyEnglish Bible

Jericho city falls

6 The people of Jericho had shut the gates of their city to make it safe. No one could go in or out of the city. ² The Lord said to Joshua, ‘I will soon give Jericho to you. I will put its king and all its brave soldiers under your power. ³ You and all your soldiers must march round the city once each day, for six days. ⁴ Seven priests will walk in front of the Covenant Box. They will carry trumpets as they walk. On the seventh day, you and your soldiers must march round the city seven times. At the same time, the priests will blow into their trumpets. ⁵ Then they will make one long loud noise with their trumpets. As soon as you hear this, all the soldiers must give a loud shout. Then the city walls will fall down. The whole army will go straight into the city.’

⁶ Joshua called the priests to come to him. He told them, ‘Pick up the Lord's Covenant Box. Seven priests must march in front of it. They must hold seven trumpets, one each.’

⁷ Then Joshua told the people to start marching round the city. A group of soldiers should march in front of the Lord's Covenant Box.

⁸ Joshua finished speaking to the people. Then the seven priests carrying their trumpets marched in front of the Covenant Box. They made a noise on their trumpets as the Covenant Box followed them. ⁹ While the priests made a noise on the trumpets, some soldiers marched in front of them. Another group of soldiers followed behind the Covenant Box. The trumpets were making a noise all this time. ¹⁰ But Joshua had said to the people, ‘Do not shout or speak aloud. Do not say anything until I tell you. When the right day comes, I will tell you, “Now shout aloud to attack!” When I tell you that, then shout!’