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Wednesday, June 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 7 / Ordinary 12
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Bible in Basic English

Joshua 6:6

Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent for the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the agreement, and let seven priests take seven horns in their hands and go before the ark of the Lord.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ark;   Armies;   Trumpet;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Miracles;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ark of the Covenant;   Armies of Israel, the;   Holy Land;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Sieges;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ark of the Covenant;   Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ark;   Music, Instrumental;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ark;   Israel;   Jericho;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Horns;   Jubilee;   Miracles;   Rams' Horns;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Jericho;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ark;   Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Seven;   Urim and Thummim;   War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;   Palestine (Recent Exploration, I.e. as of 1915);   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ark of the covenant;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joshua, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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 in front of the ark of the Lord.”
Hebrew Names Version
Yehoshua the son of Nun called the Kohanim, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven Kohanim bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
King James Version
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord .
Lexham English Bible
So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry the trumpets of the rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
English Standard Version
So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord ."
New Century Version
So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, "Carry the Ark of the Agreement. Tell seven priests to carry trumpets and march in front of it."
New English Translation
So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, "Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams' horns in front of the ark of the Lord ."
Amplified Bible
So Joshua the son of Nun called for the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets made of rams' horns ahead of the ark of the LORD."
New American Standard Bible
So Joshua the son of Nun called 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."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then, Ioshua the sonne of Nun called the Priests & said vnto them, Take vp the Arke of the couenant, and let seuen Priests beare seuen trumpets of rams hornes before the Arke of the Lord.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Carry the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
Contemporary English Version
Joshua called the priests together and said, "Take the chest and have seven priests carry trumpets and march ahead of it."
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'hoshua the son of Nun called the cohanim and told them, "Take up the ark for the covenant, and have seven cohanim carry seven shofars ahead of the ark of Adonai ."
Darby Translation
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Carry the ark of the covenant, and seven priests shall carry seven blast-trumpets before the ark of Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, "Carry the Holy Box of the Lord . Tell seven priests to carry the trumpets and march in front of it."
George Lamsa Translation
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets and blow them before the ark of the LORD.
Good News Translation
Joshua called the priests and told them, "Take the Covenant Box, and seven of you go in front of it, carrying trumpets."
Literal Translation
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then Iosua the sonne of Nun called ye prestes, and sayde vnto them: Beare ye the Arke of the couenaunt, and let seuen prestes take the seuen trompettes of the yeare of Iubilye before the Arke of the LORDE.
American Standard Version
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Jehovah.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosuah the sonne of Nun, called the priestes, and sayde vnto them: Take vp the arke of the couenaunt, and let seuen priestes beare seuen trumpets of rammes hornes before the arke of the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them: 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.'
King James Version (1611)
And Ioshua the sonne of Nun called the Priests, and said vnto them, Take vp the Arke of the Couenant, and let seuen Priests beare seuen trumpets of rammes-hornes, before the Arke of the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joshua the son of Naue went in to the priests, and spoke to them, saying,
English Revised Version
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, "Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven trumpets in front of the ark of the LORD."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Josue, the sone of Nun, clepide preestis, and seide to hem, Take ye the ark of boond of pees, and seuene othere preestis take seuene clariouns of iubile yeeris, and go thei bifor the arke of the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua son of Nun calleth unto the priests, and saith unto them, `Bear ye the ark of the covenant, and seven priests do bear seven trumpets of the jubilee before the ark of Jehovah;'
Update Bible Version
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
World English Bible
Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh.
New King James Version
Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD."
New Living Translation
So Joshua called together the priests and said, "Take up the Ark of the Lord 's Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram's horn."
New Life Bible
So Joshua the son of Nun called the religious leaders and said to them, "Take up the special box of the agreement. And let seven religious leaders carry seven rams' horns in front of the special box of the agreement."
New Revised Standard
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 ."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then called Joshua son of Nun unto the priests, and said unto them, Bear ye the ark of the covenant, - and let, seven priest, bear seven rams horns, before the ark of Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Josue, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said to them: Take the ark of the covenant: and let seven other priests take the seven trumpets of the jubilee, and march before the ark of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD."
THE MESSAGE
So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and told them, "Take up the Chest of the Covenant. Seven priests are to carry seven ram's horn trumpets leading God 's Chest."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD."

Contextual Overview

6 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent for the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the agreement, and let seven priests take seven horns in their hands and go before the ark of the Lord. 7 And he said to the people, Go forward, circling the town, and let the armed men go before the ark of the Lord. 8 So after Joshua had said this to the people, the seven priests with their seven horns went forward before the Lord, blowing on their horns: and the ark of the Lord's agreement went after them. 9 And the armed men went before the priests who were blowing the horns, and the mass of the people went after the ark, blowing their horns. 10 And to the people Joshua gave an order, saying, You will give no cry, and make no sound, and let no word go out of your mouth till the day when I say, Give a loud cry; then give a loud cry. 11 So he made the ark of the Lord go all round the town once: then they went back to the tents for the night. 12 And early in the morning Joshua got up, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And the seven priests with their seven horns went on before the ark of the Lord, blowing their horns: the armed men went before them, and the mass of the people went after the ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. 14 The second day they went all round the town once, and then went back to their tents: and so they did for six days. 15 Then on the seventh day they got up early, at the dawn of the day, and went round the town in the same way, but that day they went round it seven times.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Take up the ark: Joshua 6:8, Joshua 6:13, Joshua 3:3, Joshua 3:6, Exodus 25:14, Deuteronomy 20:2-4, Acts 9:1

Reciprocal: Joshua 3:14 - bearing the ark Joshua 6:12 - the priests Joshua 8:33 - priests 2 Samuel 15:24 - bearing 1 Kings 8:3 - the priests took up 1 Chronicles 13:10 - he put 1 Chronicles 15:2 - None ought to 2 Chronicles 5:4 - the Levites 2 Chronicles 5:12 - an hundred

Cross-References

Genesis 6:8
But Noah had grace in the eyes of God.
Genesis 6:10
And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 6:17
For truly, I will send a great flow of waters over the earth, for the destruction from under the heaven of all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything on the earth will come to an end.
Genesis 6:18
But with you I will make an agreement; and you will come into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.
Exodus 32:14
So the Lord let himself be turned from his purpose of sending punishment on his people.
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth?
Deuteronomy 5:29
If only they had such a heart in them at all times, so that they might go in fear of me and keep my orders and that it might be well for them and for their children for ever!
Deuteronomy 32:29
If only they were wise, if only this was clear to them, and they would give thought to their future!
Deuteronomy 32:36
For the Lord will be judge of his people, he will have pity for his servants; when he sees that their power is gone, there is no one, shut up or free.
1 Samuel 15:11
It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests,.... Not the Levites and Kohathites, whose business it was in common to bear the ark, but upon this occasion the priests; not all of them, but as many as were sufficient for the purpose:

and said unto them, take up the ark of the covenant; by putting the staves into the rings of it, and so carry it, Exodus 25:14; see Numbers 7:9;

and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord: Numbers 7:9- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The command of the Lord as to the mode in which the fall of Jericho should be brought about is given in these verses in a condensed form. Further details (see Joshua 6:8-10, Joshua 6:16-17, etc.), were, no doubt, among the commands given to Joshua by the Angel.

Joshua 6:4

Trumpets of ram’s horns - Render rather here and in Joshua 6:5-6, Joshua 6:8, etc., “trumpets of jubilee” (compareLeviticus 25:10; Leviticus 25:10 note). The instrument is more correctly rendered “cornet” (see Leviticus 25:9, note). Various attempts have been made to explain the fall of Jericho by natural causes, as, e. g., by the undermining of the walls, or by an earthquake, or by a sudden assault. But the narrative of this chapter does not afford the slightest warrant for any such explanations; indeed it is totally inconsistent with them. It must be taken as it stands; and so taken it intends, beyond all doubt, to narrate a miracle, or rather a series of miracles.

In the belief that a record is not necessarily unhistorical because it is miraculous, never perhaps was a miracle more needed than that which gave Jericho to Joshua. Its lofty walls and well-fenced gates made it simply impregnable to the Israelites - a nomad people, reared in the desert, destitute alike of the engines of war for assaulting a fortified town, and of skill and experience in the use of them if they had had them. Nothing line a direct interference of the Almighty could in a week’s time give a city like Jericho, thoroughly on its guard and prepared (compare Joshua 2:9 ff and Joshua 6:1), to besiegers situated as were Joshua and the Israelites.

The fall of Jericho cogently taught the inhabitants of Canaan that the successes of Israel were not mere human triumphs of man against man, and that the God of Israel was not as “the gods of the countries.” This lesson some of them at least learned to their salvation, e. g., Rahab and the Gibeonites. Further, ensuing close upon the miraculous passage of Jordan, it was impressed on the people, prone ever to be led by the senses, that the same God who had delivered their fathers out of Egypt and led them through the Red Sea, was with Joshua no less effectually than He had been with Moses.

And the details of the orders given by God to Joshua Joshua 6:3-5 illustrate this last point further. The trumpets employed were not the silver trumpets used for signalling the marshalling of the host and for other warlike purposes (compare Numbers 10:2), but the curved horns employed for ushering in the Jubilee and the Sabbatical Year (Septuagint, σάλπιγγες ἱεραί salpinges hierai: compare the Leviticus 23:24 note). The trumpets were borne by priests, and were seven in number; the processions round Jericho were to be made on seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, thus laying a stress on the sacred number seven, which was an emhlem more especially of the work of God. The ark of God also, the seat of His special presence, was carried round the city. All these particulars were calculated to set forth symbolically, and in a mode sure to arrest the attention of the people, the fact that their triumph was wholly due to the might of the Lord, and to that covenant which made their cause His.


 
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