Jericho as Joshua's First Major Conquest

Jericho was the first major conquest for the Israelites under Joshua in their campaign to take the land of Canaan ^{[6, 8]}. Located five miles west of the Jordan River and seven miles northwest of the Dead Sea, Jericho was an ancient city with significant walls, upon which houses were built ^[1]. Its strategic location guarded two important entrances into the hill country of Canaan ^[10].

Before the direct assault, Joshua sent two spies from Shittim to reconnoiter the land, specifically Jericho ^{[4, 12, 13]}. This act demonstrated Joshua's use of strategic planning, even while relying on divine promises ^{[12, 13]}. The spies found refuge with Rahab, who protected them and was later spared during the city's destruction ^{[7, 12]}.

The capture of Jericho itself was a unique event, involving a miraculous intervention from God. Joshua received specific instructions from Yahweh, who declared, "Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor" ^[3]. The Israelites were commanded to march around the city for seven days, with priests carrying the ark of the covenant, culminating in a shout that caused the city walls to collapse ^[9]. This event established Israel's presence in the land and instilled fear in the Canaanites, demonstrating that "the Lord was with Joshua" ^[11].

Jericho was considered the "firstfruits" of Israel's conquest, belonging to God, and a curse was placed upon anyone who would rebuild its foundations ^[8]. The immense quantity of silver, gold, and brass found in the city was dedicated to God and placed among the priestly treasures ^{[5, 7]}. The destruction of Jericho served as a powerful display of God's judgment against the wickedness of Canaan ^[8].

Later, the city of Jericho is mentioned in the New Testament, as Jesus passed through it ^[2]. Josephus, the Jewish historian, also recounts Joshua's conquest of Jericho as the first city taken in Canaan ^[6].

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jericho — (place of fragrance), a city of high antiquity, situated in a plain traversed by the Jordan, and exactly over against where that river was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) It was five miles west of the Jordan and seven miles northwest of the Dead Sea. It had a king. Its walls were so considerable that houses were built upon them. ch. (Joshua 2:15) The spoil that was found in it betokened its affluence. Jericho is first mentioned as the city to which the two spies were sent by Joshua from Shittim. (Joshua 2:1-21) It was bestowed by him up”
Luke “He entered and was passing through Jericho. -- Luke 19:1”
Joshua “Yahweh said to Joshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor. -- Joshua 6:2”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 1: . How Joshua, The Commander Of The Hebrews, Made War With The Canaanites, And Overcame Them, And Destroyed Them, And Divided Their Land By Lot To The Tribes Of Israel. 1. When Moses was taken away from among men, in the manner already described, and when all the solemnities belonging to the mourning for him were finished, and the sorrow for him was over, Joshua commanded the multitude to get themselves ready for an expedition. He also sent spies to Jericho to discover what forces they had, and what were their intentions; but he p”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 6: his youngest son. But what happened hereupon we shall speak of hereafter. 9. Now there was an immense quantity of silver and gold, and besides those of brass also, that was heaped together out of the city when it was taken, no one transgressing the decree, nor purloining for their own peculiar advantage; which spoils Joshua delivered to the priests, to be laid up among their treasures. And thus did Jericho perish. 10. But there was one Achar, 4 the son [of Charmi, the son] of Zebedias, of the tribe of Judah, who finding a royal g”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 3: flourishing, and much more fruitful, as are those that are remote from it not so flourishing, or fruitful. 3. Notwithstanding which, there is a fountain by Jericho, that runs plentifully, and is very fit for watering the ground; it arises near the old city, which Joshua, the son of Naue, the general of the Hebrews, took the first of all the cities of the land of Canaan, by right of war. The report is, that this fountain, at the beginning, caused not only the blasting of the earth and the trees, but of the children born of women, and”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 5: slaughter of their enemies, either for weariness or for pity, and not to fall on the spoil, and be thereby diverted from pursuing their enemies as they ran away; but to destroy all the animals, and to take nothing for their own peculiar advantage. He commanded them also to bring together all the silver and gold, that it might be set apart as first-fruits unto God out of this glorious exploit, as having gotten them from the city they first took; only that they should save Rahab and her kindred alive, because of the oath which the ”
Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 6:26: 6:26 Joshua placed a curse upon the site because Jericho was the first Canaanite town to resist God’s purposes in bringing Israel into the land. Jericho was also the first town to experience God’s judgment upon Canaan’s great wickedness. As the firstfruits of Israel’s conquest of Canaan, it belonged to God (Exod 13:2; 23:19). God executed Joshua’s curse on the first man to defy it (1 Kgs 16:34; cp. Josh 7).”
Joshua (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Joshua 6 (introduction): Joshua opened the campaign with the siege of Jericho, a city which could not trust so much to the courage of its people as to act offensively, and to send out its forces to oppose Israel's landing and encamping, but trusted so much to the strength of its walls as to stand upon its defence, and not to surrender, or desire conditions of peace. Now here we have the story of the taking of it, I. The directions and assurances which the captain of the Lord's host gave concerning it (Jos 6:1-5). II. The trial of the people's patient obedience in walking round”
Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 6:1: 6:1 Jericho guarded two important entrances into the heart of the hill country. If the Israelites did not conquer the city first, they would leave a well-armed enemy at their back, standing between the Israelite forces and their families encamped at Gilgal. They had to conquer Jericho first.”
Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 6:27: 6:27 As the first chapter in Israel’s conquest of Canaan closed, both the Israelites and the Canaanites could see that the Lord was with Joshua, as he had promised (1:5, 9; cp. 4:14). Crossing the Jordan and taking Jericho established Israel’s presence in the land, causing the people of Canaan to fear Israel and Israel’s God.”
Joshua (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Joshua 2 (introduction): RAHAB RECEIVES AND CONCEALS THE TWO SPIES. (Jos 2:1-7) Joshua . . . sent . . . two men to spy secretly--Faith is manifested by an active, persevering use of means (Jam 2:22); and accordingly Joshua, while confident in the accomplishment of the divine promise (Jos 1:3), adopted every precaution which a skilful general could think of to render his first attempt in the invasion of Canaan successful. Two spies were despatched to reconnoitre the country, particularly in the neighborhood of Jericho; for in the prospect of investing that place, i”
Joshua (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Joshua 2 (introduction): Two Spies Sent Over to Jericho. - Jos 2:1. Although Joshua had received a promise from the Lord of His almighty help in the conquest of Canaan, he still thought it necessary to do what was requisite on his part to secure the success of the work committed to him, as the help of God does not preclude human action, but rather presupposes it. He therefore sent two men out secretly as spies from Shittim the place of encampment at that time (see at Num 25:1), to view, i.e., explore, the land, especially Jericho, the strongly fortified frontier town of Can”

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