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The Lord told Joshua, that He had
given Jericho to him, and that he should conquer and possess it. But
how were the Israelites to conquer it? Were they to go and fight
against it with swords, and spears, and battering rams? No; God told
all the soldiers, and the priests, carrying the ark, to walk round the
city once every day, for seven days. Seven of the priests were to
carry trumpets; and to blow with them as they passed on before the
ark. The last day, they were to go round the city seven times; and
the priests were to blow the trumpets, and the people to shout; and then
God said, the walls should fall down, and they should go in, and possess
it. The people believed
God, and did all He commanded. They walked round the walls once each
of the six days, carrying the ark, and blowing with the trumpets; and on
the seventh day, they walked round seven times, and the priests blew the
trumpets, and the people shouted; and then the walls fell down, and they
went up and took the city. But the spies did not forget their
promise to Rahab; they went to her house, and brought her out, and all her
family, and put them in safety; and then they burnt the city with
fire. All the silver, and gold, and brass, and iron, they saved for
the Lord's house; but the Israelites were commanded not to take any thing
for themselves. Jericho was an accursed place, because the people
who lived there were so wicked; and therefore, all were to be destroyed.
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