Joshua 6:5 describes the instruction God gave Israel before the fall of Jericho: when the priests sounded a long blast on the rams’ horns, the people were to shout together, and the city wall would collapse so that the people could enter straight ahead. The verse is God speaking to Joshua, giving him the exact plan for taking the city, which he then passed on to the army and the priests.
It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the city wall shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.”
Joshua 6:5 (WEB)
What Joshua 6:5 Means
The verse begins with “It shall be,” which tells the reader this is a promise about what will happen, not merely a suggestion. The sequence is specific: the trumpet sounds, the people shout, and then the wall falls. Israel’s part was to obey the signal and respond with a great shout. The result was God’s work, not theirs. The wall falls “flat,” meaning it collapses completely, so the people can walk straight in.
What the verse does not promise is a method anyone can copy for any problem. This was a unique moment in Israel’s history, tied to God’s commitment to give them this land and to the covenant around the ark. It teaches that God can act decisively when his people trust and obey his word, but it does not turn trumpets and shouting into a formula for getting what we want.
The Context of Joshua 6:5
Joshua is the book that records Israel’s entry into the land of Canaan after Moses’ death, with Joshua leading the nation. Tradition attributes the book to Joshua himself, though it may have been finished by a later editor, and its first readers were the Israelites who had crossed the Jordan and were beginning to settle the land. The book shows God keeping his promises to bring the people into their inheritance.
Verses 2 through 8 show the verse in its setting. God has already declared that Jericho is given into Joshua’s hand, and the army is told to march around the city for six days. On the seventh day they circle it seven times, with priests carrying the ark and blowing the horns. Because the instructions come before the action, the verse reads as a clear, orderly plan carried out in faith, not a spontaneous outburst of emotion.
Key Phrases in Joshua 6:5
Joshua 6:20
So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
(WEB)
This verse records the moment the walls fell after the people shouted, giving the outcome that Joshua 6:5 promised. Reading the two together shows the connection between God’s instruction and its fulfillment, and it reinforces that the victory came from the Lord.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
(WEB)
Moses encouraged Israel with this assurance that the Lord goes with them and will not fail them. This promise stands behind Joshua’s leadership and the march around Jericho, showing that the instructions in Joshua 6:5 rest on God’s faithful presence with his people.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 6:5
Lord, you gave Joshua clear instructions before the walls of Jericho, and you kept your word when the people obeyed. Help me to listen for your voice in the same way, especially when your plan looks strange or slow. Teach me to trust you enough to act in faith, even when the outcome is hidden from me.
Where I feel surrounded by walls I cannot move, remind me that the victory belongs to you. Give me steady courage to keep walking in obedience, and let my faith be seen in what I do each day. Thank you for being faithful to your promises. Amen.
