Siege and Destruction of Jericho

Jericho completely locked its heavy wooden gates against the advancing Israelite army. The armed soldiers marched silently in a daily circuit around the ancient settlement. Seven designated priests carried heavy curved trumpets fashioned from hollowed rams' horns. They walked at a measured pace directly ahead of the wooden covenant chest. The entire military formation circled the fortified perimeter for six consecutive days.

The city occupied a vital desert oasis near the Jordan River fault line. It sat roughly 800 feet below sea level in the arid eastern valley. The military siege occurred during the late Bronze Age around 1400 b.c. This strategic location controlled the primary eastern ascent into the central highlands.

A heavy stone retaining wall anchored the lower perimeter of the settlement. This massive base stood roughly 15 feet high above the bedrock foundation. Thick courses of sun-baked mudbricks formed an upper defensive barrier around the city. The combined stone and brick fortifications reached a total height of almost 45 feet. The marching troops navigated the uneven terrain just outside this formidable perimeter.

The troops shouted loudly when the priests blew the horns, and the massive wall collapsed immediately. The armed men charged straight ahead into the city and captured the settlement.

Intense fire consumed the mudbrick structures and the abundant stored grain reserves. The victorious soldiers salvaged valuable vessels of silver, gold, bronze, and iron. They placed these heavy metal goods into the treasury of the God of Israel. Joshua spared the woman Rahab and her extended family from the widespread destruction. He pronounced a severe permanent curse over the newly ruined stone foundations.