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thing to thine hand" is echoed by the words of Joshua: "And ye, in any wise keep
yourselves from the devoted thing . . . . . when ye take of the devoted thing" (Josh. 6: 18).
Jericho was a kind of firstfruits, and belonged wholly to the Lord. The words of
Moses: "It shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again" are echoed in the words of
Joshua:--
"Cursed (arar, quite different from cherem) be the man before the Lord (contrast,
`devoted' to the Lord in verse 17), that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho. He shall
lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the
gates of it" (Josh. 6: 26).
The word "build" implies fortification, for the city was given to Benjamin, and had
been partially restored (compare Judges 3: 13 with Deut. 34: 3).
What is the lesson of this chapter of Joshua? We learn that God at His own appointed
time will fulfil the prophecy of the Jubilee, and at the sounding of the seventh trumpet
accomplish both the overthrow of the citadel of evil, and the setting up of the kingdom of
the Lord. We learn that this will never be accomplished by human strength. Soldiers
marched round Jericho, but the Jubilee trumpets of the priests and the shout of the people
were the only external agents in its overthrow. To the believer comes a solemn warning
against letting his hand "cleave" to any of the things of this world, which are surely
devoted to destruction. As with Abraham and the spoils of Sodom, we must rather forego
even our legitimate dues, so that no advantage be given to the enemy over us.
In the sad story of Achan and his trespass, we shall learn something of the effect upon
the overcoming life of the Lord's people of complicity in these devoted things. May the
Lord keep us from "troubling" His people, and from reaping "trouble" for ourselves
(Josh. 6: 18; 7: 25).