Joshua 6 · Verse 3

Joshua 6:3

And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Joshua 6:3, King James Version

Joshua 6:3 in other translations

BSBMarch around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.
WEBAll of your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.
ASVAnd ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
YLTand ye have compassed the city--all the men of battle--going round the city once; thus thou dost six days;
DARBYAnd ye shall go round the city, all the men of war, encompassing the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
BBENow let all your fighting-men make a circle round the town, going all round it once. Do this for six days.
WebsterAnd ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round the city once: thus shalt thou do six days.

What does Joshua 6:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 6:3-5
3-5. ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war. ... Thus shalt thou do six days, &c.--Directions are here given as to the mode of procedure. Hebrew, "horns of jubilee"; that is, the bent or crooked trumpets with which the jubilee was proclaimed. It is probable that the horns of this animal were used at first; and that afterwards, when metallic trumpets were introduced, the primitive name, as well as form of them, was traditionally continued. The design of this whole proceeding was obviously to impress the Canaanites with a sense of the divine omnipotence, to teach the Israelites a memorable lesson of faith and confidence in God's promises, and to inspire sentiments of respect and reverence for the ark as the symbol of His presence. The length of time during which those circuits were made tended the more intensely to arrest the attention, and to deepen the impressions, both of the Israelites and the enemy. The number seven was among the Israelites the symbolic seal of the covenant between God and their nation [Keil, Hengstenberg].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Ye shall compass the city - In what order the people marched round the city does not exactly appear from the text. Some think they observed the same order as in their ordinary marches in the desert; (see the note on Num 10:14, and see the plans, Num 2:2 (note)); others think that the soldiers marched first, then the priests who blew the trumpets, then those who carried the ark, and lastly the people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 6:1-5

Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master. It shut itself up, being strongly fortified both by art and nature. Thus were they foolish, and their hearts hardened to their destruction; the miserable case of all that strengthen themselves against the Almighty. God resolves Israel shall be its master, and that quickly. No warlike preparations were to be made. By the uncommon method of besieging the city, the Lord…

Read the full comment on Joshua 6:1-5 →

Joshua 6:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְסַבֹּתֶ֣םve.sa.bo.Temand you will go aroundH5437
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעִ֗ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
כֹּ֚לkolallH3605
אַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.Shei[the] men ofH582
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔הha.mil.cha.Mah<the> warH4421
הַקֵּ֥יףha.Keifyou will encircleH5362
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעִ֖ירha.'Irthe cityH5892
פַּ֣עַםPa.'ama timeH6471
אֶחָ֑ת'e.ChatoneH259
כֹּ֥הkohthusH3541
תַעֲשֶׂ֖הta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213
שֵׁ֥שֶׁתShe.shetsixH8337
יָמִֽים\׃ya.MimdaysH3117

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 6:3

  • 2 Corinthians 4:7

    But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

  • Numbers 14:9

    Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:21-25

    For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. …

  • Joshua 6:7

    And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.

  • Joshua 6:14

    And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye shall.
7,14; Nu 14:9; 1Co 1:21-25; 2Co 4:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 6:2

    And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

  • Joshua 6:3

    And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

  • Joshua 6:4

    And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

Read all of Joshua 6

Joshua 6:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Cercaréis pues la ciudad todos los hombres de guerra, yendo alrededor de la ciudad una vez: y esto haréis seis días.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et vous ferez le tour de la ville, vous tous les hommes de guerre, en tournant autour de la ville une fois: tu feras ainsi pendant six jours.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ihr sollt die Stadt umziehen, alle Kriegsleute, einmal rings um die Stadt her; also sollst du sechs Tage tun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Circuite urbem cuncti bellatores semel per diem: sic facietis sex diebus.