The Meaning of Joshua 6:5 Explained

Joshua 6:5

KJV: And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

YLT: and it hath been, in the prolongation of the horn of the jubilee, in your hearing the voice of the trumpet, all the people shout -- a great shout, and the wall of the city hath fallen under it, and the people have gone up, each over-against him.'

Darby: And it shall come to pass when they make a long blast with the blast-horn, that all the people on hearing the sound of the trumpet shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall flat, and the people shall go up, each one straight before him.

ASV: And it shall be, that, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long  [blast] with the ram's  horn,  [and] when ye hear  the sound  of the trumpet,  all the people  shall shout  with a great  shout;  and the wall  of the city  shall fall down  flat,  and the people  shall ascend up  every man  straight before him. 

What does Joshua 6:5 Mean?

Study Notes

And it shall come to pass
The central truth here is that spiritual victories are won by means and upon principles utterly foolish and inadequate in the view of human wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:17-29 ; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 .

Context Summary

Joshua 6:1-11 - The Commander And His Plan Of Campaign
When the heart is perfect with God we may count on His presence and help. It is to the separated and obedient servant that the vision of Christ, as Ally and Captain, is given. Here were three hosts marshaled by Jericho-of the Canaanites, of Israel, and of the heavenly armies, waiting to war against the evil spirits which ruled the darkness of the land, Ephesians 6:12.
The answer to Joshua's question depended on whether Israel was prepared to accept God's plan of campaign, which was very humbling to the flesh. "The Lord is with us, if we are with Him," Joshua 7:11-12; 2 Chronicles 15:2. As Jericho was the key to Canaan, and its fall was to be the earnest of complete victory, the program was carefully planned to give God His rightful position. From first to last its capture was the result of the interposition of Him who dwelled in the bush. Therefore, the Ark was borne around the city, as the symbol of His presence, Numbers 10:35. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 6

1  Jericho is shut up
2  God instructs Joshua how to beseige it
12  The city is composed
17  It is accursed
20  The walls fall down
22  Rahab is saved
26  The builder of Jericho is cursed

What do the individual words in Joshua 6:5 mean?

And it shall come to pass when they make a long [blast] with horn of the ram - [and] when you hear - the sound of the trumpet that shall shout all the people shout with a great then shall fall down the wall of the city flat and will go up every man straight before him
וְהָיָ֞ה בִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ ׀ בְּקֶ֣רֶן הַיּוֹבֵ֗ל [בשמעכם] (כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם֙) אֶת־ ק֣וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר יָרִ֥יעוּ כָל־ הָעָ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וְנָ֨פְלָ֜ה חוֹמַ֤ת הָעִיר֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יהָ וְעָל֥וּ אִ֥ישׁ נֶגְדּֽוֹ

וְהָיָ֞ה  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ ׀  when  they  make  a  long  [blast] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
בְּקֶ֣רֶן  with  horn 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
הַיּוֹבֵ֗ל  of  the  ram 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄובֵל  
Sense: ram, ram’s horn, trumpet, cornet.
[בשמעכם]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
(כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם֙)  [and]  when  you  hear 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ק֣וֹל  the  sound 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר  of  the  trumpet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁופָר  
Sense: horn, ram’s horn.
יָרִ֥יעוּ  that  shall  shout 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּעַ  
Sense: to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
תְּרוּעָ֣ה  shout 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּרוּעָה  
Sense: alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or j oy.
גְדוֹלָ֑ה  with  a  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְנָ֨פְלָ֜ה  then  shall  fall  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
חוֹמַ֤ת  the  wall 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
הָעִיר֙  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
תַּחְתֶּ֔יהָ  flat 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
וְעָל֥וּ  and  will  go  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אִ֥ישׁ  every  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נֶגְדּֽוֹ  straight  before  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.