"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down."--_Hebrews 11:30._
AFTER the Israelites had come into the land of Canaan, there was a
strong walled city before them, and its name was Jericho. They could
not go any further till they had taken the city. But God was going to
show that He fought for them. So He told them not to fight, but that
every day, for a whole week, the priests should take the Ark of the
Covenant on their shoulders and walk around the outside of the walls of
the town.
[Illustration]
Seven priests were to go in front, blowing on trumpets made of rams'
horns; but nobody else was to make any noise. So they did one day, and
nothing happened. Joshua bade them do it the next day. Perhaps some of
the Israelites wondered and were impatient, but they had to go on the
next day still; and after that the Ark was carried round once every day
for a whole week.
[Illustration: THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA.--Josh. 5:13, 14.]
On the seventh day, Joshua told the priests that God would have them go
round not once but seven times. And so they did; and then, at last, on
the seventh day, Joshua said, "Shout." The whole of the people shouted,
and the priests blew their trumpets, and then--oh, great wonders!--the
walls of Jericho fell down flat, and the people went in and took the
city. So the Lord fought for Israel.