Joshua 6:26

Joshua 6:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, 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.
• New International Version (NIV)At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, "Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. "At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.”

Context of Joshua 6:26

24Then Israel burned the city and everything in it. But they put the silver and gold and everything made of bronze and iron into the Lord’s treasury. 25Joshua spared the prostitute Rahab, her father’s family, and everything she had. She still lives in Israel today because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to look at Jericho. At that time Joshua pronounced this curse: “The Lord will curse whoever comes to rebuild the city of Jericho. It will cost him his firstborn son to lay the foundation. It will cost him his youngest son to set up the city doors.” 27So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Joshua 6:26 word by word

וַיַּשְׁבַּ֣ע יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר אָר֨וּר הָאִ֜ישׁ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָקוּם֙ וּבָנָ֞ה אֶת־הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ אֶת־יְרִיח֔וֹ בִּבְכֹר֣וֹ יְיַסְּדֶ֔נָּה וּבִצְעִיר֖וֹ יַצִּ֥יב דְּלָתֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• adjuredשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Cursedאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
• the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that riseth upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
• and buildethבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
• he shall lay the foundationיָסַדyâsad · to foundH3245
• thereof in his firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• and in his youngestצָעִירtsâ‛îyr tsâ‛ôr · littleH6810
• shall he set upנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• the gatesדֶּ֫לֶתdeleth · doorH1817

Cross-references for Joshua 6:26

• Numbers 5:19“Then the priest will say to her, ‘If no other man has had sexual intercourse with you and you haven’t been unfaithful to your husband, you’re not guilty. This bitter water that can bring a curse will not harm you.
• 1 Samuel 14:24Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his troops tasted any food.
• 1 Kings 22:16The king asked him, “How many times must I make you take an oath in the Lord’s name to tell me nothing but the truth?”
• Matthew 26:63But Jesus was silent. Then the chief priest said to him, “Swear an oath in front of the living God and tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
• Acts 19:13Some Jews used to travel from place to place and force evil spirits out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force evil spirits out of those who were possessed. These Jews would say, “I order you ⌞to come out⌟ in the name of Jesus, whom Paul talks about.”
• 1 Kings 16:34In Ahab’s time Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. Laying the foundation cost him his firstborn son, Abiram. Setting up the city doors cost him his youngest son, Segub. The Lord had spoken this through Joshua, son of Nun.
• Malachi 1:4“The descendants of Esau may say, ‘We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.’ “Yet, this is what the Lord of Armies says: They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. They will be called ‘the Wicked Land’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is always angry.’

Commentaries on Joshua 6:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26And Joshua adjured them at that time - It appears that he had received intimations from God that this idolatrous city should continue a monument of the Divine displeasure: and having convened the princes and elders of the people, he bound them by an oath that they should never rebuild it; and then, in their presence, pronounced a curse upon the person who should attempt it. The ruins of this city continuing would be a permanent proof, not only of God's…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Adjured - i. e. put an oath upon them; or, perhaps, actually caused them themselves to take an oath (compare Matthew 26:63). The words of the oath have in the original a rhythmical character which would tend to keep them on the lips and in the memory of the people. Buildeth this city - i. e. rebuilds the fortifications. Jericho was at once occupied by the Benjamites. Joshua 18:21, and the natural advantages of the situation were such that it would not be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-27Verses 17-27 Jericho was to be a solemn and awful sacrifice to the justice of God, upon those who had filled up the measure of their sins. So He appoints, from whom, as creatures, they received their lives, and to whom, as sinners, they had forfeited them. Rahab perished not with them that believed not, He 11:31. All her kindred were saved with her; thus faith in Christ brings salvation to the house, Ac 16:31. She, and they with her, were plucked as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Joshua placed a curse on the site because Jericho was the first Canaanite city to resist God’s plan to bring Israel into the land. It was also the first city to experience God’s judgment on the great wickedness of Canaan. As the firstfruits of Israel’s conquest, Jericho belonged to God (Exodus 13:2; 23:19). God later carried out Joshua’s curse on the first person who tried to rebuild the city (1 Kings 16:34; compare Joshua 7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. Joshua adjured them at that time--that is, imposed upon his countrymen a solemn oath, binding on themselves as well as their posterity, that they would never rebuild that city. Its destruction was designed by God to be a permanent memorial of His abhorrence of idolatry and its attendant vices. Cursed be the man ... that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho--that is, makes the daring attempt to build. he shall lay the foundation thereof in his…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 6:26

• Gates
• Hiel
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Jericho
• Joshua
• Abiram
• Accursed
• Adjuration
• Adjure
• Compass
• Consecrate
• Curse
• Dawn

Commentaries on Joshua 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings