Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns.
Parallel translations
- WEB The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
- KJV And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
- BSB While the horns continued to sound, the armed troops marched ahead of the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard followed the ark.
- NKJV The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets.
- NASB And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Armed men marched before the trumpet-blowing priests, with the ark behind, as the trumpets sounded continually. Israel processed around the city in solemn, ordered obedience.
Overview
The arrangement surrounded the ark with the people, keeping God's presence central to the march. The continual trumpet blasts gave the event a worshipful, almost liturgical character. Day after day Israel enacted its trust that God would deliver the city in His own way and time.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Josh 6:13The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of Yahweh’s ark went on continually, and blew the trumpets. The armed men went in front of them. The rear guard came after Yahweh’s ark. The trumpets sounded as they went.
- Isa 58:8Then your light will break out as the morning, and your healing will appear quickly; then your righteousness shall go before you; and Yahweh’s glory will be your rear guard.
- Num 10:25The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rear guard of all the camps, set forward according to their armies. Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.
- Isa 52:11–12Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry Yahweh’s vessels.
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Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 6:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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