Joshua 6:17
New International Version
The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent.

New Living Translation
Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.

English Standard Version
And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

Berean Standard Bible
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

King James Bible
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

New King James Version
Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

New American Standard Bible
But the city shall be designated for destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

NASB 1995
“The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

NASB 1977
“And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the city shall be devoted to destruction, it and all that is in it belongs to Yahweh; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

Amplified Bible
The city and everything that is in it shall be under the ban [that is, designated to be destroyed as a form of tribute] to the LORD; only Rahab the prostitute and all [the people] who are with her in her house shall [be allowed to] live, because she hid and protected the messengers (scouts) whom we sent.

Christian Standard Bible
But the city and everything in it are set apart to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the city and everything in it are set apart to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the men we sent.

American Standard Version
And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to Jehovah: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And this city and everything that is in it shall be destruction to LORD JEHOVAH; only save Rakhab the Harlot and everyone who is with her in the house because she hid those spies whom we sent

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the city shall be devoted, it and all things that are in it, to the Lord of Hosts: only do ye save Raab the harlot, and all things in her house.

Contemporary English Version
But you must destroy it and everything in it, to show that it now belongs to the LORD. The woman Rahab helped the spies we sent, so protect her and the others who are inside her house. But kill everyone else in the town.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And let this city be an anathema, and all things that are in it, to the Lord. Let only Rahab the harlot live, with all that are with her in the house: for she hid the messengers whom we sent.

English Revised Version
And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The city has been claimed by the LORD. Everything in it belongs to the LORD. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent.

Good News Translation
The city and everything in it must be totally destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only the prostitute Rahab and her household will be spared, because she hid our spies.

International Standard Version
The city—along with everything in it—is to be turned over to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone who is with her in her house may live, because she hid the scouts we sent.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Literal Standard Version
and the city has been devoted, it and all that [is] in it, to YHWH; only Rahab the harlot lives, she and all who [are] with her in the house, for she hid the messengers whom we sent;

Majority Standard Bible
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

New American Bible
The city and everything in it is under the ban. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are in the house with her are to live, because she hid the messengers we sent.

NET Bible
The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the LORD, except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies we sent.

New Revised Standard Version
The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live because she hid the messengers we sent.

New Heart English Bible
The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are in it, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

World English Bible
The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Young's Literal Translation
and the city hath been devoted, it and all that is in it, to Jehovah; only Rahab the harlot doth live, she and all who are with her in the house, for she hid the messengers whom we sent;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Walls of Jericho
16After the seventh time around, the priests blew the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! 17Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent. 18But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it.…

Cross References
Leviticus 27:28
Nothing that a man sets apart to the LORD from all he owns--whether a man, an animal, or his inherited land--can be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD.

Deuteronomy 20:17
For you must devote them to complete destruction--the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites--as the LORD your God has commanded you,

Joshua 7:1
The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.

1 Samuel 15:3
Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"


Treasury of Scripture

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

accursed.

Joshua 7:1
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Leviticus 27:28,29
Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD…

Numbers 21:2,3
And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities…

only Rahab

Joshua 2:1
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

because

Joshua 6:22,23
But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her…

Joshua 2:4-6,22
And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: …

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Jump to Previous
Accursed Ban Belongs City Curse Destruction Devoted Harlot Hid House Kept Live Messengers Prostitute Rahab Safe Secret Spared Therein Within
Jump to Next
Accursed Ban Belongs City Curse Destruction Devoted Harlot Hid House Kept Live Messengers Prostitute Rahab Safe Secret Spared Therein Within
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














(17) The city shall be accursed.--Heb., shall be cherem, "a devoted or accursed thing"; and so Joshua 6:18, "from the accursed thing." (See Note on Deuteronomy 7:26.) The combination of the two ideas of devotion to God and utter destruction may be seen in the sin offering (Leviticus 6:25), which is called "holy of holies," or most holy, and yet, when offered for the priest or congregation, must be utterly consumed.

Verse 17. - Accursed. Rather, devotea, ἀναθεμα LXX. The original meaning of this word is derived from הרם to "shut up." Hence it originally means "a net." With this we may compare the well known Eastern word harem, meaning the enclosed apartments reserved for the women of the family. Hence it comes to mean under a ban, devoted, generally to utter destruction under the pressure of a vow to God, as in Numbers 21:2, or in consequence of His command (see Leviticus 27:29; Deuteronomy 13:15 (Hebrew 16); 1 Kings 20:42, "the man of my devoting," חֶרְמִי, etc). But in Leviticus 27:21, Numbers 18:14, the חֵרֵמ as devoted to the Lord, became the property of the priest. This ban was the most solemn and tremendous religious sentence, the absolute and final excommunication of the old law. The sin of Saul (1 Samuel 15.) was the sparing of anything whatever in the city which had been laid under the ban - a ban which Saul had been specially commanded to execute (1 Samuel 15:3) according to the principles laid down in Deuteronomy 13. When Keil, however, states that the ban "could never be pronounced upon things and property alone, but only upon open idolaters, either with or without their possessions," he appears to have overlooked Leviticus 27:16-21, where a man may devote irredeemably to God property of his own (cf. ver. 28 of the same chapter). In his subsequent work, however, Keil qualifies this assertion by a consideration of this very passage. Idolatrous worship was the one thing which justified the Israelites in laying one of their own cities under the ban (see Deuteronomy 13:12 18, above cited). But (Deuteronomy 7:2) it had been pronounced against the Canaanites. Property, how. ever, save in the case of Jericho, seems to have been exempted from the ban (see Joshua 8:2). Even at Jericho the silver and the gold, the brass and the iron, were placed in the treasury of the Lord (Joshua 5:19, 24). "Why," says Theodoret, "was the city thus devoted? It was devoted on the same principle which offered the first fruits to God, since it was the first fruits of their conquests." Because she hid. See for the peculiar form of this word as though it came from a quadriliteral הבאה

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now the city
הָעִ֥יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

and everything
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

in it
בָּ֖הּ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

must be
וְהָיְתָ֨ה (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

devoted
חֵ֛רֶם (ḥê·rem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2764: A net, a doomed object, extermination

to the LORD.
לַֽיהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

Only
רַק֩ (raq)
Adverb
Strong's 7535: But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless

Rahab
רָחָ֨ב (rā·ḥāḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7343: Rahab -- a harlot in Jericho

the prostitute
הַזּוֹנָ֜ה (haz·zō·w·nāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry

and all those
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

with her
אִתָּ֣הּ (’it·tāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

in her house
בַּבַּ֔יִת (bab·ba·yiṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

will live,
תִּֽחְיֶ֗ה (tiḥ·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

because
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

she hid
הֶחְבְּאַ֔תָה (heḥ·bə·’a·ṯāh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2244: To withdraw, hide

the spies
הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים (ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

we sent.
שָׁלָֽחְנוּ׃ (šā·lā·ḥə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out


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OT History: Joshua 6:17 The city shall be devoted even it (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 6:16
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