JERICHO

The Bible says that Joshua and the Israelites were encamped at Shittim, and the spies were sent out from this town. Shittim lies approximately 10 miles (16km) east of the River Jordan, and approximately 15 miles (24km) east of Jericho. The Bible lists the fighting men of Israel at 40,000 (Josh. 4:13).

 However, the number of troops involved in the battle of Jericho is another controversy. This controversy centers around the Hebrew word Eleph, which is usually translated as "thousand". However, the word has had a number of different meanings and uses throughout its Semantic history.

It was originally connected to "head of cattle", signifying its application of a village unit, or population unit within an agricultural based society. Next, the word was used to describe the quota of men a village, or clan, was required to produce for the military (originally a very small number).Finally, the word became a technical term to describe a military unit of significant size.

Concerning the battle of Jericho, the word is translated as "thousand”, producing the number 40,000 fighting men. Critics of this interpretation claim it should be translated as a military unit, though significant in size, not literally 40,000 fighting men.

If the number 40,000 fighting men is taken as the original intent of the author, then the number of Israelites coming out of Egypt would have numbered between 2 million, to 2.5 million; men, women, and children .This would have not counted the amount of livestock, and other members not included among the number of Israelites that made the journey.

 Some of these men would have participated on the Israelite side in the battle of Jericho. However, if one allows for an error in copying, and a misinterpretation of the word eleph, then the number of fighting men in Israel, and the population of ancient Israel itself, is more manageable. Regardless, the battle of Jericho involved thousands of people

Without going into great detail, proponents of this theory have ranged the number of fighting men in Israel, at the time of the Exodus and conquest, from 5,000 to 8,000 men. The total population at the battle of Jericho, then, is numbered from 20,000 to 40,000 men, women, and children, Israelites only.

 More would have actually fought. Evidence suggests that the Exodus was a mix of peoples. People not of Israelite blood would not have been counted among the Israelites, though they were part of the group. Rahab and her household became part of this group. The actual number of people traveling, thus, would have been much larger. This number seems to fit ancient records of other countries. For example, at the height of the Egyptian empire, the standing ancient Egyptian army numbered 20,000 fighting men. In any case, the King of Jericho would have noticed the mass of people encamped opposite the Jordan

. Jericho, though a small city in size, exerted a mighty influence in the region. This influence would have easily spread the approximately 15 or so miles eastward to the Israelite camp, and into the plains of Moab. Upon the sight of so many people, and the news of their previous victories, people from miles around would have fled to the city of Jericho for protection.

 The imminent battle of Jericho loomed over the region like a storm cloud. Though small in stature, Jericho possessed extremely heavy fortifications, and could have easily survived a siege of perhaps up to a year or so. Local village residents fared a much better chance of survival by fleeing to the protection of the walls of Jericho.

 The battle of Jericho would have influenced the entire region's political and social structure. As the spies stealthily crept into ancient Jericho, they entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab (2:1).

Joshua (2:4-5) “but the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, ‘yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. When it was time to close the gates at dark the men went out; I do not where the men went. Pursue them quickly for you will overtake them.”

Rahab reported that the men had left before the city gates were closed, and then sent the King and his men on a wild goose chase!

In truth she hid them on the roof of her house. (2:2-7) Rahab had sensed the impending doom, she chose to side with the Israelite spies, despite the appearance that Jericho would survive.  After she deceived the King, Rahab retrieved the spies from the roof top and pleaded with them to spare her family from the upcoming doom.  The spies agreed to spare her and her family in the upcoming Battle of Jericho, they told her to hang a red velvet chord in her window, to identify her house so the soldiers would pass it by.

After they agreed she then lowered the two spies out the window to the ground below.  She then began immediate preparations for the upcoming battle.

Joshua (2:15) “So she let them down by a rope through a window for the house she lived in was part of the exterior city wall.  The spies returned to the Israelite camp and reported to Joshua what had just transpired.  Joshua satisfied with the reported events moved the camp to the banks of the River Jordan. (3:1)

The Bible tells us they spent three days at this camp site before the Battle of Jericho. Joshua received more instructions from the Lord regarding the invasion and how to structure it. He sent his officers throughout the camp instructing the people what was about to happen.

Joshua (3:3-4) depicts the orders given to his soldiers: “when you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests who are ‘Levites’ carrying it you are to move out from your positions and follow them. This will be a new route to you; you have not been this way yet.  You must keep a good distance of 1,000 yard (1/2mi) between you and the Ark; do not go near it.

The power of the Ark is seen here, as Joshua warned his people to stay 1,000 yards from it. After the third day, the Israelites set out to cross the River Jordon. The Levites carried the Ark ahead of the Israelite soldiers, as instructed by the Lord.

Joshua (3:15) states that the Jordon was at flood stage, and remained as such throughout the harvest.  This verse along with (2:15) provides information which seems irrelevant to the invasion, yet becomes increasingly important when examining Archeology.

As the Ark of the Covenant and the priests who carried it touched the flood high waters, of the River Jordon, God provided a miracle for the Israelites.

Joshua (3:16): “ That the waters which were flooding down from above rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is besides Zarelhan; and those which were flooding down towards the Sea of Abarlle, the salt sea (Black Sea) were completely cut off, so the Israelites crossed the Jordon directly opposite from Jericho.”

God had demonstrated to the entire nation that he was with Joshua, just as he had been with Moses, when forty years earlier the waters of the Reed Sea had been parted on the way out of Egypt.

After they crossed the River Jordon, Joshua chose twelve men and selected twelve stones which were placed in the middle of the river to memorialize their crossing.  These stones stood for many years as a sign of Gods provision.

The Israelites were then circumcised at “Gibeath-Haaraloth” also known as the “Hill of foreskins” God’s people were now in full compliance with his decrees. This place became known as Gilgal; on the eastern border of Jericho (4:19). After the circumcision the Israelites celebrated Passover (5:10-12).

The Bible tells us on the 14^th day of the month they celebrated Passover. This celebration must have seemed quite strange from on top of the towering walls of Jericho.  On the 15^th day they ate from the land of Canaan, on the 16^th day, for the first time in forty years the Manna did not appear.

God had cut off the provisions of manna for now they ate “of the produce of the land of Canaan”.  God had delivered them out of the land of Egypt, now he was delivering them into Canaan.

Joshua (5:13-15): Now when Joshua was near Jericho he looked up and saw a man that he didn’t recognize with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked are you for us or our enemy? Neither he replied, I am the Commander of the Army of the Lord.  I have now come! Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence and asked him, what message does the Lord have for his servant? The commander of the Lords army replied, take off your sandals for you are on holy ground, and Joshua did so.

The bible doesn’t tell what Joshua was doing when he met the commander of the Lords Army; we are told he was near Jericho and nothing more. Perhaps he was in prayer with the Lord? Perhaps he was making rounds in the camp checking with his officers and the battle preparations. His actions were extremely important to the victory in the upcoming battle.

The appearance of this visitor was sudden. Apparently Joshua didn’t recognize the apparel (uniform) of the visitor only that he held a sword in his hand. It is interesting that Joshua didn’t seem to be alarmed as though he was expecting him. He asked the visitor which side he was on. He answered neither…He was commander of the army of the Lord.  Could this visitor possibly be an Angle, perhaps Michael the archangel?

In Jude 9 it mentions that the Archangel Michael had disputed with the devil over the body of Moses. Michael is also associated with the second coming of Christ in 1 Thess (4:16) It is also Michael who battles the fallen watchers in the Book of Enoch, again per God’s divine instruction.

Leading the Israelites in the battle of Jericho would fit nicely with the profile of Michael, Michael’s sole concern were his orders from God.

The battle of Jericho is not man’s fight but Gods fight!  The Lord then instructed Joshua on how to structure the invasion.

The “Armed Guard” (6:9) was to march first in line. They were followed by seven priests carrying trumpets of ram horns. (6:4) these trumpets were blown continuously throughout the march around the walls of Jericho. The priests responsible for the Ark of the Covenant followed behind the trumpets, with the rear guard. (6:9)

Joshua was very precise in his instructions to the Israelites. Their role in the Battle of Jericho was to march, in procession, once around the city, once a day! They were to do this for six days, with the trumpets blowing constantly as they marched.

Joshua gave explicit instructions that they were to march in silence without giving shouts or jeers; until on the seventh day when I give the order to shout out your war cry, and shout!

Scriptures record that on the seventh day the Israelites; “arose at daybreak, marched around the city in the same manor, except on that day they circled the city seven times” (6:15)

Once again Joshua had been very clear in his instructions. After the seventh time that they marched around the city walls, with trumpets blaring, Joshua was to give the order and the soldiers were to let loose with their war cry all 8/40,000 of  them .God was then to tumble the walls of Jericho and give the city to his people.

The Battle of Jericho was to be Gods battle all the way. All he required was faithful obedience. Joshua issued orders that nothing was to be touched, or taken, except for the things that had been devoted to the Lord.

All the citizens of Jericho, men, women, children, young and old were put to the edge of the sword and slaughtered. The silver, gold, bronze and iron were to go into the Lords treasury; the devastation was to be complete.

Only Rahab and her family, all those under her roof were spared the sword.  On the seventh day, on the seventh time around the city walls, Joshua gave the command and the whole army of the Israelites shouted.

The Bible says the “walls fell down flat”. The Old Testament suggests that the walls fell beneath themselves, as to form a ramp up to the retaining walls of the city.  This is what excavations of the city by archeologists have also found, that stones from the wall were up against the retaining wall forming a ramp.

Joshua’s Israelite army just simply marched into the city and commenced a slaughter. In the Old Testament it states “they went up into the city, every man before himself” (6:20).

The Israelite army destroyed every living thing. The Israelites through forty years of banishment in the desert learned incredible discipline, this discipline and military conformity was very evident during this assault on Jericho.

“And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver, gold, bronze and iron were put into the treasury of the House of the Lord”.

To conclude this decisive Battle of Jericho Joshua cast a curse on the ancient city of Jericho in the waning verses of chapter six in the Old Testament Joshua (6:24)

“Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho, with the loss of his first born son he shall lay its foundation, and with his youngest son, he shall set up its gates.

Now you may want to re-read this section and where ever I mention God, the Lord or Angels, put in extraterrestrial’s, ET, Alien or Anunnaki.  Before proceeding on to a discussion on the Ark of the Covenant, we will discuss Moses and the Exodus and manna.

 So far we have the Ark of the Covenant associated with the parting of the Red (Reed) Sea, the River Jordan, and the fallen walls of Jericho; it is also present during the time of manna for the banished Israelites.

I mentioned in prior post a technology being used by law enforcement, the military with great success, it produces sound or aquistic wave also known as sound waves which are basically pressure waves. These pressure/ sound waves are at 150 decibels, which is considered sound pollution.

Just as an example the large manual siren on a modern fire engine, by modern I am making more of a reference to the 1970’s, this loud “wail” sound of the siren produces a sound at 120 decibels which is also sound pollution, and needed to be stopped with a brake to get it to stop when you arrived on scene, unlike the modern sirens used to day where they can rotate between a wail, yelp when coming up on traffic or a hi.lo sound similar to European sirens.

This sound wave at 150 decibels creates temporary deafness, also permanent hearing loss, nausea and vomiting and blindness. It was used successfully in warding off Somali pirates attacking cargo vessels in the Red Sea; it is used by law enforcement for crowd control and also by our military in operations in Iraq. This technology is known as long Range Acoustic Device or LRAD. Many scientists believe this technology was part of sacred technology of the ancients brought to earth by visitors from above. It is believed that this was used in transporting multi ton stones and placing them high on megalithic structures like those of Baalbek, in the Peruvian mountain tops, and pressure waves used in the parting of waters such as the Reed Sea and the River Jordan.

In 2010 a US Naval vessel off the coast of California using a Death Ray, commonly seen in science fiction movies, as a laser ray, was used by this navy vessel to bring down a missile flying at 300mph 21/2 miles away.

Pressure waves, Laser waves are all a form of energy. It is also thought that the gods of ancient times used Laser type rays in many capacities bringing down the walls of Jericho, being used in ancient construction where stone is glazed, like with an extreme heat source, where multi ton stones are moved hundreds of miles to construct strange structures in the middle of nowhere.

Where ever you have energy you need a power source, in ancient times the Arc of the Covenant seems to be central to these events, in upcoming posts we will be discussing more on the mysterious Arc.