25. Jericho

Joshua 6

Lesson Prep

Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)

Joshua 5:13-15, 6

Story Summary

This story connects directly to the two previous stories: Rahab and Joshua & Crossing the Jordan. Remember that Joshua sent two spies across the Jordan River and told them to check out the land, especially Jericho. Rahab hid them in her house to keep them safe, and in return the spies promised that she would be kept safe when they conquered the city. She only had to lower a scarlet cord from her house (which was in the wall) to signal to the Israelites which house was hers. When the spies returned, Joshua led the people across the Jordan River. They came near to the city of Jericho and found the city locked down because they were afraid of the Israelites. Which brings us to our story...

God gave Joshua special instructions on how to fight this battle. Because the city was guarded so tightly, the Israelites were not going to take the city with a traditional strategy. So, God told Joshua to march around the city with 7 priests blowing rams' horns and walking in front of the Ark of the Covenant (remember what that is? from Tabernacle & Ark of the Covenant lesson?). He had fighting men walking in front and behind the priests to guard them. They marched around the city once each day for 6 straight days. Joshua gave them strict instructions not to yell or shout war cries while they were doing this. They simply marched around the city blowing rams' horns and then retreated to the camp to spend the night. Can you imagine how confused the people of Jericho must have been watching this from inside their city?

So they did that for 6 days, and then on the 7th day, they marched around the city 7 times. At the end of the 7th time, Joshua instructed the priests to blow a long blast on the rams' horns and then the story builds to its' climax: "Then Joshua gave a command to the men. He said, 'Shout! The Lord has given you the city!'...The priests blew the trumpets. As soon as the fighting men heard the sound, they gave a loud shout. Then the wall fell down. Every man charged straight in. So they took the city."

Imagine how terrified the people of Jericho must have been when the Israelites shouted and their fortified walls crumbled in front of them!  No wonder the Israelites were able to walk in and defeat them!

As they were taking the city, Joshua sent the two spies to rescue Rahab and all her family. They carried her and her family out of the city to protect them. Joshua gave them strict instructions to take all of the gold, silver, bronze, and iron from Jericho to be used in the Tabernacle. And then they burned the city with fire.

What You Will Need

Supplies
Ram's horn and/or trumpet
Snack Suggestion
bugle snacks

Video Options

God’s Story: Joshua and the Battle of Jericho

From Crossroads Kids Club

The Battle of Jericho

From LifeKids

Resource Sheet

The Battle of Jericho Coloring Sheet

This coloring sheet depicts the walls of Jericho crumbling as the Israelites sounded their horns.

Lesson

1. Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged

Show students a trumpet. Blow the trumpet and listen to the sound. 

Look at a ram's horn. Show students pictures of a ram with it's horns for a frame of reference. Blow the ram's horn and listen to the sound.

How do they sound different?

In the Bible story today, we are going to learn how God used rams' horns to tear down the walls of Jericho!

2. Teach the Story teach a holistic story

Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.

For older children, read story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or tell the story yourself.

For a creative way to teach this lesson, do one of the reinforcement activities that have students creating horns before you teach the lesson. Then, do the "Act Out The story" activity. You could even teach the lesson as your children march around your church building 7 times!

(as with the Rahab lesson, be mindful of Rahab's profession as a prostitute when you are reading the story; you might just skip that word unless you want to have the birds and the bees conversation right there in class)

3. Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills

Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Joshua 6:1-5; 6:12-16

4. Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story

First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?

  • Who was Rahab?
  • The woman in Jericho who helped the spies out before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River
  • Why was Jericho shut up tight?
  • They were afraid of the Israelites
  • What did the priests blow while they marched around the city?
  • A ram's horn
  • How many priests blew the rams' horns?
  • Seven
  • How many days did they march around the city one time?
  • Six
  • What did they do on the seventh day?
  • They marched around seven times
  • How many times did they march around the city total?
  • 13
  • What was Joshua's instruction to the army as they marched around the city?
  • Not to yell or to raise their voices until he gave them the signal
  • What was the signal to the Israelite army to begin yelling
  • When the priests gave a long blow on the rams' horns
  • What happened when they began yelling?
  • The walls around Jericho fell and the Israelite army walked in and took the city
  • What did they do with Rahab and her family?
  • They rescued her and carried them out of the city before they burned it
  • What were the Israelites supposed to take out of the city before they burned it?
  • Gold, silver, bronze, iron

5. Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer

  • This story helps us understand that we should be obedient to God when he tells us what to do. Even though it might seem silly (like marching around a city for 7 days), God is looking for people who will be obedient.
  • Are you obedient to God?

6. Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart

Nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Reinforcement Activities

Graham cracker walls of jericho

Heads up! be aware of food allergies
Scripture When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:5
Supplies graham crackers, icing, plastic knives
  • Use one graham cracker as a base.
  • Use icing as glue to hold 4 graham crackers as walls.
  • Allow students to shout and knock down the walls before they eat.

Building the walls of Jericho

Heads up! This is a good pre-lesson activity
Scripture When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:5
Supplies various building materials
  • Provide various types of building materials for students.
  • blocks, playing cards, pillows, legos, books
  • Ask students to build 4 walls using the materials.
  • Which ones were easiest to build? Which ones were the hardest to keep standing.

Learning 10 commandments- commandment #8

Scripture Do not steal. Exodus 20:15
Supplies colored beads, leather, string
  • Teach the eigth commandment.
  • When the child can tell you each commandment correctly, without assistance, they are given a bead for a bracelet.
  • Keep the bracelet in the classroom and when they have learned all 10 commandments, they get to take it home.
  • To help them remember the commandments, you can separate them into 2 groups for the children.
  • The first four commandments are concerning our relationship with God.
  • The last six are concerning our relationship with others.

Act Out Story

Scripture Then the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:2-5
Supplies blocks, homemade trumpets (or can use hands as a trumpet)
  • Build a city with walls around it with blocks.
  • Have students act out story by having students walk around wall 6 times.
  • Or, have students walk around your building if it isn't too large (this can be especially effective if you teach them the lesson as they are walking around the building).
  • Have students carry ark of the covenant (made from lesson 20)
  • On 7th time around, have them blow trumpets and shout
  • Allow class to knock down block walls.

Trumpets

Scripture Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. Joshua 6:4
Supplies posterboard or paper towel tubes, buttons
  • If using posterboard:
    • Cut desired size for trumpet.
    • Fold into cone shape
    • Staple together
  • If using paper towel tubes:
    • decorate with markers or stickers
    • Glue buttons onto the trumpet for trumpet valves

Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho song

Scripture March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:3-5
  • Sing the song, "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho"

    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,
    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,
    And the walls came tumbling down!

    You may talk about your men of Gideon,
    You may talk about your men of Saul,
    But there's none like good old Joshua
    And the battle of Jericho!

    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,
    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,
    And the walls came tumbling down!

    Right up to the walls of Jericho
    They marched with spear in hand;
    "Go blow them ram horns," Joshua cried,
    "Cause the battle is in my hand."

    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,
    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,
    And the walls came tumbling down!

    Then the lamb, ram,
    Sheep horns began to blow,
    And the trumpets began to sound,
    Joshua told the children to shout that morning
    And the walls came tumbling down!

    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,
    Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,
    And the walls came tumbling down!
    And the walls came tumbling down!
    And the walls came tumbling down!

Sandpaper bricks

Scripture When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed...Joshua 6:20
Supplies sandpaper cut into squares, paper, glue, markers or crayons
  • Draw a sky at the top of your paper.
  • Randomly glue sandpaper bricks on paper to simulate walls falling.

Homemade Rams Horns

Heads up! Can use paper towel tubes
Scripture Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. Joshua 6:4
Supplies party favor horns, brown craft paper or paper towel rolls
  • Remove any paper from party favor horn, so you are left with plastic mouthpiece.
  • Wrap brown paper around mouthpiece and attach with masking tape.
  • (If using paper towel holder, unwrap or cut before wrapping around mouthpiece. Place another paper towel holder inside the first one to make longer.)
  • Bend end to make correct shape
Instructions