Joshua 6:21 (DRB)

Passage

And killed all that were in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also, and the sheep, and the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.

Nearby Context

Joshua 6:19 But whatsoever gold or silver there shall be, or vessels of brass and iron, let it be consecrated to the Lord, laid up in his treasures.

Joshua 6:20 So all the people making a shout, and the trumpets sounding, when the voice and the sound thundered in the ears of the multitude, the walls forthwith fell down: and every man went up by the place that was over against him: and they took the city,

Joshua 6:21 And killed all that were in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also, and the sheep, and the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.

Joshua 6:22 But Joshua said to the two men that had been sent for spies: Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out, and all things that are hers, as you assured her by oath.

Joshua 6:23 And the young men went in, and brought out Rahab, and her parents, her brethren also, and all her goods, and her kindred, and made them to stay without the camp.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sheep", "killed", "woman", "young", "oxen", "asses", "slew", and "edge". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sheep" and "killed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "So all the people making a shout..." into verse 22's "But Joshua said to the two men...", so "sheep" and "killed" belong inside that flow. In Joshua context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sheep" and "killed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.