Joshua 6:17 (WEB)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Joshua 6:15 On the seventh day, they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times.

Joshua 6:16 At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!

Joshua 6:17 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.

Joshua 6:18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

Joshua 6:19 But all the silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh’s treasury.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "city", "shall", "devoted", "even", "yahweh", "only", "rahab", and "prostitute". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "city" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "At the seventh time when the priests..." into verse 18's "But as for you only keep yourselves...", so "city" and "shall" 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 "city" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.