Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh.
If earthquake activity had caused the collapse of the Jordan’s banks, the same earthquake activity may have weakened the foundations of Jericho’s walls. Nevertheless, the collapse of the walls at the exact moment God planned showed that victory came through the power of God, in response to the faith of his people (20-25; Hebrews 11:30). God intended Jericho to remain in ruins, as a permanent memorial that it had been destroyed by his curse. If any person rebuilt the city, the curse would pass on to him, and as a consequence he would suffer the loss of his own sons (26-27; cf. 1 Kings 16:34).