“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” — Hebrews 11:30 (KJV)
The Ancient City of Jericho: Gateway to Canaan
Jericho stands as one of the most remarkable cities in human history—an ancient witness to civilization, faith, and divine intervention. Known as the City of Palms (Deuteronomy 34:3), Jericho lies near the Jordan River in the Jordan Valley, about 5 miles west of the Jordan and 7 miles north of the Dead Sea. It is one of the lowest inhabited places on earth, sitting over 800 feet below sea level.
Archaeologists call Jericho the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, with evidence of settlement dating back to around 9000 B.C.. Long before the rise of Egypt’s pyramids or Babylon’s grandeur, Jericho’s people were building walls, cultivating crops, and organizing complex societies.
But Jericho is more than just an archaeological marvel—it is a city steeped in biblical history, forever marked by the mighty acts of God.
The Early Civilization of Jericho
Long before Israel entered the Promised Land, Jericho was a thriving urban center. Excavations at Tell es-Sultan, the mound representing ancient Jericho, reveal multiple layers of settlement and destruction—each telling the story of a people who adapted, rebuilt, and advanced through the ages.
Jericho’s early inhabitants were among the first to develop agriculture and irrigation, using water from the nearby spring of Ain es-Sultan, also known as Elisha’s Spring (2 Kings 2:19–22). This constant water source made Jericho an oasis in the desert—a place of fertility, trade, and rest for travelers.
Archaeologists uncovered ancient stone walls—some as early as 8000 B.C.—demonstrating Jericho’s sophistication in city defense. These walls, some 12 feet high and fortified with towers, symbolize humankind’s early attempts at order and security apart from God’s authority.
Jericho in the Time of Joshua
The most famous moment in Jericho’s history came when Israel, under Joshua’s command, crossed the Jordan and faced its mighty walls. Jericho stood as the first barrier between God’s people and the Promised Land. Yet no weapon or siege engine brought its downfall—faith did.
God instructed Joshua and the priests to march around the city once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day, blowing the trumpets of rams’ horns. When they shouted on the final circuit, “the wall fell down flat” (Joshua 6:20).
The fall of Jericho was more than a military victory—it was a divine declaration that the Lord Himself gives His people the land, and no stronghold of man can resist His command. The ruins of Jericho still testify to that miracle.
Jericho in Later History
After its destruction, Jericho was cursed by Joshua:
“Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho” (Joshua 6:26).
Centuries later, this curse was fulfilled in the days of King Ahab when Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho at the cost of his sons’ lives (1 Kings 16:34). The city continued, however, to be inhabited in various forms throughout Israel’s history.
In the time of the prophets, Jericho became known as a place of prophets and disciples (2 Kings 2:5). It was here that Elijah and Elisha walked together before Elijah was taken up to heaven, and where Elisha purified the bitter waters with salt.
By the time of Jesus, Jericho had become a prosperous city again under Herod the Great. He built palaces and aqueducts there, turning it into a winter resort for the wealthy. It was on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem that Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37), and it was in Jericho that Zacchaeus the tax collector climbed a sycamore tree to see the Lord (Luke 19:1–10).
The Culture of Jericho
Throughout its long history, Jericho’s culture reflected its geography: a meeting place of trade, agriculture, and religion. Its fertile soil supported palm groves, balsam plants, and date harvests, making it a hub of economic activity.
Spiritually, Jericho often stood as a symbol of human pride versus divine power—a city of strength brought low by the command of God. Yet it was also a place of mercy and transformation: the place where Rahab the harlot was spared and grafted into the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Even today, modern Jericho retains traces of its ancient past—a crossroads of peoples and faiths, an oasis amid desolation, and a living reminder of God’s sovereignty over time and history.
Conclusion: Jericho — A Lesson for Every Generation
Jericho’s story spans from prehistory to prophecy, from the cradle of civilization to the triumph of faith. Its walls remind us that no fortress of human pride can stand against the purposes of God. Its ruins whisper of divine power, and its survivors—like Rahab—declare God’s mercy and redemption.
As Hebrews 11:30 reminds us, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.” That same faith still conquers the strongholds in our own lives. For Jericho’s fall is not just history—it is a divine pattern: when God speaks, and His people obey, every wall must fall.