Literature. — Gifford in Sjteaker'g Apocr. vol. IL ; Bissell in L,ange*s series ; Zocklcr, Apokr. in Kg/. Kom. 1891 ; Ewald, Di€ jitngglen Prophrt'-u. 1S68; Fritzsche, Uandlntch z. d. Apokr. Ihol ; Keusch, Htklar. d. Buc/ts Baruch, 1S63 ; Reuss, AT, vol. vii. IHM. J. T. :MaR.SHALL.
JERIAH The chief of one of the Levitical
courses, 1 Ch 2.3"' 24-' (both l.rn;) 26" (nn;, AV, RV Jerijah). See GENEALOGY.
/ERI&AI ('3*n;)
-One of David's heroes, 1 Ch
JERICHO [in-i; and 'im-, the latter uniformly (12 times) in I'ent., 2 K 25', and in Ezr, Neh, Ch ; the former elsewhere;* the form nn-i; occurs once (1 K 16**). The etym. and meanin" are doubtful, although Gesenius ( Thes. ) gives the Tatter as ' place of fragrance,' from root ni-i, « hile Sayce (EHll 25U) makes it = ' city of the moon-god ' (yilretth). LXX 'Icptxti, indeclinable, both with and without fem. art. ; NT 'lepaxu, once (Lk 19') with fem. art. ; Vulg. Jericho, indccl. ; Arab. er-Iiiha or Rilui\ — An important city in the Jordan Valley situated over ag.'iin.st Nebo (Ut 32"), and called the City of Palm Trees (Dt 34'). It was the first citj' to oppose the progress of the children of Israel after they had crossed the Jordan. It had its wall (Jos 2'°), and its gate, which was closed at dusk ('2'). Like all the Can. cities of the time, it was ruled over by a king (2"). The wealth of the place is inferred from the description of the spoil taken : vessels of bra.ss and of iron are luenlioned, and from the silver and gold Achan was able to sequester "200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of 50 sliekels weight, as well as a goodly Baby- lonish garment (7^'). We lind no such rich record of spoil in the accounts of the capture of the other cities in this campaign. While the children of Israel were still encamped at Shittim on the other side of Jordan, Joshua sent two spies to investigate the state of the country as far as J. (2'"-). Arrived at that place, they loil''ed at a house on the town wall, belonging to one Kahab, a prostitute. Their errand was suspected, and news was brought to the king, who sent messengers toliahab's house to demand that she give up the spies. In the mean- time she had hidden them under the stalks of Hax which were laid out on the roof to dry, and when the messengers arrived she declared that the spies had left the city at dusk, and she sent the men otf on a false cha.se as far aa the fords of the .lordan. Returning to the spies on the roof, she told them of the terror Joshua's approach had inspired, and begged that, in return for her kindness to them, they would agree to save I'er and her familj' alive in the coming troubles. This they swore to do, on condition that she preserved secrecy. That her house might be recognized she tied a scarlet thread in her window, from which she let them dtiwn with a roi>e, advising them to hide in the mountains. There they cacajied (probably hiding in the cavern- liierced dill's of Quarantania), and remained foi three days, till their pursuers ha<l como back. Then returning to Joshua, tlioy gave a report which greatly encouragcil the Icailer,
After cro.ssing the Jordan, the Isr. encamped in the 'ea-st border of J.' at Gilgal (Jos 4"), cele- brating the pa.ssovor in the 'plains of J.' This solemn cercnuniy was doubtless held in full view * Sec Urivcr, Z><^(. p. Ixxxix t.
D80
JERICHO
JERICHO
of the city. While near J., Jo^liua saw the Captain of the Lord's Host (5"). From his s^ioeih before his deatli we gather that a preliiiiiiiary skinuish preceded the siege, for he says, ' Yc came unto J., and the men of J. fought against you' (24"). The siege itself was extrtinely strict : 'none went out and none came in' (6'"-). Joshua luiving received his commands from the Lord, delivered them to the people. They were to encompass the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day seven times. The order of march was as follows : first came the armed men, then seven priests with trumpets of rams' horns ; immediately behind the priests was borne the ark of the Covenant ; and then followed the rear. The first day, having encompassed the city in silence, they returned to lodge in the camp. This was repeated for five days. On the seventh they rose very early and marched around the city seven times, but on the seventh time, when the priests blew with their trumpets, Joshua said to the peo[ile, ' Shout, for the Lord hath given you tlie city.' As they shouted, the wall fell down flat belore them, and the people at once entered the city on every side, ' each man straight before him, and they took the city.' By special command of Joshua, Rahab and her family were saved from the general slaughter of man and beast that ensued, according to the promise she had received from tiie spies. Her family continued to live on in Israel, and the nams Rahab occurs in the genealogy of our Lord (Mt 1°) as the mother of 13oaz. J. was burned and everything in it, except the silver and gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, which were reserved for the treasury of the Lord's house. The disobedience of Achan to the Lord's command, that the people should reserve nothing for themselves, resulted in a terrible puniahment. The defeat of the Israelites at Ai was ascribed to the fact that the accursed thing was touched. By a process of elimination the crime was traced to Achan, and he and all his family were stoned with stones and burned with fire (Jos V').