City walls at Jericho.

Ancient city of Jericho

Jericho is probably best known for the old testament story of Joshua and the children of Israel attacking Jericho as the first city in their conquest of Cana, the promised land (see below), but it was also the sight of the miracle of Jesus healing the blind men (also see below).  At the time of Christ, Jericho was a common stopping point for those travelling between Galilee and Jerusalem.  It was also an important city with Herod having a palace there along with other palaces in Caesarea, Masada, and Herodium.

Joshua 6:1–11 (NIV)

 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.  2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”  6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”  8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. 
 
Jericho walls.  Archaeologists have dated these walls to a period later than when the Israelites conquered Jericho.
Jericho walls.  Archaeologists have dated these walls to a period later than when the Israelites conquered Jericho.

Joshua 6:12–20(NIV)

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.  15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”  20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. 


Ruins of buildings in ancient Jericho
Ruins of buildings in ancient Jericho

Matthew 20:29-34 New International Version (NIV)

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”  31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”  32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?”he asked.  33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”  34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.



Modern day Jericho and the mountains nearby.


Jericho
360 degree photo, move your mouse to look around

Jericho panoramic view, video:

Ancient Jericho walls (predate the conquest by Joshua and the children of Israel):


Ancient Jericho city ruins (predate the conquest by Joshua and the children of Israel):

For additional information on biblical Jericho, please look at these other web sites:

https://www.holylandsite.com/jericho-overview

https://www.bibleplaces.com/jericho/

https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/places/main-articles/jericho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6Uz9gIdm68

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