Discovery BoxJoshua 3:16 
Context3:16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. 1 It piled up far upstream 2 at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). 3 The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. 4
Joshua 6:26
Context6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration: 5 “The man who attempts to rebuild 6 this city of Jericho 7 will stand condemned before the Lord. 8 He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!” 9
1 tn Heb “the waters descending from above stood still.”
2 tn Heb “they stood in one pile very far away.”
3 tn Heb “the [waters] descending toward the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) were completely cut off.”
sn The Salt Sea is an ancient name for the Dead Sea.
4 map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
5 tn Normally the Hiphil of שָׁבַע (shava’) has a causative sense (“make [someone] take an oath”; see Josh 2:17, 20), but here (see also Josh 23:7) no object is stated or implied. If Joshua is calling divine judgment down upon the one who attempts to rebuild Jericho, then “make a solemn appeal [to God as judge]” or “pronounce a curse” would be an appropriate translation. However, the tone seems stronger. Joshua appears to be announcing the certain punishment of the violator. 1 Kgs 16:34, which records the fulfillment of Joshua’s prediction, supports this. Casting Joshua in a prophetic role, it refers to Joshua’s statement as the “word of the
6 tn Heb “rises up and builds.”
7 tc The LXX omits “Jericho.” It is probably a scribal addition.
8 tn The Hebrew phrase אָרוּר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (’arur lifney yÿhvah, “cursed [i.e., condemned] before the
9 tn Heb “With his firstborn he will lay its foundations and with his youngest he will erect its gates.” The Hebrew verb יַצִּיב (yatsiv, “he will erect”) is imperfect, not jussive, suggesting Joshua’s statement is a prediction, not an imprecation.
