Nisan 27 – Jericho – Day 6 – Today in the Bible

Nisan 27 – Jericho – Day 6

April 25, 2025

Nisan 27, 5785; from sunset April 24, 2025, to sunset April 25, 2025

(The twenty-seventh day of the first month)

This is the name Yehoshua (Joshua); Joshua means “The LORD Saves.” The top image was written ~2,000 years ago and was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The bottom image was written ~1,000 years ago and is from the Aleppo Codex (the Crown of Aleppo). The top image was written on a scroll, possibly in Qumran, near the Dead Sea. The bottom is in a bound manuscript, written in Tiberias, near the Sea of Galilee, which later made its way to Aleppo (Syria). The Aleppo Codex is now housed in the Shrine of the Book alongside the Dead Sea Scrolls.

We’re continuing our remembrance of Joshua and the nation of Israel as they perform their daily march around the city of Jericho.

…the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 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…they marched around the city once and returned to the camp… – Joshua 6:12-14 (NIB)

Yesterday we explored the meaning of the name Jericho. Today, we’ll throw out our assumption of the origin of the name Jericho. We like to think that the name of Jericho is connected with the moon god Yarikh. If so, it would make a nice bookend to Israel’s wilderness years. On the one end, you have Egypt and the plagues – one could argue that the plagues were targeted towards various Egyptian gods – revealing them as powerless and non-existent. The plagues would also serve to prove the strength and authenticity of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This was as necessary for Israel to see as it was for the Egyptians. With Jericho’s connection to the moon god Yarikh – that same God is reminding Israel, “I am still your God. I am still true, strong, and authentic. I will overpower any supposed “god” you may encounter in this Land.”

That said, tomorrow the protective walls of Jericho will come tumbling down. On the 28th day of the month. The biblical month is based upon the cycle of the moon. If you remember, the first day of the month is the day when the first visible crescent of the moon is visible to the human eye. That means the 28th day of the month is when the moon is barely visible, if at all, before it is completely hidden from view. The 28th day of the 29 ½ day lunar cycle is the traditional date for Israel overcoming the protective walls of Jericho. By this day, the moon is past its full glory. It has lost its strength and is waning away. Could God’s choice of Jericho as the first target in the Promised Land be because of the god Yarikh? What a statement that would make to the people. Yarikh? Where is his strength? There is no Yarikh. Ani ADONAI Eloheicha….I AM the LORD your God!

To read all of our posts about Joshua, please click on the image above.