When I read the story of the fall of the walls of Jericho I have a number of questions that run through my mind. Now I do believe that it happened exactly as Scripture tells us but here are my questions.
Did everyone march or just the soldiers or some of the soldiers? If it was only the soldiers and they marched ten abreast the line still might have been 30 km long. Certainly some of the soldiers would have been finished before others even started.
Did they march on the Sabbath? I certainly believe that they did. Did they start on the Sabbath, end on the Sabbath? The distance they marched would have been more than a Sabbath Day's journey (which seems to be a New Testament Rabbinical restriction). Some people try to explain the Sabbath by talking about the lunar Sabbaths. However, in my mind I am sure that they marched on the Sabbath, after all the Lord commanded it and He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Did they doubt the wisdom of Joshua and his unorthodox military strategy?
How long was the march? Some estimate that the circumference of Jericho was less than a kilometre so if the distance was about 1 kilometre I am sure that they took at least 2 hours to march around Jericho on the seventh day.
I have questions but I know that they did it and that God honoured their faith.
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The Book of Jasher chapter 88 recounts the history of Israel and Jericho.
14 And it was in the second month, on the first day of the month, that the Lord said to Joshua, Rise up, I have given Jericho into your hand with all of its people; and all your fighting men shall go round the city, once each day, in this manner shall you do for six days.
15 And the priests shall blow upon trumpets, and when you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall give a great shouting, that the walls of the city shall fall down; all the people shall go up every man against his opponent.
16 And Joshua did so according to all that the Lord had commanded him.
17 And on the seventh day they went round the city seven times, and the priests blew upon trumpets.
18 And at the seventh round, Joshua said to the people, Shout, for the Lord has delivered the whole city into our hands.
First day of the month of Lyar is a New Moon day. So if you add six work days, day seven was the day before the Sabbath on day 8 of the month.
A Lunar/Solar calendar was given to Israel and the Julian calendar did not come into effect until 46 BC.
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