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Jericho

Benjamin

City in Benjamin · today Jericho, West Bank

Meaning: “Possibly "place of fragrance" or "moon city"

The first city conquered by Israel under Joshua when the walls miraculously fell after the Israelites marched around it for seven days. Also the city where blind Bartimaeus was healed by Jesus.

Location

Overview

Jericho, the "city of palm trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3), lies in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea — one of the lowest and oldest cities on earth. It was the first Canaanite city Israel faced after crossing the Jordan.

The walls that fell

At God’s command, Israel marched around Jericho for seven days; on the seventh, the people shouted, the walls fell flat, and the city was taken — but Rahab, who had hidden the spies, was spared (Joshua 6:20–25).

The prophets and the spring

Jericho later housed a company of prophets. There Elijah was taken up nearby, and Elisha healed the city’s bitter spring with salt (2 Kings 2:19–22).

Jesus at Jericho

Centuries later Jesus passed through Jericho, where he healed blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46–52) and called the tax collector Zacchaeus down from a sycamore tree (Luke 19:1–10). The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho is also the setting of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).

Events Here

1400 BC

The walls of Jericho fall and the city is taken; Rahab is spared

Joshua 6:20
850 BC

Elisha heals the bitter spring of Jericho with salt

2 Kings 2:21
30 AD

Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus and calls Zacchaeus

Luke 19:5

Scripture References

59 verses
Numbers9 verses

Numbers 22:1

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

Numbers 26:3

And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

Numbers 26:63

These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Numbers 31:12

And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

Numbers 33:48

And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Numbers 33:50

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

Numbers 34:15

The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.

Numbers 35:1

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

Numbers 36:13

These are the commandments and the judgments, which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Deuteronomy3 verses

Deuteronomy 32:49

Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

Deuteronomy 34:1

And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,

Deuteronomy 34:3

And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

Joshua26 verses

Joshua 2:1

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Joshua 2:2

And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

Joshua 2:3

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

Joshua 3:16

That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

Joshua 4:13

About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Joshua 4:19

And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

Joshua 5:10

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

Joshua 5:13

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

Joshua 6:1

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

Joshua 6:2

And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

Joshua 6:25

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 6:26

And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

Joshua 7:2

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth–aven, on the east side of Beth–el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

Joshua 8:2

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

Joshua 9:3

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

Joshua 10:1

Now it came to pass, when Adoni–zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;

Joshua 10:28

And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Joshua 10:30

And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Joshua 12:9

The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth–el, one;

Joshua 13:32

These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

Joshua 16:1

And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth–el,

Joshua 16:7

And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.

Joshua 18:12

And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth–aven.

Joshua 18:21

Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth–hoglah, and the valley of Keziz,

Joshua 20:8

And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

Joshua 24:11

And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

2 Samuel1 verse

2 Samuel 10:5

When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

1 Kings1 verse

1 Kings 16:34

In his days did Hiel the Beth–elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

2 Kings5 verses

2 Kings 2:4

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

2 Kings 2:5

And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

2 Kings 2:15

And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

2 Kings 2:18

And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

2 Kings 25:5

And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

1 Chronicles2 verses

1 Chronicles 6:78

And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs,

1 Chronicles 19:5

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

2 Chronicles1 verse

2 Chronicles 28:15

And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

Ezra1 verse

Ezra 2:34

The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

Nehemiah2 verses

Nehemiah 3:2

And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.

Nehemiah 7:36

The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

Jeremiah2 verses

Jeremiah 39:5

But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

Jeremiah 52:8

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

Matthew1 verse

Matthew 20:29

And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Mark1 verse

Mark 10:46

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging.

Luke3 verses

Luke 10:30

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luke 18:35

And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:

Luke 19:1

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

Hebrews1 verse

Hebrews 11:30

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

Archaeology & History

Tell es-Sultan, the mound of ancient Jericho, has yielded some of the earliest known human settlement — including a Neolithic stone tower dating back roughly 10,000 years. Excavations by Kathleen Kenyon and others have documented repeated cycles of building and destruction. New Testament Jericho lay a short distance away, where Herod the Great built a winter palace complex.

People who appear here

Joshua10×
Eleazar3×
Rahab3×
Elisha3×
Elijah2×
Zedekiah2×
Nebuchadnezzar1×

Frequently asked about Jericho

Where is Jericho today?

Today, Jericho corresponds to Jericho, West Bank.

What does the name Jericho mean?

The name Jericho means “Possibly "place of fragrance" or "moon city"”.

What happened at Jericho in the Bible?

Key biblical events at Jericho include the walls of jericho fall and the city is taken; rahab is spared; elisha heals the bitter spring of jericho with salt; jesus heals blind bartimaeus and calls zacchaeus.

Where is Jericho first mentioned in the Bible?

Jericho is first mentioned in Numbers 22:1.

How often is Jericho mentioned in the Bible?

Jericho is mentioned in 59 verses across 15 books: Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Hebrews.

What happened at Jericho in the Bible?

Israel captured it when its walls collapsed after marching around the city (Joshua 6); Rahab was spared; Elisha healed its spring; and Jesus healed Bartimaeus and met Zacchaeus there.

Where is Jericho today?

Jericho is a city in the West Bank near the Jordan River, just north of the Dead Sea, beside the ancient mound of Tell es-Sultan.