Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 6:26

"And Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: with the loss of his first-born shall he lay the foundation thereof, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." — Joshua 6:26 (ASV)

Adjured - that is, put an oath on them; or, perhaps, actually caused them to take an oath themselves . The words of the oath have in the original a rhythmical character that would tend to keep them on the lips and in the memory of the people.

Builds this city - that is, rebuilds the fortifications. Jericho was immediately occupied by the Benjamites (Joshua 18:21), and the natural advantages of the situation were such that it would not likely be left desolate for long. Joshua speaks in the text as a warrior. He lays a ban on the re-erection of those lofty walls that had defied God’s host and were overthrown by God’s signal intervention. Hiel, the Bethelite, reckless of the prophecy recorded in our text, began and completed the rebuilding of the city's walls a second time. Hiel did not found a new city but only fortified an existing one.

He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born - that is, when he begins this work his eldest son shall die, and when he completes it his youngest shall die (see 1 Kings 16:34).

This chapter, when read in the light of the New Testament, has indications of a deeper meaning and significance than those that concerned only Joshua and the Jews. Just as Joshua, the leader and captain of the Jewish theocracy, is a type of Christ, so Jericho is to be understood (in agreement with all Christian expositors) as a type of the powers opposed to Christ and His cause. The times that prepare for the close of God’s present dispensation are signified by the days during which the people obeyed and waited. The number of those days—seven, the number of perfection—represents that “fullness of time,” known only to God, when His dispensation will culminate and close.

Thus, the circumstances that lead up to the fall of Jericho are an acted prophecy, as was the fall itself. This event sets forth the overthrow of all that resists the kingdom of which Christ is the head, and particularly the day of judgment, when that overthrow will be fully and finally accomplished. Paul, in describing that day, seems to borrow his imagery from this chapter (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16).