Charles Ellicott 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)

Cursed be the man ... that ... builds this city Jericho. —As the marginal reference indicates, the curse of Joshua was not incurred until Hiel the Bethelite built the city in the reign of Ahab. However, the “city of palm-trees,” which is (somewhat doubtfully) identified with Jericho, was occupied by the Moabites under Eglon not very long after the time of Joshua (Judges 3:13 and following). This location also seems to have been Eglon’s residence, where he was slain by Ehud.

The curse, fulfilled upon Hiel and his family, appears to have been finally removed by the intercession of Elisha (2 Kings 2:18–22), at the request of the inhabitants.