Who Knocked down the Walls of Jericho?
A funny answer to who knocked down the walls of Jericho. (By the way the walls of Jericho is a Biblical story which got knocked down by the power of God)
There was once a young lad from Co. Kerry who was known for his mischievous nature. He had a good heart but was always getting into trouble...
One day the teacher asked him a question during a history lesson. She said, "Seamus O'Reilly, would you mind telling the class who it was that knocked down the walls of Jericho please."
The lad said, "Well, it wasn't me!"
Well of course the teacher was amazed at such a ridiculous answer.
The next day she met the child's mother while out shopping and she said, "I'm rather worried about your son, because at school yesterday I asked him who knocked down the walls of Jericho and he said it wasn't him!"
To which the mother replied, "If my child said that he didn't knock that wall down, then HE DIDN'T KNOCK DO IT!!"
Well of course, the teacher was stunned.
The next day she went to visit the lads father at his home. She said to the father, "I'm very worried about your son, because at school yesterday I asked him who knocked down the walls of Jericho and he said it wasn't him!" And then I told your wife what happened and she said, "If my child said that he didn't knock that wall down, then he didn't do it."
The father thought for a moment and then said, "Well, I don't want any trouble. How much will this wall cost to fix?"
Biblical References to Walls of Jericho
Jericho is mentioned in the Jewish Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament), over 70 times. Here are some examples:
- Prior to Moses' death, God is described as showing him the Promised Land in the Book of Deuteronomy with Jericho as a point of reference: "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, even Gilead as far as Dan" (Deuteronomy 34:1). [1]
The walls of Jericho crumble as the priest blows his horn in this illustration from a 14th century Icelandic manuscript. The walls of Jericho crumble as the priest blows his horn in this illustration from a 14th century Icelandic manuscript.
- The Book of Joshua describes the famous siege of Jericho, claiming that it was circled seven times by the ancient Children of Israel until its walls came tumbling down [2], after which Joshua cursed the city: "And Joshua charged the people with an oath at that time, saying: 'Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this city, even 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).
- The Book of Jeremiah describes the end of the Judean king Zedekiah when he is captured in the area of Jericho: "But the army of the Chaldeans 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, and he gave judgment upon him." [3] (Jeremiah 39:5).
