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‘And the Walls Came Tumbling Down’ – The History and Historicity of the Biblical Account of Jericho

Khalid Elhassan May 16, 2025 16 min

Jericho - Depiction of the Old Testament's description of Jericho's walls miraculously falling down — Depiction of the Old Testament's description of Jericho's walls miraculously falling down. Pinterest

9. The Historicity of the Biblical Account of Jericho’s Fall

Dwelling foundations unearthed at Tell es-Sultan, site of ancient Jericho. Wikimedia

From a historical and archaeological perspective, Jericho’s story has generated much debate. Archaeologists have excavated the site of ancient Jericho, and some findings showed a significant destruction event, including collapsed walls and burned debris. However, scholars disagree on whether this event corresponds with the biblical timeline of the Israelite conquest, often dated around 1400 BC or 1200 BC depending on different chronological interpretations.

Archaeological evidence shows that Jericho was uninhabited when the Bible says the conquest occurred, but some scholars still argue in support of a conquest scenario. Despite the debates, the theological and literary impact of the fall of Jericho remains profound. It represents the start of the Israelites’ military campaign in Canaan, and serves as a model for the kind of faith and obedience God expected from them.

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.