The capture of Jericho was the next step to be taken, and while Joshua was, in all probability, deeply meditating thereon, there appeared to him _a Man with his sword drawn in his hand_, who in answer to the enquiries of the Israelite leader declared himself to be the _Prince of the army of Jehovah_[147]. In deep reverence Joshua fell on his face to the ground, and was bidden to loose his shoes from off his feet, _for the place on which he stood was holy ground_. Instructions were then given him respecting the method of the city’s capture. To mark in the strongest manner the singularity of the campaign, to distinguish it from anything that had been known before, the great frontier fortress of the Jordan valley was to fall in a way above all others calculated to show that _the Lord fought for Israel_. Once a day for six days the host, preceded by the sacred Ark and seven priests each blowing a trumpet of ram’s horn, was to march in procession round the city. On the seventh day the circuit was to be made seven times, at the conclusion of which the priests were to sound a long blast with the rams’ horns. This was to be the signal for a general shout, on which Joshua was assured that the walls of Jericho would fall down flat, and the host would be enabled to advance every man straight before him into the doomed city. Once within it, the Israelites were to consider every thing save the house and family of Rahab as devoted to Jehovah. Man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep, were to be given up to wholesale destruction, and the city itself was to be burnt with fire, and all that was therein, save the vessels of gold and silver, of brass and iron, which were to be consecrated to the service of Jehovah.