All the inhabitants of the city, with every living thing that it contained, "both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass," were put to the sword. Only faithful Rahab, with her household, was spared, in fulfillment of the promise of the spies. The city itself was burned; its palaces and temples, its magnificent dwellings with all their luxurious appointments, the rich draperies and the costly garments, were given to the flames. That which could not be destroyed by fire, "the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron," was to be devoted to the service of the tabernacle. The very site of the city was accursed; Jericho was never to be rebuilt 492 as a stronghold; judgments were threatened upon anyone who should presume to restore the walls that divine power had cast down. The solemn declaration was made in the presence of all Israel, "Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it."

Israelitterne havde ikke vundet sejren i deres egen styrke. Det var Herren, der havde erobret byen, og ligesom tilfældet var med landets førstegrøde, skulle byen med alt, hvad der var i den, bringes som et offer til Gud. Det skulle indskærpes Israel, at de ikke skulle kæmpe for sig selv ved erobringen af Kanaan, men at de skulle være redskaber, som handlede i overensstemmelse med Guds vilje. De skulle ikke søge rigdom eller selvophøjelse, men have Guds, deres konges, ære i tanke. Inden byens erobring var der blevet givet denne befaling: "Byen skal lyses i band for Herren med alt, hvad der er i den." "Men I skal tage Eder vel i vare for det bandlyste, så I ikke attrår og tager noget af det bandlyste og derved bringer bandet over Israels lejr og styrter den i ulykke."