The Battle of Jericho is a great story... and a horrifying one. Why would God want children to be slaughtered? The answer is that He didn't, but did have spiritual lessons to teach us.

First, it's important to be reminded that all places in the land of Canaan signified celestial and spiritual things about the church. These significations were present from the most ancient times.

The sons of Israel were to represent the church. The Word - the Old Testament - was written and preserved by them. In it, the places that are mentioned signify things about heaven and the church

Right before coming to Jericho, the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River - crossing on dry land as the waters divided for them. The Jordan symbolizes our introduction into the church.

The city of Jericho, near the river, signifies instruction in the knowledges of good and truth. That kind of instruction introduces people into the church. Extending that, "Jericho" also stood for the good of life, because there has to be some initial good - some wanting to learn - before one can be instructed.

However, at the time, idolatrous nations lived in the land of Canaan, which changes the signification of the places and cities in that land into the opposite, i.e. with Jericho then signifying the profanation of truth and good.

The Writings tell us that the "city" signified the doctrine of falsity and evil, which perverted and profaned the truths and goods of the church, and its "wall" signified falsities of evil defending that doctrine. In the story, the "inhabitants" represent those who are profane.

What does profane mean in this context? Profaneness is what happens when - after an initial acknowledgment of truth and good, a person's evil loves corrupt that good and truth. In the story, Jericho was burned with fire, its wall fell down, and its people were cursed. ("Fire" here signifies infernal love, "curse" a total blotting out, and "the falling down of the wall" exposure to every evil and falsity.)

The Children of Israel marched around the city once a day for 6 days, and on the 7th day, marched around it 7 times. At the Lord's commandment, they then sounded their trumpets, and shouted, and the walls fell.

Compassing the city, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, signified a survey of falsity and evil and their dispersion by the influx of Divine truth from the Lord.

The sounding of the trumpets by the priests signified the proclamation of Divine truth from Divine good. The shouting of the people signified consent and confirmation of the truth.

The number seven means holiness. There were 7 priests, 7 trumpets, 7 days, and 7 circuits of the city. They signify the proclamation of Divine truth.

The gold, the silver, and the vessels of brass and iron, were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. The "gold and silver" represent the knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and "the vessels of brass and iron" knowledges of natural truth and good.

In the profane hands of the idolaters of Jericho, the knowledges were profaned, becoming tools to serve direful falsities and evils. In the house of Jehovah, they could be serviceable knowledges, applied to good ends - hence their being salvaged.

2336. That 'the street' means truth becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in John where the New Jerusalem is referred to,

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:21.

[2] 'The New Jerusalem' is the Lord's kingdom which because it is being described as regards good and truth is described by walls, gates, and streets. By the last of these -'the streets' - are meant all avenues of truth which lead to good, that is, all those of faith which lead to love and charity. And because truths in this way become part of good, and so are made transparent from good, it is said that 'the street was pure gold, like transparent glass'. In the same book,

Out of the middle of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits. Revelation 22:2.

This also refers to the New Jerusalem or the Lord's kingdom. 'The middle of the street' is the truth of faith, by means of which good comes and which after that stems from good. 'The twelve fruits' are those called the fruits of faith, for 'twelve' means all things of faith, as shown in 577, 2089, 2129, 2130.

[3] In Daniel,

Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Leader, there will be seven weeks - and sixty-two weeks; and it will be restored and built with street and moat. Daniel 9:25.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord, 'it will be restored with street and moat' meaning that there will be truth and good at that time. The fact that Jerusalem was not restored and built at that time is well known; and that it is not to be restored and built anew anyone may also know provided he does not fix his ideas on a worldly kingdom but on a heavenly kingdom meant in the internal sense by Jerusalem.

[4] In Luke,

The householder said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Luke 14:21.

People who confine themselves to the sense of the letter gain nothing more from this verse than the idea that the servant was to go everywhere, and that this is what is meant by 'streets and lanes', and that he was to fetch in everybody, and that this is what is meant by 'the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind'. But each and all of these words, being the Lord's, embody arcana within them. The command that he should go out into the streets and lanes means that he was to search everywhere for some genuine truth, that is, for truth which shines out of good, or through which good shines. The command that he should bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, means that such people were to be brought in as had in the Ancient Church been called the poor, maimed, lame, or blind - that is, he was to bring in those who were such as regards faith but who had led good lives, and who for this reason ought to be taught about the Lord's kingdom - thus to bring in gentiles who were as yet uninformed.

[5] Because 'streets' meant truths it was a representative custom among the Jews to teach in the streets, as is evident from Matthew 6:2, 5, and Luke 13:26-27. Wherever 'streets' are mentioned in the Prophets they mean in the internal sense either truths or things contrary to truths, as in Isaiah,

Judgement is cast away backwards, and justice stands afar off, for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot come in. Isaiah 59:14.

In the same prophet,

Your sons fainted and lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:20.

In Jeremiah,

Death has come up into our windows, it has entered our palaces, cutting off the small child from the street and the young men from the lanes. Jeremiah 9:21.

[6] In Ezekiel,

By means of the hoofs of his horses Nebuchadnezzar will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:11.

This refers to Tyre, which means cognitions of truth, 1201. 'The hoofs of the horses' are facts which pervert the truth. In Nahum,

In the streets the chariots rage; they rush about in the lanes. Nahum 2:4.

'Chariots' stands for the doctrine of truth, which is said 'to rage in the streets' when falsity has replaced truth. In Zechariah,

Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the streets. Zechariah 8:4-5.

This refers to affections for truth, and consequent forms of joy and gladness. There are other places besides these, such as Isaiah 24:11; Jeremiah 5:1; 7:34; 49:26; Lamentations 2:11, 19; 4:8, 14; Zephaniah 3:6.