Joshua 6: 26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.
“At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”
27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.
Joshua had taken over for Moses, leading the people across(through) the Jordan River and to the first stronghold in Canaan: Jericho. It was the first test of faith for the people: "Would they listen to the somewhat unique plan God had for taking the city?" They did, and God brought them an easy victory, as the walls came tumbling down, the city totally destroyed and all the inhabitants removed. After the dust settled, Joshua makes the interesting statement above. Why would Joshua put a curse on rebuilding it? It was symbolic of opposition to God's plan. The ruins would be a constant reminder of that. This curse also sets the tone for God's response to the rebellion described in the next chapter. This curse was enacted 500 years later when a man did try to be rebuild and lost his two sons. Though Jericho is mentioned in Jesus' day, it was not a fortified city like it had been. It was to be a memorial of stones just like those the people left in the Jordan River. The principle is this: Don't try to stand in the way of God's plan.
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