Because of the way in which the story is told (see Revised Standard Version), it may appear that after the priests blew their trumpets, at the finish of the seventh march around the city (verse 16), Joshua gave the people their instructions (verses 16b-19); then the people shouted, the priests blew their trumpets, the people shouted again, and the walls fell in (verse 20). But it seems better to understand the text as New English Bible, Good News Translation have done: just before the priests blew their trumpets, Joshua gave his order; the trumpets were blown, the people shouted, and the walls fell in.A translator of the Hebrew text detects the various doublets, repetitions, and additions which are preserved in the final form of the text, and he/she is forced to decide whether or not to smooth out the text or to translate it as it is, warts and all.

The seventh time around (Hebrew “And it happened on the seventh time”) is difficult, because it contains a hidden subject and predicate. The phrase may need to be translated, “When they had gone around the city seven times….” If this shift is made, then the sentence may continue: “…, the priests got ready to blow their trumpets. So Joshua said to his men, ‘Shout! the LORD has given you the city!’ ” It may be preferable to translate the pronoun you as “us” (inclusive form), so as to indicate that Joshua and the other Israelites were also to share in the victory.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .