In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
During Ahab's reign, a man named Hiel from Bethel rebuilt the city of Jericho. When he laid the foundation, his oldest son Abiram died, and when he set up the city gates, his youngest son Segub died. This happened exactly as the LORD had warned through Joshua son of Nun.
This verse shows that God's warnings come true—when Hiel rebuilt Jericho despite God's ancient curse, he lost both his oldest and youngest sons just as God had predicted.
📚 Historical Context
About 500 years earlier, Joshua had declared a curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho after Israel destroyed it, saying the builder would lose his firstborn when laying the foundation and his youngest when setting up the gates (Joshua 6:26). This occurred during the wicked reign of King Ahab, when Israel had turned away from God and was worshipping foreign idols.
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