At the beginning of the thirteenth century B.C. the Israelites invaded Palestine after their exodus from Egypt and several years in Sinai and in the region of the northern Arabian Peninsula. They started by attacking Trans jordan where they crossed the Jordan River Valley on foot coming from the hills of Moab on the ( East Bank ). They pitched a camp at Abel Shetem whence they moved on Palestine under the command of Joshua. Jericho was among the Palestinian cities which fell into their hands after making for them from their camps which they had erected from clay and palm branches, forty years after their exodus from Egypt. Priests bore the Arc of the Covenant and compassed the city with it, headed by the seven priests, the trumpet-bearers, walking and blowing the trumpets with those who were armed walking behind the Arc of the Covenant and blowing their trumpets, and so they did once daily for six days. On the seventh day the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, " Shout, for the lord hath given you the city. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent Yoshah son of Nun Moses' boy and Calob son of Yofnah - and it is said Kilab son of Yofnah, Moses' nephew.