Joshua placed a curse on the site because Jericho was the first Canaanite city to resist God’s plan to bring Israel into the land. It was also the first city to experience God’s judgment on the great wickedness of Canaan. As the firstfruits of Israel’s conquest, Jericho belonged to God (Exodus 13:2; 23:19). God later carried out Joshua’s curse on the first person who tried to rebuild the city (1 Kings 16:34; compare Joshua 7).