Cowardice

How Nave’s arranged it

• General scriptures concerningLeviticus 26:36Leviticus 26:37Deuteronomy 20:8Deuteronomy 32:30Joshua 7:5Joshua 23:10Judges 7:3Job 15:24Job 18:11Proverbs 28:1Proverbs 29:25Isaiah 51:12Isaiah 51:13Galatians 6:122 Timothy 4:16
• See Courage
• INSTANCES OF
• Adam, in attempting to shift responsibility for his sin upon EveGenesis 3:12
• Abraham, in calling his wife his sisterGenesis 12:11–19Genesis 20:2–12
• Isaac, in calling his wife his sisterGenesis 26:7–9
• Jacob, in flying from LabanGenesis 31:31
• Aaron, in yielding to the Israelites, when they demanded an idolExodus 32:22–24
• The ten spiesNumbers 13:28Numbers 13:31–33
• The Israelites
• In fearing to attempt the conquest of CanaanNumbers 14:1–5Deuteronomy 1:26–28
• In the battle with the people of AiJoshua 7:5

The passages, in Bible order (59)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 3:12

   And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 3:121 voice

   “And the man said, etc. - We have here some farther proofs of the fallen state of man, and that the consequences of that state extend to his remotest posterity. 1. On the question, Hast thou eaten of the tree? Adam is obliged to acknowledge his transgression; but he does this in such a way as to shift off the blame from himself, and lay it upon God and upon the woman!

   Everything gathered on Genesis 3:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 12:11–19

   As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,

   ›Commentary on Genesis 12:11–192 voices

   “There came a famine, and so he went to Egypt. He knew that in Egypt the dissipation of youth was widespread, characterized by lust, impudent desires and unrestrained passions. He understood that among such men the modesty of his wife would be defenseless and that her beauty would be a danger for him. So he told his wife to say that she was his sister. By this we are taught that it is not so much beauty that one should seek in a wife, for this often leads to the death of the husband.

   “Thou art a fair woman to look upon - Widely differing in her complexion from the swarthy Egyptians, and consequently more likely to be coveted by them. It appears that Abram supposed they would not scruple to take away the life of the husband in order to have the undisturbed possession of the wife. The age of Sarai at this time is not well agreed on by commentators, some making her ninety, while others make her only sixty-five.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 12:11–19→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 20:2–12

   Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 20:2–122 voices

   “His conduct was highly culpable. It was deceit, deliberate and premeditated--there was no sudden pressure upon him--it was the second offense of the kind [see on Ge 12:13] --it was a distrust of God every way surprising, and it was calculated to produce injurious effects on the heathen around.

   “And Abraham said of Sarah his wife. In this history, the Holy Spirit presents to us a remarkable instance, both of the infirmity of man, and of the grace of God. It is a common proverb, that even fools become wise by suffering evil.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 20:2–12→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 26:7–9

   But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 26:7–91 voice

   “He said, She is my sister - It is very strange that in the same place, and in similar circumstances, Isaac should have denied his wife, precisely as his father had done before him! It is natural to ask, Did Abraham never mention this circumstance to his son? Probably be did not, as he was justly ashamed of his weakness on the occasion - the only blot in his character; the son, therefore, not being forewarned, was not armed against the temptation.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 26:7–9→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 31:31

   “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Exodus 32:22–24

   “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Leviticus 26:36

   As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Leviticus 26:37

   They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies.

   ›Commentary on Leviticus 26:371 voice

   “And they shall fall one upon another,.... In their hurry and confusion, everyone making all the haste he can to escape the imaginary danger; or "a man upon his brother" (z); his friend, as Aben Ezra interprets it, having no regard to relation and friendship, every one endeavouring to save himself.

   Everything gathered on Leviticus 26:37→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Numbers 13:28

   Nevertheless, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We even saw the descendants of Anak there.

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Numbers 13:31–33

    But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”

    ›Commentary on Numbers 13:31–331 voice

    “Were not the hosts of Israel very numerous? 600,000 effective men, well marshalled and modelled, closely embodied, and entirely united in interest and affection, constituted as formidable an army as perhaps was ever brought into the field; many a less has done more than perhaps the conquering of Canaan was, witness Alexander's army.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 13:31–33→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Numbers 14:1–5

    Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept.

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Deuteronomy 1:26–28

    But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God.

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Deuteronomy 20:8

    Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 20:81 voice

    “What man is there that is fearful and faint - hearted? - The original רך rach, signifies tender or soft-hearted. And a soft heart the man must have who, in such a contest, after such a permission, could turn his back upon his enemies and his brethren. However, such were the troops commanded by Gideon in his war against the Midianites; for after he gave this permission, out of 32,000 men only 10,000 remained to fight! Jdg 7:

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 20:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Deuteronomy 32:30

    How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Joshua 2:11

    When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

    ›Commentary on Joshua 2:111 voice

    “The Lord your God, he is God - From the rumour of God’s miraculous interpositions Rahab believed, and makes the self-same confession to which Moses endeavors to bring Israel by rehearsing similar arguments Deu 4:39. Rahab had only heard of what Israel had experienced. Her faith then was ready. It is noteworthy, too, that the same reports which work faith and conversion in the harlot, cause only terror and astonishment among her countrymen. (Compare Luk 8:37-39.)

    Everything gathered on Joshua 2:11→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Joshua 5:1

    Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.

    ›Commentary on Joshua 5:11 voice

    “The Amorites were the principal of those nations which occupied the hill country of Judaea (Gen 10:16 note); the Canaanites of those that dwelt on the coast and low lands. These words are therefore equivalent to “all the kings of the highlanders, and all the kings of the lowlanders:” i. e. the kings of all the tribes of the country. Until we were passed over - The use of the first person has been noted here, and in Jos 5:6 (compare Act 16:10), as suggesting the hand of one who himself shared in what he describes.

    Everything gathered on Joshua 5:1→

    Verse page →Original language →