Joshua 23:7
in Joshua 23So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves unto them;
KJV
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
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This verse in Joshua 23
Commentary
9 notes on this verseLearning literature is allowable for believers, rather than teaching; for the principle of learning and of teaching is different. If a believer teaches literature, while he is teaching doubtless he commends, while he delivers he affirms, while he recalls he bears testimony to, the praises of idols interspersed therein. He seals the gods themselves with this name [of gods]; whereas the Law, as we have said, prohibits "the names of gods to be pronounced," and this name [of God] to be conferred on vanity. Hence the devil gets men's early faith built up from the beginnings of their erudition.
This site's exposition
Be very strong
on Joshua 23:6-8
The charge given Joshua at 1:7 now goes to the whole nation, and the courage asked is courage to keep a book. Verse 7 forbids even invoking their gods' names, as Exodus 23:13 does. The Hebrew verb behind "hold fast" in verse 8 turns against the nations at verse 12.
This site's exposition
swear by them
Deuteronomy 6:13 reserves the oath for the LORD alone: fear Him, serve Him, and take your oaths in His name. An oath calls a god to witness. Jeremiah 12:16 later names the neighbouring nations as the ones who taught Israel to swear by Baal.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
It is to be observed, however, that he does not expressly mention either bending of the knee, or sacrifices, or other rites, but designates all perverse modes of worship by the terms naming them and swearing by them. Whence we infer that God is defrauded of his honor when ever any particle, however small, of all the things which he claims for himself is transferred to idols.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Here is an observable gradation, whereby he shews what notable progress sin usually makes, and what need there is to look to the beginnings of it, forasmuch as a civil and common conversation with their persons was likely to bring them, and indeed did actually bring them, by insensible steps, to the worship of their gods.
That ye come not among these nations, those that remain among you,....
It is a pity that among Christians the names of the heathen gods are so commonly used, and made so familiar as they are, especially in plays and poems: let those names which have been set up in rivalship with God be for ever loathed and lost. [3.] They must not countenance others in showing respect to them.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Come not among these nations - Have no civil or social contracts with them, (see Jos 23:12), as these will infallibly lead to spiritual affinities, in consequence of which ye will make honorable mention of the name of their gods, swear by them as the judges of your motives and actions, serve them in their abominable rites, and bow yourselves unto them as your creators and preservers; thus giving the whole worship of God to idols: and all this will follow from simply coming among them.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, as the Lord your God hath promised you, &c.--The actual possessions which God had given were a pledge of the complete fulfilment of His promise in giving them the parts of the country still unconquered.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְבִלְתִּי־ | levilti- | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| בוֹא֙ | vo' | to go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם | bagoyim | among the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים | hanisharim | which remain | H7604 → | 133 times |
| הָאֵ֖לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| אִתְּכֶ֑ם | ʾitekhem | with you | H854 → | 929 times |
| וּבְשֵׁ֨ם | uveshem | and <in> [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֤ם | ʾeloheihem | gods their | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַזְכִּ֙ירוּ֙ | tazkiru | you must bring to remembrance | H2142 → | |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַשְׁבִּ֔יעוּ | tashbiu | you must cause to swear | H7650 → | 186 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַעַבְד֔וּם | taavdum | you must serve them | H5647 → | 288 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ | tishtachavu | you must bow down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ | lahem | to <the> them |
לְבִלְתִּי־to not
levilti-H1115 →112 times
בוֹא֙to go
vo'H935 →2568 times
בַּגּוֹיִ֣םamong the nations
bagoyimH1471 →561 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥יםwhich remain
hanisharimH7604 →133 times
הָאֵ֖לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
אִתְּכֶ֑םwith you
ʾitekhemH854 →929 times
וּבְשֵׁ֨םand <in> [the] name of
uveshemH8034 →864 times
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֤םgods their
ʾeloheihemH430 →2601 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תַזְכִּ֙ירוּ֙you must bring to remembrance
tazkiruH2142 →
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תַשְׁבִּ֔יעוּyou must cause to swear
tashbiuH7650 →186 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תַעַבְד֔וּםyou must serve them
taavdumH5647 →288 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּyou must bow down
tishtachavuH7812 →172 times
לָהֶֽם׃to <the> them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 16:4Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood, or speak their names with my lips.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:13
Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.
- Psalms 32:10
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.
- Psalms 97:7
All worshipers of images are put to shame— those who boast in idols. Worship Him, all you gods!
- Jonah 2:8
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.
- Exodus 23:13
Through
Exodus 23:13Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.
it leads to
- Zechariah 13:2
And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and…
- Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as…
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- Hosea 2:17
For I will remove from her lips the names of the Baals; no longer will their names be invoked.
- Zechariah 13:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, ON IDOLATRY 10.