Joshua 7:12
in Joshua 7This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you.
KJV
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
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This verse in Joshua 7
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBecause they were accursed - From this verse it appears that the nature of the execration or anathema was such, that those who took of the thing doomed to destruction fell immediately under the same condemnation. The inhabitants of Jericho and all that they had were accursed: therefore they and all their substance were to be destroyed. The Israelites took of the accursed thing, and therefore became accursed with it. This was certainly understood when the curse was pronounced: Every man who touches this property shall be involved in the same execration.
This site's exposition
Why have you fallen on your face
on Joshua 7:10-12
The answer lays the charge on the nation, “Israel has sinned”, followed by five verbs, each a step further from the first act. Clarke draws the mechanism from the word itself, that whatever touched the devoted thing fell under its sentence, so Israel stands condemned by contact.
This site's exposition
I will no longer be with you
The verse answers Joshua's complaint at verse 8 with his own phrase, turn their backs, and gives the cause he had not guessed. Joshua asked why Israel ran. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown sum up the reply: the crisis came from sin in the people, and God had kept faith.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
For we find that some sins are also a punishment for other sins … as in the flight of the Israelites from the face of the enemy out of the city of Ai because fear was instilled into their hearts so that they fled. And this was done to punish their sin and to punish it as it deserved to be punished, which is why the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun, "The children of Israel shall not be able to stand before their enemies." What is the meaning of "shall not be able to stand"? Why did they not use their free will to stand rather than take flight because their wills were thrown into confusion by fear? Was it not for the simple reason that God, as Master of people's wills, can in his anger instill fear into the hearts of whomsoever he pleases? Was it not of their own free choice that the enemies of the Israelites fought against God's own people when they had Joshua, son of Nun, as their leader? And yet the Scripture tells us that "it was by the will of the Lord that their hearts should be strengthened that they should fight against Israel … and should be destroyed."
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up--The answer of the divine oracle was to this effect: the crisis is owing not to unfaithfulness in Me, but sin in the people.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹ֨א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יֻכְל֜וּ | yukhlu | they are able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לָקוּם֙ | lakum | to stand | H6965 → | 628 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֹיְבֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾoyeveihem | enemies their | H341 → | 282 times |
| עֹ֗רֶף | ʾoref | a neck | H6203 → | |
| יִפְנוּ֙ | yifnu | they turn | H6437 → | 135 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾoyeveihem | enemies their | H341 → | 282 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָי֖וּ | hayu | they have become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְחֵ֑רֶם | lecherem | <into> a devoted thing | H2764 → | 38 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אוֹסִיף֙ | ʾosif | I will repeat | H3254 → | |
| לִֽהְי֣וֹת | lihyot | to be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמָּכֶ֔ם | ʾimakhem | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַשְׁמִ֛ידוּ | tashmidu | you will destroy | H8045 → | 90 times |
| הַחֵ֖רֶם | hacherem | the devoted thing[s] | H2764 → | 38 times |
| מִֽקִּרְבְּכֶֽם׃ | mikirbekhem | from midst your | H7130 → | 227 times |
וְלֹ֨אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יֻכְל֜וּthey are able
yukhluH3201 →194 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לָקוּם֙to stand
lakumH6965 →628 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אֹיְבֵיהֶ֔םenemies their
ʾoyeveihemH341 →282 times
עֹ֗רֶףa neck
ʾorefH6203 →
יִפְנוּ֙they turn
yifnuH6437 →135 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔םenemies their
ʾoyeveihemH341 →282 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הָי֖וּthey have become
hayuH1961 →3559 times
לְחֵ֑רֶם<into> a devoted thing
lecheremH2764 →38 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אוֹסִיף֙I will repeat
ʾosifH3254 →
לִֽהְי֣וֹתto be
lihyotH1961 →3559 times
עִמָּכֶ֔םwith you
ʾimakhemH5973 →1050 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תַשְׁמִ֛ידוּyou will destroy
tashmiduH8045 →90 times
הַחֵ֖רֶםthe devoted thing[s]
hacheremH2764 →38 times
מִֽקִּרְבְּכֶֽם׃from midst your
mikirbekhemH7130 →227 times
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
Isaiah 59:2But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:17–18
On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them.…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Jeremiah 5:25
Your iniquities have diverted these from you; your sins have deprived you of My bounty.
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Deuteronomy 31:17–18
Through
Joshua 6:18But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and…
it leads to
- Joshua 7:11–12
Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
- Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- Joshua 7:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Augustine of Hippo, ON GRACE AND FREE WILL 20.41; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).