English Standard Version
Joshua 7:9
9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?"
Joshua 7:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
- New International Version (NIV)The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”
Context of Joshua 7:9
7And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?" 10The Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:9 word by word
וְיִשְׁמְע֣וּ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י וְכֹל֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וְנָסַ֣בּוּ עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְהִכְרִ֥יתוּ אֶת־שְׁמֵ֖נוּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמַֽה־תַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה לְשִׁמְךָ֥ הַגָּדֽוֹל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the Canaanitesכְּנַעֲנִיkena‛anîy · CanaaniteH3669
- and all the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- shall hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- and shall environ us roundסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
- and cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
- our nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- and what wilt thou doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- unto thy greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for Joshua 7:9
- Exodus 32:12Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.
- Numbers 14:13But Moses said to the Lord, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them,
- Psalms 83:4They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!"
- Psalms 124:2if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us,
- Deuteronomy 32:26I would have said, "I will cut them to pieces; I will wipe them from human memory,"
- Psalms 106:6Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
- Ezekiel 20:9But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
- Ezekiel 36:22"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.
- Joel 2:17Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"
- John 12:28Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
Commentaries on Joshua 7:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9What wilt thou do unto thy great name? - i. e. “after the Canaanites have cut off our name what will become of Thy Name?” This bold expostulation, that of one wrestling in sore need with God in prayer, like the similar appeals of Moses in earlier emergencies (Compare the marginal references), is based upon God‘s past promises and mercies. What would be said of (God by the pagan if now He permitted Israel to be destroyed?Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 Joshua's concern for the honour of God, more than even for the fate of Israel, was the language of the Spirit of adoption. He pleaded with God. He laments their defeat, as he feared it would reflect on God's wisdom and power, his goodness and faithfulness. We cannot at any time urge a better plea than this, Lord, what wilt thou do for thy great name? Let God be glorified in all, and then welcome his whole will.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Joshua’s fears were realistic. All of Canaan had believed that Israel could not be defeated. However, because the small town of Ai defeated Israel, the Canaanites might think this could happen again. If God allowed the wicked to destroy his people completely, the nations would no longer have a witness. They would not see that God continues to be involved with his world. Your great name: Compare Exodus 32:11–12; Numbers 14:13–19.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-96-9. Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth ... before the ark ... he and the elders--It is evident, from those tokens of humiliation and sorrow, that a solemn fast was observed on this occasion. The language of Joshua's prayer is thought by many to savor of human infirmity and to be wanting in that reverence and submission he owed to God. But, although apparently breathing a spirit of bold remonstrance and complaint, it was in reality the…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 7:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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