God’s Word Translation
Joshua 23:7
7Don’t get mixed up with the nations left in your territory. Don’t ever mention the names of their gods or swear an oath to them. Don’t ever serve their gods or bow down to them.
Joshua 23:7 in other versions
- King James Version (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:
- New International Version (NIV)Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them,
- New King James Version (NKJV)and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them,
Context of Joshua 23:7
5The Lord your God will expel them right in front of your eyes and force them out of your way. You will take their land as the Lord your God told you. 6Now you must be very strong to keep and to do everything written in the Book of Moses’ Teachings. Don’t turn away from them. Don’t get mixed up with the nations left in your territory. Don’t ever mention the names of their gods or swear an oath to them. Don’t ever serve their gods or bow down to them. 8But you must be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been until now. 9The Lord has forced important and powerful nations out of your way. Not one person has ever been able to stand up to you.
Read all of Joshua 23Joshua 23:7 word by word
לְבִלְתִּי־בוֹא֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אִתְּכֶ֑ם וּבְשֵׁ֨ם אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֤ם לֹא־תַזְכִּ֙ירוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁבִּ֔יעוּ וְלֹ֣א תַעַבְד֔וּם וְלֹ֥א תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לָהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That ye comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- not among these nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- these that remainשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- among you; neither make mentionזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- of the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of their godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- nor cause to swearשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- neither serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
- them, nor bowשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
Cross-references for Joshua 23:7
- Joshua 23:12“But if you turn away and go along with the other nations within your ⌞borders⌟, if you intermarry with them or associate with them,
- Exodus 23:33Never let them live in your land, or they will make you sin against me and trap you into serving their gods.”
- Deuteronomy 7:2When the Lord your God gives them to you and you defeat them, destroy every one of them because they have been claimed by the Lord. Don’t make any treaties with them or show them any mercy.
- Proverbs 4:14Do not stray onto the path of wicked people. Do not walk in the way of evil people.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness?
- Ephesians 5:11Have nothing to do with the useless works that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.
- Exodus 23:13“Be careful ⌞to do⌟ everything I told you. “Never mention the names of other gods or let them be heard on your lips.
- Numbers 32:38Nebo, Baal Meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. These are the names they gave the cities they rebuilt.
- Psalms 16:4Those who quickly chase after other gods multiply their sorrows. I will not pour out their sacrificial offerings of blood or use my lips to speak their names.
- Hosea 2:17I won’t allow her to say the names of other gods called Baal. She will never again call out their names.
- Jeremiah 5:7“Why should I forgive you? Your children abandoned me. They took godless oaths. They committed adultery, even though I satisfied their needs. They traveled in crowds to the houses of prostitutes.
- Zephaniah 1:5I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the Lord while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.
Commentaries on Joshua 23:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Come not among these nations - Have no civil or social contracts with them, (see Joshua 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7You must not call on … swear by them… serve … bow down to them: These four actions show increasing involvement in worship of false gods.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-115-11. 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. But the accomplishment of the divine promise depended on their inviolable fidelity to God's law--on their keeping resolutely aloof from all familiar intercourse and intimate connections with the…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 23:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 23
- 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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