God’s Word Translation
Joshua 7:7
7Joshua said, “Almighty Lord, why did you bring these people across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites so that they could destroy us? I wish we had been content to live on the other side of the Jordan!
Joshua 7:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
- New International Version (NIV)And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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!
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!
Context of Joshua 7:7
5The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the city gate to the slope of the stone quarries. Israel’s troops lost heart and were scared stiff. 6Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes in grief. They put dust on their heads and bowed down to the ground in front of the Lord’s ark. They stayed there until evening. Joshua said, “Almighty Lord, why did you bring these people across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites so that they could destroy us? I wish we had been content to live on the other side of the Jordan! 8Lord, what else can I say after Israel ran away from its enemy? 9When the Canaanites and everyone who lives in the land hears about it, they will surround us and remove every memory of us from the earth. What will you do then so that your great name ⌞will be remembered⌟?”
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ אֲהָ֣הּ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה לָ֠מָה הֵעֲבַ֨רְתָּ הַעֲבִ֜יר אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַאֲבִידֵ֑נוּ וְלוּ֙ הוֹאַ֣לְנוּ וַנֵּ֔שֶׁב בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Alas, Oאֲהָהּ'ăhâhh · alas!H162
- Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- wherefore hast thou at allעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
- to deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- us into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Amoritesאֱמֹרִי'ĕmôrîy · AmoriteH567
- to destroyאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
- us? would to Godלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
- we had been contentיָאַלyâ'al · be willingH2974
- and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- on the other sideעֵ֫בֶר‛êber · side: beyondH5676
Cross-references for Joshua 7:7
- Exodus 5:22Moses went back to the Lord and asked, “Why have you brought this trouble on your people? Why did you send me?
- Numbers 14:3Why is the Lord bringing us to this land—just to have us die in battle? Our wives and children will be taken as prisoners of war! Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
- 2 Kings 3:10The king of Israel said, “Oh no! The Lord has put the three of us at the mercy of ⌞the people of⌟ Moab.”
- Psalms 116:11I also said when I was panic-stricken, “Everyone is undependable.”
- Jeremiah 12:1O Lord, even if I would argue my case with you, you would always be right. Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice. Why do wicked people succeed? Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet?
- Hebrews 12:5You have forgotten the encouraging words that God speaks to you as his children: “My child, pay attention when the Lord disciplines you. Don’t give up when he corrects you.
- Exodus 14:11They said to Moses, “Did you bring us out into the desert to die because there were no graves in Egypt? Look what you’ve done by bringing us out of Egypt!
- Exodus 17:3But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses and asked, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?”
- Numbers 20:4Did you bring the Lord’s assembly into this desert just to have us and our animals die here?
- Matthew 17:17Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and corrupt generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!”
- Matthew 8:17So what the prophet Isaiah had said came true: “He took away our weaknesses and removed our diseases.”
- Exodus 16:3The Israelites said to them, “If only the Lord had let us die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!”
- Joshua 1:2“My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people must cross the Jordan River into the land that I am going to give the people of Israel.
Commentaries on Joshua 7:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Alas, O Lord God - Particles of exclamations and distress, or what are called interjections, are nearly the same in all languages: and the reason is because they are the simple voice of nature. The Hebrew word which we translate alas is אהה ahah . The complaint of Joshua in this and the following verses seems principally to have arisen from his deep concern for the glory of God, and the affecting interest he took in behalf of the people: he felt for the…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. 7Joshua spoke to God in anger. This helps explain the sharp tone of God’s reply (7:10–15). The battle was lost because of Achan’s sin. However, Joshua and Israel’s elders had also failed to ask God for guidance (7:3). Joshua did not truly believe that Israel should have stayed on the other side of the Jordan River. Instead, he used hyperbole (strong exaggeration) to show that he did not know what to do next.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 7:7
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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