Joshua 7:6

Joshua 7:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

Context of Joshua 7:6

4So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the hearts of the people melted and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7And Joshua said, “Oh, Lord God! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing to live beyond the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?

Joshua 7:6 word by word

וַיִּקְרַ֨ע יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ שִׂמְלֹתָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֩ עַל־פָּנָ֨יו אַ֜רְצָה לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֤וֹן יְהוָה֙ עַד־הָעֶ֔רֶב ה֖וּא וְזִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ עָפָ֖ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

• Then Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• toreקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
• his clothesשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
• and fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• to the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• on his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
• he and the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• they putעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• on their headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for Joshua 7:6

• Genesis 37:29Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.
• Numbers 14:6And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;
• 2 Samuel 13:31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.
• Ezra 9:3When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.
• Esther 4:1When Mordecai learned of everything that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.
• Job 1:20Then Job got up, tore his robe, and shaved his head; then he fell to the ground and worshiped.
• Acts 14:14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out
• Numbers 16:22But they fell on their faces and said, “God, the God of the spirits of humanity, when one person sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”
• 2 Samuel 12:16David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.
• Judges 20:23And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall we again advance for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”
• Judges 21:2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and raised their voices and wept profusely.
• 2 Samuel 1:12And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
• 1 Samuel 4:12Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn, and dust on his head.
• 2 Samuel 13:19Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went on her way, crying out as she went.
• Nehemiah 9:1Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.
• Job 2:12When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

Commentaries on Joshua 7:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Joshua rent his clothes, etc. - It was not in consequence of this slight discomfiture, simply considered in itself, that Joshua laid this business so much to heart; but Because the people melted, and became as water, and there was little hope that they would make any stand against the enemy; and Because this defeat evidently showed that God had turned his hand against them. Had it not been so, their enemies could not have prevailed. Put dust upon their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6On these signs of mourning, compare the marginal references and Leviticus 10:6; Numbers 20:6; 1 Samuel 4:12.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. 6Israel’s leaders tore their clothing and threw dust on their heads, common public gestures of grief or despair in the ancient Near East. By falling face down before the ark of the LORD, Joshua finally admitted that Israel needed God's guidance in the battle against Ai.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 7:6

• Ark
• Dust
• Government
• Mourning
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Joshua
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Dust
• Folly
• Hide
• Tell
• Wedge
• Achan

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