New Living Translation
Joshua 7:9
9For 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?”
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?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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?"
- 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?”
Context of Joshua 7:9
7Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side! 8Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies? 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?” 10But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 11Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things 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 let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people!
- Numbers 14:13But Moses objected. “What will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?” he asked the Lord. “They know full well the power you displayed in rescuing your people from Egypt.
- Psalms 83:4“Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”
- Psalms 124:2What if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us?
- Deuteronomy 32:26I would have annihilated them, wiping out even the memory of them.
- Psalms 106:6Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!
- Ezekiel 20:9But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Ezekiel 36:22“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.
- Joel 2:17Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’”
- John 12:28Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so 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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