Revised Literal Translation
Joshua 7:6
6And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Yhwh until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
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 there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Yhwh until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 7And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord Yhwh, 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! 8O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 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
- And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- his clothesשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
- and fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
- to the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- upon his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- until the eventideעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- he and the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and putעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
- dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- upon their headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
Cross-references for Joshua 7:6
- Genesis 37:29And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
- Numbers 14:6And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
- 2 Samuel 13:31Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
- Ezra 9:3And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
- Esther 4:1When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- Job 1:20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
- Acts 14:14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
- Numbers 16:22And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
- 2 Samuel 12:16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
- Judges 20:23(And the children of Israel went up and wept before Yhwh until even, and asked counsel of Yhwh, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Yhwh said, Go up against him.)
- Judges 21:2And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
- 2 Samuel 1:12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yhwh, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
- 1 Samuel 4:12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
- 2 Samuel 13:19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
- Nehemiah 9:1Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
- Job 2:12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries