Joshua 7:9

9 "¹For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?"

Joshua 7:9 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 7:9

For the Canaanites
Those that dwell on the east and on the west of the land, see ( Joshua 11:3 ) ; who were one of the seven nations:

and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it];
of this defeat; not only the Amorites, among whom they now were, and the Canaanites before mentioned, but the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites;

and shall environ us round;
come with all their forces from all parts of the land, and surround us, so that there will be no escaping for us:

and cut off our name from the earth;
utterly destroy us, that we shall be no more a nation and people, and the name of an Israelite no more be heard of, see ( Psalms 83:4 ) ;

and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
this, though mentioned last, was uppermost in the heart of Joshua, and was reserved by him as his strongest argument with God to appear for them and save them; since his own glory, the glory of his perfections, his wisdom, goodness, power, truth, and faithfulness, was so much concerned in their salvation.

Joshua 7:9 In-Context

7 Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!

8 "O Lord , what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?

9 "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?"

10 So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?

11 "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 32:12; Deuteronomy 9:28