Joshua 7:12

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies , but turned their backs before their enemies , because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more , except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Joshua 7:12 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 7:12

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies
Being forsaken of God for the sin committed among them:

[but] turned [their] backs before their enemies:
had not courage to face them, but fled as soon as they appeared:

because they were accursed;
of God for the accursed thing that had been taken, as was threatened would be their case, should they take any of it; ( Joshua 6:18 ) ;

neither will I be with you any more, until ye take away the accursed
thing from among you;
that is, until they had put to death the person who had taken of the accursed thing, and made himself thereby accursed, and even all the camp of Israel; till this was done, the Lord would not be with them to protect and defend them, and give them success against their enemies.

Joshua 7:12 In-Context

10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up ; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned , and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen , and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies , but turned their backs before their enemies , because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more , except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

13 Up , sanctify the people, and say , Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies , until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.