Joshua 23:15

But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses the tribes of Israel near the end of his life, standing before them as he prepares to die and hand over leadership. He speaks this warning during his final covenant renewal address at Shechem.

The words — The Hebrew phrase כַּ/אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֤א (ka.'a.Sher- ba') literally means "just as it has come," establishing the structural parallel between fulfilled promises and impending judgment. The verb וְ/הָיָ֗ה (ve./ha.Yah) translates as "and it will be," marking the certainty of the coming calamity.

The thread — This pattern of conditional blessing and curse appears in Deuteronomy 28:15 and Leviticus 26:14, where covenant obedience guarantees protection while breach triggers divine wrath. The historical execution of this warning is recorded in Judges 3:8 when Israel's disobedience invites foreign oppression.

Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment that divine faithfulness in past promises establishes the absolute reliability of future warnings. It requires immediate covenant fidelity, as the same God who fulfills good promises will execute threatened judgment without delay.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֗הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be כַּאֲשֶׁר־ka./'a.Sher-just/ as בָּ֤אba'it has come עֲלֵיכֶם֙'a.lei./Khemon/ you כָּל־kol-every הַדָּבָ֣רha./da.Var<the>/ word הַטּ֔וֹבha./Tov<the>/ good אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich דִּבֶּ֛רdi.Berhe spoke יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם'a.lei./Khemto/ you כֵּן֩kenso יָבִ֨יאya.Vi'he will bring יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם'a.lei./Khemon/ you אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>כָּל־kol-every הַדָּבָ֣רha./da.Var<the>/ word הָרָ֔עha./Ra'<the>/ bad עַד־'ad-until הַשְׁמִיד֣וֹhash.mi.D/ohas destroyed/ he אוֹתְכֶ֗ם'ot./Khem<obj.>/ you מֵ֠עַלMe./'alfrom/ on הָאֲדָמָ֤הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ land הַטּוֹבָה֙ha./to.Vah<the>/ good הַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ this אֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhich נָתַ֣ןna.Tanhe has givenלָכֶ֔םla./Khemto <the>/ youיְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your

King James Version

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the Lord your God promised you; so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 28:15 If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
Leviticus 26:14 If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments,
Judges 3:8 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.
Judges 4:1 After Ehud died, the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the LORD.
Judges 6:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
Judges 10:6 And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.
Judges 13:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD, so He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
Luke 21:22 For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
1 Thessalonians 2:16 hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.