Joshua 7:9

When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses Yahweh in the immediate aftermath of Israel’s rout at Ai, questioning how God will protect His own reputation if the surrounding nations learn of the defeat.

The words — The Hebrew verb וְ/הִכְרִ֥יתוּ (ve./hikh.Ri.tu) literally means "and they will cut off," describing the enemies' intent to erase Israel's name from the earth. The conditional trigger וְ/יִשְׁמְע֣וּ (ve./yish.me.'U) "and they may hear" establishes the moment the surrounding forces will mobilize.

The thread — This concern over divine reputation being erased by adversaries runs through Exodus 32:12 and the hostile intent recorded in Psalms 83:4, while Ezekiel 36:22 later clarifies that God's actions are driven by His own name rather than Israel's standing.

Why it lands — The text demands a reader to separate God's covenant faithfulness from Israel's immediate military failure, asking plainly how divine reputation is preserved when human leadership collapses.

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

וְיִשְׁמְע֣וּve./yish.me.'Uand/ they may hear הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗יha./ke.na.'a.Nithe/ Canaanite[s]וְכֹל֙ve./Kholand/ all יֹשְׁבֵ֣יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land וְנָסַ֣בּוּve./na.Sa.buand/ they will surround עָלֵ֔ינוּ'a.Lei./nu<on>/ us וְהִכְרִ֥יתוּve./hikh.Ri.tuand/ they will cut off אֶת־'et-<obj.>שְׁמֵ֖נוּshe.Me./nuname/ our מִן־min-from הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ earth וּמַֽה־u./mah-and/ what?תַּעֲשֵׂ֖הta.'a.Sehwill you do לְשִׁמְךָ֥le./shim./Khafor/ name/ your הַגָּדֽוֹל׃ סha./ga.Dol<the>/ great

King James Version

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?

Cross-references

Exodus 32:12 Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.
Psalms 83:4 saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
Ezekiel 36:22 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: It is not for your sake that I will act, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you went.
John 12:28 Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Numbers 14:13 But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them.
Deuteronomy 9:28 Otherwise, those in the land from which You brought us out will say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land He had promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’
Psalms 124:2 if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,
Joel 2:17 Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Deuteronomy 32:26 I would have said that I would cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind,
Psalms 106:6 We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.