Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
Parallel Translations
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Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
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O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
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Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies!
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Joshua 7:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Romans 3:5-6 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do. May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?
- Ezra 9:10 “Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,
- Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jos 7:8 O Lord, what shall I say, when…
Jos 7:8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
Ver. 8. O Lord! what shall I say? &c.] How shall I stop the open mouths of our reproachers? Thus he filleth his mouth with arguments; rousing up himself and wrestling with God.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain What shall I say, in answer to the reproaches…
What shall I say, in answer to the reproaches cast by our insulting enemies upon us, and upon thy name?
Israel; God’s own people, which he hath singled out of all nations for his own peculiar.
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See Poole "Gen 1:1", See Poole "Gen 1:2"
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain O Lord, what shall I say,.... For the comfort…
O Lord, what shall I say,.... For the comfort and encouragement of the people of Israel, in vindication of thy power and faithfulness, and against the charge of weakness in thyself, unfaithfulness to thy promises, and unkindness to thy people, brought by our enemies:
when Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies? or after they have done it; what is to be said now, this being the case? he speaks as a man confounded, and at the utmost loss how to account for the power, the providence, and promises of God.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain What shall I say - In answer to the…
What shall I say - In answer to the reproaches of our insulting enemies. When Israel - God's people, which he hath singled out of all nations for his own.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jos 7:8-9. What shall I say? — In answer…
Jos 7:8-9. What shall I say? — In answer to the reproaches of our insulting enemies? When Israel — God’s people, which he hath singled out of all nations for his own. Turneth their backs — Unable to make any resistance. What wilt thou do unto thy great name? — Which will upon this occasion be blasphemed, and charged with inconstancy, and with inability to resist them, or to do thy people that good which thou didst intend them. The name of God is a great name, above every name. And whatever happens, we ought to pray that this may not be polluted. This should be our concern more than any thing else: on this we should fix our eye: and we cannot urge a better plea than this, “Lord, what wilt thou do for thy great name?” Let God in all be glorified, and then welcome his whole will!
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. What shall I say — Joshua, as the…
8. What shall I say — Joshua, as the Lord’s agent and captain, is perplexed to show a reason for the unexpected defeat.
When Israel turneth — Or, inasmuch as Israel has turned. How is such defeat possible to a people in covenant with Jehovah?
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain What shall I say? To encourage the people who…
What shall I say? To encourage the people who will be downcast by this defeat, while their enemies will gather courage.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Joshua expresses frustration to God.
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what can I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
Joshua said this to show how upset he was that he did not even know what to say. AT: "I do not know what to say. Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
Israel has turned their backs before their enemies
Doing this represents running away from their enemies. AT: "Israel has run away from their enemies" (See: Metonymy)
They will surround us and make the people of the earth forget our name
Making people forget the name of the Israelites represents making them forget the Israelites. In this case they would do it by killing the Israelites. AT: "They will surround us and kill us, and the people of the earth will forget about us" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
for your great name
The phrase "your great name" here represents God's reputation and power. AT: "And so what will you do so that people will know that you are great" (See: Metonymy)
What will you do for your great name?
Joshua uses this question to warn God that if the Israelites are destroyed, then the other people will think that God is not great. AT: "Then there will be nothing you can do for your great name." or "Then people will not know that you are great." (See: Rhetorical Question and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
lord
Israel
Canaan
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 7:8-9 Joshua’s fears were realistic. All Canaan had thought…
7:8-9 Joshua’s fears were realistic. All Canaan had thought that Israel was invincible. However, because tiny Ai had defeated Israel, the Canaanites might think it could happen again. • If God allowed the wicked to wipe his people off the face of the earth, the nations would not have a witness that God continues to be involved with his world. • your great name: Cp. Exod 32:11-12; Num 14:13-19.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.