Joshua 23 12

Joshua 23:12 kjv

Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

Joshua 23:12 nkjv

Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations?these that remain among you?and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you,

Joshua 23:12 niv

"But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them,

Joshua 23:12 esv

For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,

Joshua 23:12 nlt

"But if you turn away from him and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry with them,

Joshua 23 verses

Joshua 23 12 Meaning

Joshua 23:12 conveys a stern warning from Joshua to the Israelites. It explicitly cautions them that if they ever apostatize by turning back from their covenant faithfulness to God and instead forge alliances and intermarry with the remaining pagan nations in the land, such actions would lead to spiritual corruption. This social and relational entanglement, signified by "going among them and they among you," is presented as a direct path to disobedience and breaking their commitment to God.

Joshua 23 12 Context

Joshua 23 forms part of Joshua's farewell discourse to the Israelite leaders and people, delivered after most of the land of Canaan had been conquered and distributed among the tribes. This chapter parallels Moses' farewell address in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the importance of covenant faithfulness. Joshua reminds the Israelites of God's past fidelity in fulfilling His promises and powerfully warns them against future apostasy. The specific warning in verse 12 directly addresses the failure to completely drive out the pagan inhabitants, which then became a serious spiritual danger, leading to intermarriage and eventual idolatry, themes explored in the subsequent book of Judges.

Joshua 23 12 Word analysis

• For if: The Hebrew `כִּי` (ki) can mean "for" or "if." Here, followed by `אִם־` (im), it sets a conditional, emphasizing a crucial warning. It introduces the dire consequences of a specific action.
• you ever go back: The Hebrew phrase `שֹׁב תָּשׁוּבוּ` (shov tashuvu) is an infinitive absolute construction. This repetition of the verbal root `שׁוּב` (shuv), meaning "to turn," creates intense emphasis. It means "if you indeed turn back," or "if you most certainly turn back." It implies a deliberate, conscious turning away from previous loyalty or instruction, an act of spiritual apostasy. This isn't an accidental stumble but a willful deviation.
• and cling: The word `וְדִבַּקְתֶּם` (vedibaqtem) comes from the root `דָּבַק` (dabaq), meaning "to stick to," "to be joined," "to cleave." This term is used for marital union (Gen 2:24) or, positively, for cleaving to the Lord (Deut 4:4; Deut 10:20). Here, its application to the pagan nations is a stark contrast, highlighting a covenant violation where loyalty meant for God is instead directed elsewhere.
• to the remnant: `בְּיֶתֶר` (b'yeter) means "to the rest," "to what remains." This points to the unconquered, those who were allowed to stay. Joshua explicitly names the danger inherent in Israel's incomplete obedience. These remaining nations would be a snare, as later demonstrated in the Book of Judges.
• of these nations remaining among you: The phrase `הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֛ים אִתְּכֶ֖ם` (haggoyim ha'elleh hannish'arim ittkem) describes the specific danger. These were the very peoples God commanded Israel to utterly dispossess (Deut 7:2; 20:16-18) precisely to prevent such moral and spiritual corruption. Their continued presence underscores Israel's past failures and highlights the immediate temptation. This forms a subtle polemic against the idea of peaceful coexistence without conversion, as it inevitably led to religious syncretism.
• and intermarry with them: `וְהִתְחַתַּנְתֶּ֣ם בָּהֶ֑ם` (vehitchattantem bahem) comes from `חָתַן` (chathan), "to make a marriage alliance." This was the primary forbidden act for God's people in relation to pagan nations (Deut 7:3). Such alliances were culturally common means of forming political bonds but invariably led to the adoption of foreign gods, compromising Israel's monotheistic worship and covenant purity. It's identified as the direct gateway to apostasy.
• and go among them and they among you: `וּבָאתֶם֙ בָּהֶ֔ם וְהֵ֖מָּה בָּא֥וּ בָכֶֽם` (uvatem bahem v'hemma ba'u vakem) signifies deep social and cultural integration and mingling, far beyond just marriage. "To come in" (בּוֹא - bo) implies entering into their way of life, their community, sharing their spaces, and likewise receiving them into Israelite society. This mutual permeation means adopting their customs, values, and ultimately, their gods. This intimate social interaction makes spiritual compromise almost inevitable, blurring the divinely commanded lines of separation.

Joshua 23 12 Bonus section

The strong emphatic verbal construction שֹׁב תָּשׁוּבוּ (shov tashuvu) can be seen as foreshadowing not just isolated incidents of unfaithfulness but a recurring pattern of apostasy, which becomes a central theme in subsequent biblical narratives like Judges and Kings. The phrase "go back" implies a betrayal of their identity and heritage as God's chosen people, reminiscent of Israel's desire to return to Egypt (Num 14:3-4) despite being delivered by God. The "remnant of these nations" underscores God's perfect foreknowledge of Israel's partial obedience, and His word serves as both a warning and a test. The severity of the language reflects the high stakes of covenant faithfulness—it's an all-or-nothing commitment to the Living God.

Joshua 23 12 Commentary

Joshua 23:12 is a profoundly prophetic warning, identifying the precise trajectory of Israel's future downfall as depicted in the Book of Judges. Joshua emphasizes that abandoning their God and seeking alliances with the remnant pagan nations through intermarriage is a deliberate act of betrayal. This intimate bond ("cling") and social intermingling ("go among them") would lead to the adoption of pagan practices and the worship of foreign gods, directly contradicting God's command for Israel to be a holy and separate nation. The verse underscores that even partial disobedience—allowing some nations to remain—opens the door to full apostasy, highlighting the crucial nature of complete obedience to maintain covenant fidelity and God's blessings. The dangers it describes are not merely hypothetical; they foreshadow the very spiritual decline Israel experienced throughout much of its early history.