Joshua 23 15

Joshua 23:15 kjv

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.

Joshua 23:15 nkjv

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the LORD your God promised you, so the LORD will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

Joshua 23:15 niv

But just as all the good things the LORD your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the LORD your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you.

Joshua 23:15 esv

But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you,

Joshua 23:15 nlt

But as surely as the LORD your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely destroy you from this good land he has given you.

Joshua 23 verses

Joshua 23 15 Meaning

Joshua 23:15 is a solemn warning given by Joshua in his farewell address to Israel, immediately following a declaration of God's unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling all His good promises. This verse unequivocally states that just as surely as God brought about blessings promised for obedience, He will equally and certainly bring about all the specified curses and calamitous judgments, ultimately leading to their destruction and expulsion from the very land He graciously gave them, should they violate His covenant. It underscores God's absolute consistency and justice, affirming that His word, whether in blessing or curse, will be perfectly fulfilled.

Joshua 23 15 Context

Joshua 23 is Joshua's final charge to the leaders of Israel, delivered near the end of his life after the major conquest of Canaan. He convenes all of Israel to reiterate the mighty acts of God in bringing them into and conquering the promised land. He reminds them of God's perfect faithfulness in fulfilling every good promise (vv. 14). This verse (v. 15) stands as a pivotal point, providing the stark consequence of disobedience and covenant infidelity, forming a stark and serious contrast to the previously emphasized blessings. It serves as a climactic warning to remain steadfastly devoted to the LORD, forbidding assimilation with the remaining Canaanites or their idolatrous practices, which was the primary threat to their covenant fidelity. The historical context reflects a time where Israel faced the temptation to merge with pagan cultures, thus imperiling their unique covenant relationship with Yahweh.

Joshua 23 15 Word analysis

• Therefore (וְהָיָה - wə-hāyāh): Consequential. Links directly back to verse 14, where Joshua declared God's perfect faithfulness in fulfilling all "good things." It signifies that the negative consequences are as certain as the past blessings, stemming from the same consistent divine character.
• it shall come to pass (וְהָיָה - wə-hāyāh): An emphatic Hebrew construction indicating certainty and divine decree. It asserts the inevitability of the declared events.
• as all good things (כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם כָּל־הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב - ka’ăšer-bā’ ‘ălêḵem kol-haDāḇār haṭṭōwḇ):
  • all good things (כָּל־הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב - kol-haDāḇār haṭṭōwḇ): "Every good word/thing/matter." Refers to all the covenant blessings, prosperity, peace, and particularly the land itself, as detailed in Deuteronomy and demonstrated by the successful conquest and settlement. ṭōwḇ signifies not just moral goodness but also prosperity, favor, and well-being. This reflects the reality proclaimed in Josh 21:43-45.
  • come upon you (בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם - bā’ ‘ălêḵem): "Have come upon you." Implies active reception and experience of these blessings, clearly showing God's direct agency.
• which the LORD your God promised you (אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲלֵיכֶם - ’ăšer diḇBer Yahweh ’ělōhêḵem ’ălêḵem): Literally "which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you." Emphasizes the divine origin and certainty of the word, whether for blessing or judgment. The name "LORD your God" highlights the covenant relationship.
• so shall the LORD bring upon you (כֵּן יָבִיא יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם - kēn yāḇî’ Yahweh ‘ălêḵem): "So will Yahweh bring upon you." A precise parallel structure emphasizing a reciprocal action, a divine retribution mirroring the divine bestowal. God Himself is the active agent in bringing judgment, just as He was in bringing blessing.
• all evil things (אֵת כָּל־הַדָּבָר הָרָע - ’ēṯ kol-haDāḇār hārā‘): "Every evil word/thing/matter." Direct antithesis to "all good things." Refers to the curses, calamities, and judgments outlined in the covenant (e.g., Deut 28), including disease, famine, defeat by enemies, and ultimately, expulsion from the land. Rā‘ denotes misfortune, disaster, trouble, and punishment, not necessarily moral evil here.
• and will destroy you (עַד הַשְׁמִידוֹ אוֹתְכֶם - ‘aḏ hašmîḏô ’wōṯḵem): "Until He has destroyed you" or "even to destroy you."
  • Destroy (הַשְׁמִידוֹ - hishmidô): From the root שׁמד (šamad), meaning to utterly destroy, annihilate, make desolate, wipe out. In the context of the land, it points to being removed, losing national identity within it, and eventually exile, rather than complete extinction of the people. It signifies the undoing of their settlement.
• from off this good land (מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת - mē‘al hā’āreṣ haṭṭōwḇāh hazzō’ṯ): "From above this good land."
  • good land (הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה - hā’āreṣ haṭṭōwḇāh): "The good land." This reiterates the initial divine gift and its inherent quality (a land flowing with milk and honey). The emphasis on it being "good" heightens the tragedy of losing such a gracious gift due to disobedience.
• which the LORD your God hath given you (אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָכֶם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - ’ăšer nāṯan lāḵem Yahweh ’ělōhêḵem): "Which Yahweh your God has given to you." A final reiteration of divine proprietorship and gracious bestowal. This reinforces that the land was a conditional inheritance, dependent on continued obedience to the divine Giver.

Words-group analysis:

• "as all good things are come upon you... so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things": This masterful parallelism highlights God's unswerving fidelity to His word. He is not capricious but utterly consistent. Every promised blessing for obedience will be delivered, and every threatened curse for disobedience will also be delivered. This truth anchors divine justice firmly in divine reliability.
• "destroy you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you": This phrase directly identifies the ultimate covenant curse: expulsion from the conditional dwelling place given by God. The destruction refers specifically to the national disruption and removal from the promised inheritance, negating the central promise of land and rest if covenant obligations are neglected. It emphasizes that the very gracious gift could be revoked due to rebellion against the Giver.

Joshua 23 15 Bonus section

The phrase "good land" (הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה - hā’āreṣ haṭṭōwḇāh) carries immense theological weight throughout the Old Testament. It signifies the physical manifestation of God's blessing and faithfulness, the "land flowing with milk and honey" (e.g., Exod 3:8). The threat of expulsion from it underscores that God's covenant with Israel, while initiated by grace, demanded a responsive loyalty that impacted their very dwelling. This verse sets the stage for the book of Judges, which vividly illustrates the cyclical nature of Israel's disobedience, subsequent oppression, and then a partial and temporary return to God, constantly foreshadowing the larger, more catastrophic exiles prophesied by later prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. This highlights the covenant litigation structure common in ANE treaties, where blessings for loyalty and curses for infidelity were explicitly outlined, a format that Joshua here brings to a stern and conclusive point regarding God's relationship with Israel.

Joshua 23 15 Commentary

Joshua 23:15 stands as a profoundly important warning at the cusp of Israel's self-governance in the promised land. It is a powerful affirmation of divine consistency, establishing that God's character ensures the fulfillment of all His spoken words—both those promising blessings for obedience (which Israel had just experienced, as highlighted in v. 14) and those threatening curses for disobedience. This verse is not about God being vindictive, but about His absolute righteousness and commitment to His covenant. The consequence, specifically being "destroyed from off this good land," vividly portrays the ultimate cost of covenant unfaithfulness: the loss of their foundational national identity and divine privilege rooted in the promised land. It is a direct polemic against the natural human tendency to take God's grace for granted or to believe that His initial blessings imply unconditional security, regardless of moral or spiritual fidelity. The warning would prove tragically prophetic through the subsequent centuries of Israel's history, culminating in the exiles, precisely because they abandoned the covenant.