Joshua 24 10

Joshua 24:10 kjv

But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

Joshua 24:10 nkjv

But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.

Joshua 24:10 niv

But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

Joshua 24:10 esv

but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand.

Joshua 24:10 nlt

but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.

Joshua 24 verses

Joshua 24 10 Meaning

Joshua 24:10 is a pivotal statement within Joshua's farewell address, reaffirming God's absolute sovereignty and unwavering faithfulness to Israel. It declares that despite the malicious intent of Balaam, God prevented him from cursing His chosen people and instead compelled him to pronounce blessings, demonstrating divine protection and the ultimate triumph of God's purpose over any human or spiritual opposition. It underscores that Israel's deliverance and success were not by their might but solely by God's hand, ensuring their continued existence and blessing.

Joshua 24 10 Context

Joshua 24 records Joshua’s farewell address to all the tribes of Israel assembled at Shechem. This significant occasion functions as a covenant renewal ceremony before Joshua's death. In this speech, Joshua recounts God’s steadfast faithfulness throughout Israel’s history, from the call of Abraham to their present position in the Promised Land. The address is a historical theological review, aiming to remind the Israelites of all that God has done for them. The preceding verses (24:1-9) specifically highlight the divine intervention from their ancestral roots, through their deliverance from Egypt, their wilderness journey, and their conquests. Verse 10, specifically, refers to a critical juncture during their wilderness wanderings (Numbers 22-24) when Balak, King of Moab, sought to have the prophet Balaam curse Israel to halt their advance. Joshua uses this well-known incident to emphasize God’s sovereign control over even malicious external forces, underscoring that no power, human or supernatural, could thwart God’s will or harm His chosen people. This powerful reminder sets the stage for Joshua’s culminating challenge to the people in verse 15 to "choose this day whom you will serve." The verse stands as proof of God's unique and omnipotent commitment to His covenant.

Joshua 24 10 Word analysis

• But (וְלֹא - wᵉlōʼ): The conjunction "but" here introduces a strong contrast. It signals a shift from the enemy's intent (Balak hiring Balaam) to God's intervention, highlighting divine resistance against the planned curse. It means "and not," indicating that God "would not permit" or "was not willing."
• I (אָבִיתִי - ’āḇîṯî): This is the first person singular past tense form of the verb אָבָה (’āḇāh), meaning "to be willing, to consent, to agree." The specific construction "I was not willing" (combining lo with ’āḇîṯî) emphasizes God's personal and active refusal to allow Balaam to fulfill Balak's request. It stresses God's volition and direct agency.
• would not listen to Balaam: This translates the Hebrew "וְלֹא אָבִיתִי לִשְׁמֹעַ לְבִלְעָם" (wᵉlōʼ ’āḇîṯî lišmōa‘ ləḇil‘ām). Literally "and I was not willing to listen to Balaam." The verb lišmōa‘ means "to hear, to listen." In this context, it implies not assenting or yielding to Balaam's intent, thereby nullifying his attempts to curse. It signifies God's active opposition to any counsel or spiritual work contrary to His will for Israel. Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet for hire, believed he could manipulate divine power for gain, but God demonstrates His complete control over all such claims.
• so (וָאֲבָרֵךְ - wā’ăḇārēḵ): This is a waw-consecutive connecting to the next action, indicating a direct result or consequence of God's refusal. Because God would not listen to Balaam's wicked intention, a contrasting outcome followed.
• he blessed you (אָמֵץ - ’āmēṣ / בָרֵךְ - bārēḵ): While "he blessed you" is a translation, the original Hebrew often repeats the root for emphasis, as seen in "blessed again and again." The root barak (בָרַךְ) means "to bless, to praise, to kneel." The action shifts from Balaam’s attempt to curse, to God's actual blessing of Israel through Balaam. This highlights God’s power to commandeer and invert human actions to achieve His purposes, making an enemy’s words of curse into words of blessing.
• again and again (בָרֵךְ בָרֵךְ - bārēḵ bārēḵ): This is an intensive or emphatic infinitive absolute construction in Hebrew. The repetition of the verbal root signifies certainty, completeness, and insistence. It means God blessed Israel thoroughly, irrevocably, and continually through Balaam’s prophecies. It highlights the divine persistence in showering blessings despite attempts at opposition. This wasn't a minor or accidental blessing, but a comprehensive divine act.
• and I delivered (וָאַצִּל - wā’aṣṣel): From the verb נצל (naṣal), meaning "to deliver, rescue, pull out, save." The waw-consecutive marks this as another consequence of God's action. It is God's direct, personal intervention that saved Israel.
• you (אֶתְכֶם - ’eṯḵem): The direct object pronoun referring to the people of Israel, underscoring that this divine act of deliverance was specifically on their behalf.
• out of his hand (מִיָּדוֹ - mîyāḏô): Literally "from his hand," which is a Hebrew idiom for "from his power," "from his control," or "from his grasp." This signifies that Israel was freed from Balaam’s influence and from any harm his curses might have caused, underscoring God's ultimate authority over all earthly and spiritual powers.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• But I would not listen to Balaam: This phrase sets up a stark contrast. It asserts God's ultimate veto power over human plans, particularly those intended for evil against His people. It reveals divine non-acquiescence to malevolent intent and demonstrates that God is sovereign over prophetic utterance, even from those outside His covenant.
• so he blessed you again and again: This illustrates the miraculous turning of a curse into a blessing. It is not merely that the curse failed, but that it was converted into its opposite. The emphatic repetition emphasizes the certainty, thoroughness, and repeated nature of God’s blessing, fulfilling His covenant promise (Gen 12:3) to Abraham’s descendants. This divine action rendered Balaam's every prophetic attempt a declaration of blessing, confirming God’s favor.
• and I delivered you out of his hand: This declares God's active, saving intervention. It assures Israel that they were completely secured from any harmful consequence of Balaam's intentions or magical practices. This underscores God as the deliverer, constantly protecting His people from various dangers, just as He did from the Egyptians.

Joshua 24 10 Bonus section

• The incident with Balaam, mentioned here, highlights God's unique control over prophecy itself. Even a prophet motivated by greed, outside the direct covenant line, found himself constrained by Yahweh's will, forced to speak words God put in his mouth, regardless of his own desires. This showcases divine supremacy over all forms of divination and false prophecy.
• The turning of the curse into blessing prefigures the ultimate reversal accomplished in Christ, where the curse of sin and death is transformed into the blessing of salvation and eternal life through His atonement (Gal 3:13).
• Joshua's recounting of this event serves as an object lesson: it is God who acts on behalf of His people, not they themselves. This provides the correct foundation for their subsequent commitment to serving Him alone—a service rooted in gratitude and recognition of divine grace, not self-effort.
• The detail of being delivered "out of his hand" reinforces that the danger posed by Balaam was real, involving spiritual warfare through attempted curses. Yet, God's protection was comprehensive and utterly effective, showcasing His power even in the spiritual realm against potent forces.

Joshua 24 10 Commentary

Joshua 24:10 serves as a powerful historical proof of God’s steadfast sovereignty and covenant faithfulness to Israel, forming a key part of Joshua’s final appeal. By recalling the episode of Balaam, Joshua reminds the Israelites that their very existence and success were secured not by their own might or wisdom, but by God’s absolute control over every situation, even turning the intended malediction of their enemies into pronounced blessings. God did not just nullify Balaam's curse; He commanded a blessing in its place, reversing the very intention of Balak and Balaam. This transformation from potential curse to abundant blessing ("again and again") highlights God's unyielding commitment to His promises and His children. This demonstration of divine protection acts as a theological foundation for Joshua's subsequent call for exclusive worship: because God alone protected them so perfectly and profoundly, they should serve Him alone. The verse thus teaches divine omnipotence over all dark spiritual forces, unshakeable divine love, and God's consistent deliverance from those who oppose His people and purpose. It stands as an enduring testimony to God’s nature as a Deliverer who actively safeguards His chosen ones against all adversaries.