Joshua 7 13

Joshua 7:13 kjv

Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Joshua 7:13 nkjv

Get up, sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel: "There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you."

Joshua 7:13 niv

"Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

Joshua 7:13 esv

Get up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, "There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you."

Joshua 7:13 nlt

"Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

Joshua 7 verses

Joshua 7 13 Meaning

Joshua 7:13 is a divine imperative delivered to Joshua following Israel's defeat at Ai. It communicates God's command for the immediate consecration of the people because of the presence of "devoted things" (cherem) among them. This indicates a violation of the divine command regarding the spoils of Jericho, leading to a corporate impurity that hindered God's presence and their ability to stand against their enemies. God reveals the hidden sin and dictates the necessary cleansing ritual as a prerequisite for regaining His favor and securing victory.

Joshua 7 13 Context

The context of Joshua 7:13 is Israel's stunning defeat at Ai, following their miraculous victory at Jericho. After Jericho's fall, God commanded that all its spoils, except certain items for the treasury, be "devoted things" (cherem), utterly destroyed as an offering to God, to prevent Israel's defilement. Despite this clear instruction, Achan secretly took some forbidden items for himself. This singular act of disobedience by one individual was imputed to the entire community of Israel, leading to corporate guilt. As a result, when Israel attacked the smaller city of Ai, they were decisively defeated, and thirty-six men were killed. Joshua, distraught and unaware of the cause, cried out to God, who then revealed the sin in their midst. Joshua 7:13 marks God's direct command to rectify the situation, emphasizing that their spiritual state, due to this hidden sin, prevented them from standing against their enemies. It highlights the serious implications of covenant infidelity and the communal nature of holiness and sin within the Israelite framework, serving as a powerful polemic against any notion that God's favor is unconditional or that individual sin has no communal consequence, a view common in pagan contexts where deities might be appeased through external rites regardless of moral conduct.

Joshua 7 13 Word analysis

• Up! (קוּם - Qum):
  • Meaning: An imperative, urging immediate and decisive action. "Arise!" or "Get up!".
  • Significance: Conveys urgency and rebuke. Joshua and the people were prostrate in despair, and this command snaps them out of their passive state, indicating that mourning is insufficient; active spiritual rectification is required. It suggests that inaction in the face of sin is unacceptable.
• Consecrate (קָדַשׁ - Qadash):
  • Meaning: To make holy, set apart, purify. In this context, it implies ritual and moral purification.
  • Significance: This command, repeated twice for emphasis (once to Joshua, once to the people), points to the necessity of internal cleansing and external preparation. It's not just a ritual act but also signifies a turning away from defilement and toward God's holiness. It echoes previous commands for Israel to consecrate themselves before drawing near to God (e.g., Exod 19). The nation must purge itself to reflect God's holy character.
• the people:
  • Meaning: Refers to the entire community of Israel.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the corporate identity and corporate responsibility. Achan's sin, though committed by an individual, defiled the entire nation and broke their covenant with God as a collective. This reinforces the theological concept that Israel was one body before God.
• and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel...':
  • Meaning: Joshua is to transmit God's exact message, highlighting the divine origin and authority. "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow" gives a specific timeline for the purification process, indicating an ordered and deliberate uncovering of sin.
  • Significance: This prophetic formula "thus says the Lord, the God of Israel" establishes the absolute authority of the message. It underscores that God, who brought them out of Egypt and into covenant, is the one demanding holiness. The "God of Israel" emphasizes His unique covenant relationship and ownership over His people, demanding their obedience.
• "There are devoted things (חֵרֶם - cherem) in your midst, O Israel.":
  • Meaning: Cherem refers to things utterly devoted, often for destruction or as an exclusive offering to God. In this context, it's accursed plunder from Jericho that should have been completely destroyed or given to the Lord's treasury. "In your midst" signifies an internal problem, a corruption from within the community.
  • Significance: This is the core problem statement. The cherem defiles the entire camp, making Israel itself subject to being cherem. God's presence cannot abide with such defilement. The specificity highlights the exact nature of the offense and God's absolute knowledge of even hidden sins. It points to a failure of covenant obedience (Josh 6:18-19; Deut 7:26; 13:17-18).
• "You cannot stand before your enemies until you take the devoted things from among you."':
  • Meaning: Israel's inability to defeat their enemies is directly linked to the presence of the cherem. "Cannot stand" implies being unable to endure, to resist, or to be victorious in battle. The condition for regaining divine favor and victory is the removal of the devoted things.
  • Significance: This phrase spells out the direct consequence of unconfessed and unaddressed sin – spiritual and military defeat. God's presence, which had previously guaranteed victory, was now withdrawn because of their impurity. It establishes a clear cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's corporate spiritual state and their success in the Promised Land. This boundary underscores God's justice and holiness; He will not fight on behalf of an unholy people. The removal of the cherem is not merely punitive but restorative, a necessary step for Israel to re-align with God's will and purpose.

Joshua 7 13 Bonus section

• The term cherem represents the extreme sanctity God demanded for spoils of cities conquered in His name, especially first fruits like Jericho. To violate cherem was to profane God's portion and align oneself with the accursed nature of the conquered enemy.
• The demand for purification "for tomorrow" implies a night of contemplation, introspection, and preparation before God's judgment and exposure of the sin occurs. This structured process provides opportunity for the community to internalize the seriousness of the situation.
• This passage powerfully refutes any notion of automatic divine favor for Israel. God's support was explicitly tied to their obedience to His covenant, demonstrating His unwavering righteousness rather than tribal favoritism.
• The consequence of communal defeat (36 men dead) from one man's sin serves as a deterrent against future individual acts of disobedience, reinforcing the interconnectedness and mutual responsibility within the covenant community.

Joshua 7 13 Commentary

Joshua 7:13 encapsulates a pivotal theological lesson concerning divine holiness, corporate responsibility, and the detrimental consequences of sin. God's sharp "Up!" to Joshua reflects His active engagement and immediate demand for action in the face of spiritual compromise. The double command to "Consecrate" underscores the non-negotiable requirement for Israel to be pure, setting themselves apart from sin just as God is separate from all impurity. This purity is not merely ceremonial but deeply moral, particularly regarding the handling of "devoted things" (cherem). Achan's individual sin of taking forbidden items at Jericho infected the entire nation, creating a breach in their covenant relationship with God and rendering them unable to "stand before their enemies." This demonstrates the principle of corporate solidarity, where the sin of one can defile the whole body, illustrating how sin weakens spiritual defense and forfeits divine assistance. God's clear stipulation that "You cannot stand... until you take" reveals that divine aid is conditional on their repentance and removal of sin. This is a profound statement: God will not tolerate sin within His chosen people, nor will He overlook it. True victory and blessings are inextricably linked to spiritual integrity and obedience. The resolution demanded involves publicly identifying and purging the hidden evil, ensuring both justice is served and the covenant renewed. It served as a stark lesson for Israel regarding the seriousness of God's commands and their unified identity as His holy nation.