Joshua 7:16 kjv
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
Joshua 7:16 nkjv
So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
Joshua 7:16 niv
Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen.
Joshua 7:16 esv
So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
Joshua 7:16 nlt
Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Judah was singled out.
Joshua 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Judgment & Exposure of Sin | ||
| Num 32:23 | "...your sin will find you out." | Inevitable discovery of sin. |
| Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." | God reveals hidden sin for confession. |
| 1 Tim 5:24 | "The sins of some people are conspicuously open, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others follow later." | Sin will ultimately be revealed for judgment. |
| Heb 4:13 | "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." | God's full knowledge of all actions. |
| Gen 4:7 | "...sin is crouching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." | The lurking danger and consequences of unaddressed sin. |
| Zec 5:3 | "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land, for everyone who steals shall be cut off..." | Theft leads to curse, relevant to Achan's sin. |
| Seeking God's Will & Revelation | ||
| Num 27:21 | "...he shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD." | Divine revelation through priestly means. |
| Prov 16:33 | "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." | Lot-casting as a divinely controlled method. |
| Acts 1:26 | "And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias..." | Apostolic use of lots for divine selection. |
| 1 Sam 10:19-21 | "...you come this day before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands..." Saul chosen by lot. | God revealing His choice through tribal selection. |
| 1 Sam 9:15-16 | "...Now, about this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin..." | God reveals information directly before selection. |
| Corporate Responsibility & Purity | ||
| Deut 29:18-21 | "...one man who is turning away from the LORD our God..." God will bring all curses upon that person and nation. | Individual sin impacting the covenant community. |
| Josh 22:20 | "Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the matter of the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel...?" | Direct echo: Achan's sin affected all Israel. |
| 1 Cor 5:6-7 | "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?...Cleanse out the old leaven..." | Metaphor for how sin contaminates the community. |
| Gal 5:9 | "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." | Reinforces the contagious nature of sin. |
| Deut 13:5 | "...You shall purge the evil from your midst." | Divine command to remove sin/evil from community. |
| Eze 20:38 | "I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who transgress against me." | God's active purging of sinners from His people. |
| Obedience & Prompt Action | ||
| Exod 24:4 | "Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning..." | Prompt obedience of leaders to divine command. |
| Gen 22:3 | "So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey..." | Readiness to obey even difficult commands. |
| Psa 119:60 | "I hastened and did not delay to keep your commandments." | The attitude of prompt and eager obedience. |
| Jer 25:3 | "...from the thirteenth year of Josiah... I have spoken to you persistently, rising up early and speaking, but you have not listened." | Prophets diligently delivering God's message. |
| 2 Ki 19:35 | "And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000..." | God's decisive and early action. |
| Deut 1:17 | "You shall not be partial in judgment...for the decision is God's." | Leaders must execute justice according to God's will. |
| Consequences of Disobedience | ||
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | The ultimate consequence of sin. |
| Josh 6:18 | "But by all means keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take some of the devoted things..." | Reminder of the specific command violated by Achan. |
Joshua 7 verses
Joshua 7 16 Meaning
Joshua 7:16 describes the immediate execution of God's command to identify the individual responsible for Israel's sin after their defeat at Ai. Joshua diligently rises early and begins the divinely directed process of lot-casting, which first identifies the tribe of Judah as containing the perpetrator of the transgression against the LORD.
Joshua 7 16 Context
Joshua chapter 7 immediately follows the triumphant capture of Jericho. Israel experiences a stunning and humiliating defeat at Ai due to a hidden sin among the people, specifically a violation of God's command regarding the cherem (devoted things). Joshua's distress and appeal to God lead to God's revelation that an Israelite has taken forbidden items. God then provides the precise method for uncovering the sinner: a divinely guided selection process involving tribes, clans, families, and individuals, through the casting of lots. Joshua 7:16 marks the beginning of the implementation of this divine instruction, demonstrating Joshua's obedience and the start of the judicial inquiry. The entire chapter emphasizes God's holiness, the seriousness of corporate sin, and the necessity of purity for Israel to succeed.
Joshua 7 16 Word analysis
- So Joshua: Indicates the immediate action taken in response to God's command in the preceding verses.
- rose early: (Hebrew: wa-yashkêm - וַיַּשְׁכֵּם) From the root shākham (שָׁכַם), meaning "to rise early," but more significantly implies diligence, readiness, promptness, and intentionality. It's often used when individuals or God undertake significant tasks or acts of judgment/redemption. This emphasizes Joshua's prompt obedience and commitment to addressing the sin immediately.
- in the morning: Highlights the urgency and importance of the task, starting the day with God's work. It reflects dedication.
- brought Israel near: (Hebrew: qārav - קָרַב) Implies drawing them near before the LORD, indicating that this was not merely a logistical arrangement but a presentation for divine discernment and judgment. They were assembled for a sacred, divinely guided inquiry.
- by their tribes: The first stage of the selection process as directed by God in Joshua 7:14. It shows the orderly and methodical approach God ordained for identifying the perpetrator, starting from the largest societal unit.
- and the tribe of Judah was taken: (Hebrew: nāśāʾ - נָשָׂא) Means "was chosen" or "was selected." This is not by human will or random chance but through the lot (or divine manifestation of judgment), confirming God's direct involvement in revealing the hidden sin. The choice of Judah, a prominent tribe, would have been striking and emphasized the severity of the corporate sin.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "So Joshua rose early in the morning": This phrase portrays Joshua's resolute obedience and active leadership. The act of rising early is a recurring biblical motif for important and urgent tasks, signaling commitment to God's will.
- "brought Israel near by their tribes": This indicates the initiation of the precise, God-ordained process of elimination, moving from the communal level down to the individual. It underscores that the search for the transgressor was not haphazard but methodical, divine, and public.
- "and the tribe of Judah was taken": This pivotal outcome of the initial stage confirms God's supernatural revelation at work through the lots, leaving no doubt about the divinely guided nature of the proceedings. It sets the stage for further narrowing down the search within Judah.
Joshua 7 16 Bonus section
The use of lot-casting in this context (goral in Hebrew, though not explicitly mentioned here but implied by nāśāʾ) was a divinely sanctioned method in ancient Israel for discerning God's will, unlike pagan divination which relied on omens or manipulation. This divine validation of lot-casting emphasizes God's direct control over the outcome and serves as a direct refutation (polemic) against any belief in random chance or human-controlled occult practices for truth revelation. God Himself was active in selecting the guilty party, thereby maintaining His justice and holiness. The scene emphasizes Israel's corporate identity before God: Achan's individual sin impacted the entire nation, requiring a communal gathering for its exposure. This incident also reinforces the inviolable nature of God's commands regarding the devoted things (cherem), demonstrating that obedience, even in what might seem minor details, was paramount for maintaining the covenant relationship with a holy God.
Joshua 7 16 Commentary
Joshua 7:16 is a critical pivot point in the narrative of Israel's crisis at Ai. Following a devastating defeat and Joshua's fervent prayer, God reveals the presence of sin as the cause and prescribes a precise method for its exposure. This verse shows Joshua's prompt and meticulous obedience to that divine command. His early rising underscores the urgency and seriousness with which sin must be addressed within the community. The process of "bringing Israel near by their tribes" and the divinely directed "taking" of Judah through lots is not mere human investigation but a direct manifestation of God's judicial will, confirming His omnipresence and perfect knowledge. It highlights that God does not hide sin indefinitely; He exposes it, often through unexpected means, to restore purity to His people. This action reaffirms the principle that sin, particularly cherem violation, carries communal consequences, and swift removal is necessary for God's favor and presence to remain. The thorough process ensures legitimacy and leaves no room for human bias or manipulation in identifying the offender.