Joshua 7:8 · Bible study
Joshua 7:8 Commentary: 'What Shall I Say' in the Face of Defeat
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua's desperate question after Israel's defeat reveals the tension between God's promises and human failure, centering on concern for God's great name.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joshua's question expresses confusion and dismay after Israel's defeat, and it introduces a plea that ultimately centers on God's honour.
- Key words: bi (pardon me/please), mah omar (what shall I say), hafakh oref (turned the neck, i.e., fled in defeat), liphnay oyvav (before their enemies).
- Main debate: Whether Joshua's "what shall I say" reflects genuine ignorance or a rhetorical softening before a bold intercession; Keil & Delitzsch argue the latter, Gill the former.
- Theological theme: The tension between God's covenantal promises and present failure; the defense of God's great name as the ultimate concern.
- Best use: Teaching lament, honest prayer in crisis, and the biblical pattern of appealing to God's reputation when circumstances contradict His promises.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?
WEB World English Bible 2000
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
KJV King James Version 1769
O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies!
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Oh, Lord, what do I say, after that Israel hath turned the neck before its enemies?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Ah Lord! what shall I say after Israel have turned their backs before their enemies?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
My Lord God, what shall I say, seeing Israel turning their backs to their enemies?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¡ Ay Señor! ¿ qué diré, ya que Israel ha vuelto las espaldas delante de sus enemigos?
Ai Senhor! Que direi, já que Israel virou as costas diante de seus inimigos?
De grâce, Seigneur, que dirai-je, après qu’ Israël a tourné le dos devant ses ennemis?
Ach, mein Herr, was soll ich sagen, weil Israel seinen Feinden den Rücken kehrt?
Och, HEERE! wat zal ik zeggen, nademaal dat Israel voor het aangezicht zijner vijanden den nek gekeerd heeft?
Ahimè, Signore, che dirò io, ora che Israele ha voltato le spalle ai suoi nemici?
O Panie, cóż rzekę, ponieważ podawa Izrael tył nieprzyjaciołom swoim?
О, Господи! что сказать мне после того, как Израиль обратил тыл врагам своим?
主 啊，以色列人 既 在仇敵 面前 轉 背逃跑，我還有甚麼 可說的呢？
O Lord, what am I to say now that Israel have given way before their attackers?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 7:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Joshua's question "What shall I say?" is not a request for new vocabulary. He is expressing a deep crisis of confidence after Israel's humiliating defeat at Ai. John Gill describes him as "a man confounded, and at the utmost loss how to account for the power, the providence, and promises of God." Matthew Henry notes Joshua's grief is a model for leaders, showing how public calamities should weigh on those in authority. Keil and Delitzsch point to the Hebrew opening particle bi ("pardon me") as a deliberate softening of the bold question that follows. Joshua does not lack words; he fears that speaking what is on his heart might sound like a reproach of God. Wesley interprets the question as anticipating the enemy's mockery. The shared point is clear: Joshua is torn between God's promises and the apparent failure, and his instinct is to defend God's honour. The verse sets up the crucial pivot to verse 9, where he asks God what He will do for His own great name.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Joshua is in deep distress after the defeat and his question centers on what can be said in the face of apparent failure, with the ultimate aim of defending God's name.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua's state of mind | He is deeply distressed and confused by the defeat. | Some commentators (Gill) see him as 'at the utmost loss' and confounded; others (Keil & Delitzsch) argue he knows what to say but softens his boldness with 'bi'. |
| The meaning of 'bi' | It is an introductory particle of entreaty, translated 'pardon me' or 'please'. | Whether it indicates hesitance or politeness. Calvin's view (via Keil & Delitzsch) is that it modifies the boldness of the question; others see it simply as a cry of distress. |
| Theological emphasis | The verse leads to concern for God's great name in verse 9. | Whether Joshua's primary concern is self-preservation or God's reputation; Matthew Henry emphasizes his public grief, while Keil & Delitzsch highlight the focus on God's honour. |
| Corporate vs individual sin | Israel's defeat is tied to covenantal disobedience (Achan's sin). | Traditional Protestant interpretation sees corporate responsibility; others may question the fairness of punishing the whole nation for one man's sin, though this is not directly argued in supplied excerpts. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits at the heart of Israel's first major setback after entering Canaan. Chapter 7 opens with a sad notice: Israel had committed a trespass concerning the devoted things (herem) from Jericho. Achan's theft violated God's explicit command, and covenant breach brought corporate consequences. When three thousand men attacked Ai and fled before their enemies, the shock was immediate. Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the ark until evening, he and the elders with dust on their heads (v. 6).
The Hebrew idiom hafakh oref, "turned the neck", is vivid. It meant retreat in shame and, within the covenant framework of Deuteronomy 28:25, signaled divine displeasure: "Yahweh will cause you to be struck before your enemies. You will go out one way and flee seven ways." The same root hafakh can mean to overturn or overthrow, as in Sodom's judgment or the transformation of a heart. Here the word carries the weight of a reversed fortune: the people who had just seen Jericho's walls fall now run from a small city.
Joshua's prayer follows a pattern of intercession found in Moses (Exodus 32, Numbers 14): the leader brings confusion to God but dares to argue from God's own reputation. The Hebrew particle bi ("pardon me" or "please") opens the question with reverence. Joshua does not storm into God's presence. He acknowledges the tension even as he speaks it. The verse thus belongs to a long tradition of lament, honest complaint that trusts the One it questions.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and translations do not mention any textual variants for Joshua 7:8. The Hebrew text appears stable across manuscript traditions. The main differences in English versions arise from translation choices: the particle bi is rendered as "Oh" (KJV, WEB), "Ah" (Darby), "My Lord" (Douay) or simply omitted in some paraphrases. The phrase "turned their backs" (or "turned the neck") reflects the same Hebrew idiom hafakh oref. These are interpretive decisions, not textual issues.
Reception History
Joshua 7:8 has been read throughout Christian history as a model of honest lament. Matthew Henry (1710) used the verse to teach that leaders should share the grief of their people and that public calamities call for personal humiliation. Keil and Delitzsch (1876) highlighted the nuance of the Hebrew opening, showing that even in distress Joshua maintains reverence. The verse is also connected to the tradition of prayer found in the psalms of lament and in other intercessory prayers of Moses (Exodus 32, Numbers 14). In modern preaching, it is often cited to validate the experience of perplexity in prayer and to direct the believer's ultimate concern to the honour of God's name, rather than to immediate circumstances.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The shock of failure. Joshua's question comes from a place of chaos. The people who had just seen Jericho fall now flee from a small city. Corporate defeat can feel like God's abandonment.
- The struggle to pray. "What shall I say?" Joshua models honesty. He does not pretend. He brings his confusion directly to God, but with reverence, the Hebrew bi.
- The concern for God's name. The question is not self-centered. Joshua's ultimate worry is what the Canaanites will think of Yahweh. He defends God's honour even when he does not understand.
Five-point outline
- When God's people fail, this defeat is not military but spiritual.
- The leader's burden, Joshua tears his clothes and falls on his face. He carries the weight.
- Honest lament, "What shall I say?" is a cry of confusion, not unbelief.
- Reverent boldness, the word bi (pardon me) shows Joshua knows he is walking a line.
- The big picture, the defense of God's great name is what ultimately matters.
Illustration hooks
- A ministry team that had seen great growth suddenly faces a public failure. No one knows what to say. The leader's first instinct is not to self-protect but to ask: what does this say about God?
- A parent prays for a child who has walked away from faith. Years go by with no visible answer. The honest prayer becomes: "Lord, what can I say? I don't know how to defend Your promises anymore."
- A church after a scandal. The initial shock turns to silence. The pastor falls on his face before God, not with a polished prayer but with a raw question: "What shall I say?"
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow His people to experience defeat, especially when they thought they were following Him?
- Is it okay to question God when things go wrong? Does it show a lack of faith?
- What should our response be when our Christian witness seems to fail in the eyes of the world?
Leading a Discussion
Joshua 7:8 captures a moment of raw honesty before God. After a stunning victory at Jericho, Israel suffers a shocking defeat at Ai. Joshua falls on his face and asks, "what shall I say?" His question is not a request for a script. It is the cry of a leader who cannot reconcile God's promises with the current disaster. Small groups can explore how this verse teaches us to pray when we do not understand.
Discussion questions
- Read Joshua 7:6-9. What actions does Joshua take before he speaks? What do they reveal about his state of mind?
- The Hebrew word bi is often translated "pardon me" or "please." How does this affect the tone of Joshua's question?
- Why do you think Joshua asks "what shall I say" instead of simply stating his complaint?
- Compare Joshua's prayer with the prayers of Moses in Exodus 32 and Numbers 14. What similarities do you see in the way they appeal to God for the sake of His name?
- How does the concept of "turning the neck" (the literal Hebrew) connect to themes of covenant blessing and curse in Deuteronomy 28?
- When have you felt at a loss for words in prayer? How does Joshua's example encourage you to be honest with God?
- What does this passage teach us about the relationship between human failure and God's reputation? How can we keep God's glory central even when we are confused?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezra 9:10 | “Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, |
| Habakkuk 2:1 | I will stand at my watch and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. |
| Romans 3:5 | But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do. |
| Romans 3:6 | May it never be! For then how will God judge the world? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Oh Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turne their backes before their enemies?
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill captures Joshua's stunned silence: he feels he has no answer to give God after Israel's defeat. The enemy's charge—that God lacks power, faithfulness, or kindness—now seems to have evidence on its side. Joshua speaks as a man completely at a loss, unable to defend God's ways or promises.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that Joshua's opening plea "what shall I say?" is not confusion but a humble way to soften a bold question. His real concern is how God's own great name will be preserved among the nations if Israel is wiped out. Joshua's words are less about Israel's fate and more about God's threatened honor.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Achan's sin compromises the whole community because Israel is an organic unity, not a collection of isolated individuals. God's anger is not blind passion but holy displeasure against unrighteousness, and it falls on the entire nation until the devoted thing is removed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that Joshua's grief over Israel's defeat was not ordinary dismay at a military loss, but holy fear before God's evident displeasure, which he took far more to heart than any common setback. For Henry, Joshua's prostration before the ark shows that even the bravest general must tremble before God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the question "What shall I say" is the speaker's response to the insults of attacking enemies. He then identifies Israel specifically as God's people, whom the Lord has chosen out of all nations to belong to Him alone.