Joshua 7:9 · Bible study
Joshua 7:9 Commentary: What Will You Do for Your Great Name?
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua appeals to God's honor after defeat at Ai. Study the bold prayer that prioritizes God's glory, grounded in commentary and context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joshua appeals to God's reputation when Israel faces annihilation due to their own sin, trusting God's honor will compel His intervention.
- Key words: shēm (name, reputation; H8034), gādôl (great; H1419), Joshua's ultimate concern is God's great name.
- Main debate: Whether Joshua's prayer ignores sin; commentators affirm it properly prioritizes God's glory within a context of repentance.
- Teological theme: God's sovereignty and the vindication of His name; intercessory prayer anchored in God's character.
- Best use: Teaching on bold prayer, the priority of God's glory, and how to approach God after failure.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
KJV King James Version 1769
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will compass us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the Canaanite and all the inhabitants of the land do hear, and have come round against us, and cut off our name out of the earth; and what dost Thou do for Thy great name?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
When the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], they will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. And what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The Chanaanites, and all the inhabitants of the land, will hear of it, and being gathered together will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do to thy great name?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque los Cananeos y todos los moradores de la tierra oirán, y nos cercarán, y raerán nuestro nombre de sobre la tierra: entonces ¿ qué harás tú á tu grande nombre?
Porque os cananeus e todos os moradores da terra ouvirão, e nos cercarão, e apagarão nosso nome de sobre a terra: então que farás tu a teu grande nome?
Les Cananéens et tous les habitants du pays l’ apprendront; ils nous envelopperont, et ils feront disparaître notre nom de la terre. Et que feras-tu pour ton grand nom?
Wenn das die Kanaaniter und alle Einwohner des Landes hören, so werden sie uns umbringen und auch unsern Namen ausrotten von der Erde. Was willst du denn für deinen großen Namen tun?
Als het de Kanaanieten, en alle inwoners des lands horen zullen, zo zullen zij ons omsingelen, en onzen naam uitroeien van de aarde; wat zult Gij dan Uw groten Naam doen?
I Cananei e tutti gli abitanti del paese lo verranno a sapere, ci avvolgeranno, e faranno sparire il nostro nome dalla terra; e tu che farai per il tuo gran nome?”
Bo usłyszawszy Chananejczycy, i wszyscy obywatele tej ziemi, obtoczą nas zewsząd, a wytracą imię nasze z ziemi. I cóż to uczynisz imieniowi twemu wielkiemu?
Хананеи и все жители земли услышат и окружат нас и истребят имя наше с земли. И что сделаешь тогда имени Твоему великому?
迦南人 和這地 一切的 居民 聽見了 就必圍困 我們，將 我們的名 從 地上 除滅。那時你為你的大 名 要怎樣 行呢？」
For when the news comes to the Canaanites and all the people of the land, they will come up, shutting us in and cutting off our name from the earth: and what will you do for the honour of your great name?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 7:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Joshua’s prayer rises from deep concern for God’s reputation, not mere self-preservation. Barnes calls it a “bold expostulation … based upon God’s past promises and mercies.” Calvin notes that Joshua is “above all for the honor of the divine name, that it may remain inviolable.” Gill observes that “what wilt thou do unto thy great name? … was uppermost in the heart of Joshua, and was reserved by him as his strongest argument.” Keil and Delitzsch gloss the question: “How would God uphold His great name before the world?” The consensus is clear: Joshua’s appeal is a legitimate, biblically grounded plea that trusts in God’s covenant character. He does not excuse the sin, but he lays the people’s desperate situation before the Lord, confident that God’s own honor will compel His intervention.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Joshua's prayer appeals to God's name as the ultimate reason for deliverance, a pattern found in Moses' intercessions and commended by the major commentators.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The primary plea in Joshua's prayer | All traditions agree that Joshua's ultimate appeal is to God's reputation, not Israel's safety alone. | Some emphasize the boldness of wrestling with God (Reformed); others stress humility and concern for God's glory as a model for prayer (Wesleyan). Both converge on the same point. |
| The relation to Moses' intercessions | Commentators universally note that Joshua's prayer echoes Exodus 32, Numbers 14, and Deuteronomy 9, 32. | No significant debate; the parallels are recognized across traditions. |
| The meaning of 'great name' | God's name refers to His revealed character, reputation, and glory among the nations. | None; this is consistently understood across Protestant and Catholic traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The defeat at Ai struck Israel with shock. Only weeks earlier, Jericho had fallen by a miracle. Now thirty-six men lie dead, and the people’s hearts “melted and became like water” (v.5). In the ancient Near East, a nation’s god was assumed to protect his people. A defeat meant the god was weak or angry. Joshua’s prayer reflects this mindset: the Canaanites will hear of it, surround them, and “cut off our name from the earth.” To erase a people’s name was total conquest, no memory, no legacy.
Joshua tears his clothes, falls face-down before the ark, and puts dust on his head, acts of mourning and humiliation. Yet his prayer does not mention Achan’s sin. Instead, he echoes the intercessions of Moses after the golden calf and the spy report (Exodus 32:12; Numbers 14:13; Deuteronomy 9:28). Moses had argued that the Egyptians would mock Yahweh. God Himself, in Deuteronomy 32:26-27, says He would scatter Israel but for fear of the enemy’s pride. Joshua seizes this same argument: “What will you do for your great name?” The question is daring but not irreverent. It is a prayer grounded in Scripture, reminding God of His own promises and the danger of pagan blasphemy. The ark, symbol of God’s presence, is before him. Joshua is not charging God with failure; he is wrestling with the covenant God who has bound His reputation to this people.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries do not discuss textual variants for Joshua 7:9, indicating a stable Hebrew tradition. Translation differences, such as “environ us round” (KJV) versus “surround us” (WEB), reflect English style, not manuscript divergence. The Qere/Ketiv system shows no significant variation here.
Reception History
Reformation-era commentators like Calvin and the Geneva Bible Notes read this prayer as a model of holy boldness in intercession. The Geneva Bible’s marginal note highlights the concern for God’s name. Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) and John Wesley (Methodist) both commend Joshua’s prioritization of God’s glory over personal safety. In the broader tradition, this verse is often cited in sermons on prayer when the petitioner is aware of personal or corporate failure. The phrase “what wilt thou do unto thy great name?” has been echoed in hymns and devotional literature that emphasize reliance on God’s character. It also appears in theological treatments of God’s concern for His own glory, though that is a later development.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Crisis: Defeat and the Threat of Erasure (vv. 8-9a). Israel has turned their backs before their enemies. Joshua fears complete destruction, a fate that would erase Israel’s name from the earth. The sin that caused the defeat is not yet confessed, but the danger is real.
- The Plea: Anchored in God’s Great Name (v.9b). Joshua asks, “What will you do for your great name?” He moves from fear of extinction to confidence in God’s reputation. His argument is not Israel’s worthiness but God’s honor.
- The Response: God’s Answer through Repentance (vv.10-13). God does not rebuke the prayer. He tells Joshua to get up, reveals the hidden sin, and calls Israel to sanctify themselves. The prayer is not wrong, but incomplete: repentance must follow.
Five-point outline
- Honest Lament (vv.6-7). Joshua pours out his grief before the Lord, questioning why God brought them over the Jordan only to deliver them to destruction.
- Confusion and Complaint (v.8). “What shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs?” Joshua does not know how to address God in light of the defeat.
- The Fear of Pagan Mockery (v.9a). The Canaanites will hear and surround them. Joshua fears that Israel’s destruction will become a story of Yahweh’s failure.
- The Bold Appeal (v.9b). He pivots from Israel’s name to God’s name: “What will you do for your great name?” This is the heart of the prayer.
- God’s Directive (vv.10-13). God tells Joshua to stop lying on his face; there is sin in the camp. The prayer is answered not by deliverance but by exposure and a call to repentance.
Illustration hooks
- A student who fails a test because they did not study, then pleads with a teacher not to let the school’s reputation suffer. The teacher must address the failure first, but the student’s concern for the school’s name is not wrong.
- A company that loses a big client due to an employee’s mistake; the CEO appeals to the board not to let the brand’s image be tarnished, even while the employee’s error is being dealt with.
- A sports team that loses because a player broke the rules; the captain pleads with the coach to preserve the team’s honor, knowing punishment is still necessary.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to pray for God to act for His own glory even when I know I have sinned?
- Why didn’t Joshua confess the sin immediately? Does God want us to confess first or appeal to His mercy first?
- How do I know if my prayer is bold faith or just presumption?
Leading a Discussion
Joshua’s prayer after Ai confronts us with a tension: how do we pray when our own sin has caused the trouble? The answer is not to ignore the sin but to cast ourselves on God’s mercy and His own honor. These questions will help your group explore the text and apply it.
Discussion questions
- Read Joshua 7:6-9. What emotions do you see in Joshua’s words? How do his actions (tearing clothes, falling face-down) express those feelings?
- Why does Joshua focus on the Canaanites hearing about the defeat? What does that reveal about how he understands God’s reputation in the ancient world?
- How does Joshua’s question “what wilt thou do unto thy great name?” function as a plea? What arguments does he use to persuade God?
- Compare this prayer to Moses’ intercessions in Exodus 32:11-13 and Numbers 14:13-19. What is similar? What is different? Why might Joshua have been familiar with those prayers?
- In verse 10, God tells Joshua to “get up.” Why does God not answer the prayer directly? How does God’s response help us understand the relationship between prayer and repentance?
- When have you prayed for God to act “for His name’s sake” even when you knew you had failed? What makes that kind of prayer difficult? What makes it appropriate?
- How does this passage shape your understanding of bold, wrestling prayer? What keeps you from praying this way?
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)
| Exodus 32:12 | Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people. |
| Numbers 14:13 | Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them. |
| Deuteronomy 9:28 | lest the land you brought us out from say, ‘Because Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’ |
| Deuteronomy 32:26 | I said that I would scatter them afar. I would make their memory to cease from among men; |
| Deuteronomy 32:27 | were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted; Yahweh has not done all this.’” |
| Psalms 83:4 | “Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” |
| Psalms 106:6 | We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. |
| Psalms 106:8 | Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power known. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees this as a bold, wrestling prayer that appeals to God's own reputation. The argument is that if the Canaanites wipe out Israel, the pagan nations will mock God's name. So the plea is grounded not in Israel's worth but in what the enemy would say about God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Joshua's plea is driven by concern for God's honor, not just Israel's safety. If surrounding nations defeat Israel, they will boast that their own strength triumphed, ascribing the victory to themselves and dishonoring God. Joshua therefore begs the Lord to act before the enemy grows insolent and claims triumph over Him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Joshua appeals to God's concern for His own reputation, not just Israel's safety. If Israel is destroyed, the surrounding nations will see it and dishonor God's mighty name. The argument is that God's glory is tied to His people's survival.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Joshua's deepest concern was not Israel's survival but God's own reputation. Joshua reserved his strongest appeal for last: God's name, glory, and faithfulness were at stake in saving His people, making this argument from divine honor the most pressing in his heart.
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 directs the plea not toward our own needs but toward the honor of God's name. The urgent question is what God will do for His own great name when His people's failure threatens to bring reproach upon it. This concern for God's glory must outweigh every other consideration.