Joshua 7:13

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.

Up {H6965}, sanctify {H6942} the people {H5971}, and say {H559}, Sanctify {H6942} yourselves against to morrow {H4279}: for thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068} God {H430} of Israel {H3478}, There is an accursed thing {H2764} in the midst {H7130} of thee, O Israel {H3478}: thou canst {H3201} not stand {H6965} before {H6440} thine enemies {H341}, until ye take away {H5493} the accursed thing {H2764} from among {H7130} you.

So get up, consecrate the people, and say, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says: "Isra'el, you have things under the curse of destruction among you; and you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the things that were to have been destroyed from among you."

Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

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

Commentary

Joshua 7:13 marks a pivotal moment in Israel's conquest of Canaan, revealing the divine reason behind their unexpected defeat at Ai. After the miraculous victory at Jericho, Israel faced a humiliating setback, leading Joshua to lament before God. This verse records God's direct instruction to Joshua, pinpointing the cause of their failure: the presence of an "accursed thing" among them.

Context

Following the stunning victory over Jericho, where God delivered the city into Israel's hands (Joshua 6:20), strict instructions were given regarding the spoils: everything was to be devoted to the LORD, either destroyed or brought into the treasury, with nothing taken for personal gain. This was known as cherem, the "accursed thing" or "devoted thing," meaning it was set apart exclusively for God, often for destruction. Disobedience to this command carried severe consequences. When Israel then attacked the seemingly weaker city of Ai, they were inexplicably routed (Joshua 7:4-5). Joshua's desperate prayer was met with a stark divine rebuke and this command to "sanctify the people," indicating a spiritual impurity within the camp.

Key Themes

  • Holiness and Consecration: The command to "Sanctify yourselves" (Hebrew: qadash) is a call to ritual and spiritual purification. It means to set oneself apart for God, to be made holy and clean. This was necessary because God, who is holy, could not dwell or fight on behalf of an impure people.
  • Corporate Responsibility: The sin of one individual, Achan, who secretly took some of the forbidden spoils from Jericho (Joshua 7:21), brought judgment upon the entire nation. This highlights the biblical principle that in a covenant community, the actions of its members can have collective consequences, affecting the whole body.
  • The "Accursed Thing" (Cherem): This term refers to something devoted to God, often for destruction, and forbidden for human use. Its presence in the camp defiled Israel and broke their covenant with God, rendering them vulnerable to their enemies. It was a direct act of disobedience to God's specific command for the conquest of Canaan.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: God explicitly states, "thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you." This underscores that spiritual purity and obedience are prerequisites for divine blessing and victory, particularly in spiritual warfare.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew verb for "sanctify" is qadash (קָדַשׁ), meaning "to be set apart," "to be holy," or "to consecrate." It implies both a ritual cleansing and a moral separation from defilement. The phrase "accursed thing" translates the Hebrew cherem (חֵרֶם), which carries the strong connotation of something utterly devoted to God, often for destruction, and therefore forbidden for human appropriation. Its violation brought a curse upon the community.

Practical Application

This passage serves as a powerful reminder for believers today. Just as Israel needed to remove the "accursed thing" to regain God's favor and victory, so too must individuals and communities address sin that hinders their spiritual progress. This calls for:

  • Personal Examination: A commitment to self-reflection and confession of any hidden sins that defile our walk with God (Psalm 139:23-24).
  • Corporate Purity: A recognition that the spiritual health of a community (church, family) can be impacted by unaddressed sin among its members. There is a call to foster an environment of accountability and repentance, striving for the purity Christ desires for His church (Ephesians 5:27).
  • Obedience as a Prerequisite for Blessing: God's blessings and victories are often tied to our obedience to His commands. Disobedience, even seemingly minor, can open the door to spiritual defeat.

Joshua 7:13 teaches that genuine spiritual power and success flow from a consecrated life and a holy community, free from anything that is an "accursed thing" in God's sight.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Lamentations 3:40

    Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

  • Lamentations 3:41

    Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands unto God in the heavens.

  • Joshua 3:5

    And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

  • Joshua 7:11

    Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff.

  • Matthew 7:5

    Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

  • Joshua 6:18

    And ye, in any wise keep [yourselves] from the accursed thing, lest ye make [yourselves] accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

  • Zephaniah 2:1

    ¶ Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
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