Joshua 6:18

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But you must keep yourselves from taking any of the things devoted to destruction; otherwise, you will bring destruction upon the camp of Israel and trouble it.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְרַק־אַתֶּם֙ שִׁמְר֣וּ מִן־הַחֵ֔רֶם פֶּֽן־תַּחֲרִ֖ימוּ וּלְקַחְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַחֵ֑רֶם וְשַׂמְתֶּ֞ם אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְחֵ֔רֶם וַעֲכַרְתֶּ֖ם אוֹתֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

And only ʾattem šimrû from haḥērem lest pen-taḥărîmû and ûlĕqaḥtem from haḥērem and wĕśamtem ʾet-maḥănēh yiśrāʾēl to ḥērem and waʿăkartem it.

Grammar Details

• *wĕraq*: conjunction + adverb - and only
• *ʾattem*: pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural - you
• *šimrû*: verb, Qal imperative masculine plural - keep/guard
• *min*: preposition - from
• *haḥērem*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the devoted thing/banned thing
• *pen*: conjunction - lest
• *taḥărîmû*: verb, Hiphil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural - you devote to destruction
• *ûlĕqaḥtem*: conjunction + verb, Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural - and you take
• *wĕśamtem*: verb, Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with waw consecutive - and you will make
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *maḥănēh*: noun, masculine singular construct - camp of
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *lĕḥērem*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - to devoted destruction
• *waʿăkartem*: verb, Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with waw consecutive - and you will trouble
• *ʾôtô*: direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - it

Word Meanings

• *šimrû*: keep yourselves/guard/be careful
• *haḥērem*: the devoted thing/banned thing/dedicated to destruction
• *taḥărîmû*: you devote to destruction/you take what is banned/you trigger the ban
• *wĕśamtem*: and you will make/set/place
• *lĕḥērem*: for destruction/under ban/cursed
• *waʿăkartem*: and you will trouble/bring disaster upon/bring calamity to

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And you, by all means keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But as for you, only{H7535} keep{H8104} yourselves from the devoted thing,{H2764} lest when ye have devoted{H2763} it, ye take{H3947} of the devoted thing;{H2764} so would ye make{H7760} the camp{H4264} of Israel{H3478} accursed,{H2764} and trouble{H5916} it.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And ye, in any wise{H7535} keep{H8104}{(H8798)} yourselves from the accursed thing{H2764}, lest ye make yourselves accursed{H2763}{(H8686)}, when ye take{H3947}{(H8804)} of the accursed thing{H2764}, and make{H7760}{(H8804)} the camp{H4264} of Israel{H3478} a curse{H2764}, and trouble{H5916}{(H8804)} it.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Onely bewarre of it that is damned, lest ye damne youre selues (yf ye take ought of it which is damned) and make the hoost of Israel to be damned, and brynge it into mysfortune.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Notwithstanding, be ye ware of the execrable thing, lest ye make your selues execrable, and in taking of the execrable thing, make also the hoste of Israel execrable, and trouble it.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And in any wyse be ye ware of the accursed thinges, lest ye make your selues accursed, & take of the accursed thynges, and make the hoast of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and surely ye have kept from the devoted thing, lest ye devote `yourselves', and have taken from the devoted thing, and have made the camp of Israel become a devoted thing, and have troubled it;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when ye have devoted it, ye take of the devoted thing; so would ye make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when ye have devoted it, ye take of the devoted thing; so would ye make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And as for you, keep yourselves from the cursed thing, for fear that you may get a desire for it and take some of it for yourselves, and so be the cause of a curse and great trouble on the tents of Israel.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for God. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster.

Referenced Verses

• Josh 7:25 : 25 Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will trouble you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them with fire.
• Josh 7:1 : 1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully with the things designated for destruction. Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and the anger of the Lord burned against the Israelites.
• Josh 7:11-12 : 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, and they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
• Josh 7:15 : 15 The one caught with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the Lord’s covenant and has done an outrageous thing in Israel.
• Deut 7:26 : 26 Do not bring any detestable thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction just like it. Utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction.
• Deut 13:17 : 17 Gather all the spoil of that city into its public square and burn the city and all its plunder as a complete offering to the LORD your God. It must remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt.
• Josh 22:18-20 : 18 And now you are turning away from the LORD today! If you rebel against the LORD today, tomorrow He will be angry with the entire assembly of Israel. 19 If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then come over to the land the LORD possesses, where the LORD's tabernacle stands, and settle among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building an altar for yourselves other than the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a treachery regarding the devoted things, and wrath fell upon the entire assembly of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.'
• 1 Sam 14:28-42 : 28 Then one of the men said, 'Your father solemnly charged the people, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.' 29 Jonathan said, 'My father has brought trouble to the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted just a little of this honey.' 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the defeat of the Philistines have been even greater? 31 That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the troops were very exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder and took sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate them, along with the blood. 33 Someone reported to Saul, 'Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.' Saul said, 'You have broken faith. Roll a large stone over here to me at once.' 34 Then he said, 'Go among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your ox and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.’' That night, everyone brought their oxen and slaughtered them there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord. 36 Saul said, 'Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn. Let us not leave one of them alive.' They replied, 'Do whatever seems best to you.' But the priest said, 'Let us inquire of God here.' 37 Saul inquired of God, 'Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?' But He did not answer him that day. 38 Then Saul said, 'Come here, all you chiefs of the people. Investigate and find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord, who saves Israel, lives—even if it is my son Jonathan—he must die.' But no one among the people said a word. 40 Then Saul said to all Israel, 'You stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on the other.' And the people said to Saul, 'Do whatever seems right to you.' 41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel: 'Give a perfect lot.' Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the people were cleared. 42 Saul said, 'Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.' And Jonathan was taken.
• 2 Sam 21:1 : 1 During the days of David, there was a famine for three years, year after year. David sought the presence of the Lord, and the Lord said, "It concerns Saul and his house, who are guilty of bloodshed, for he killed the Gibeonites."
• 1 Kgs 18:17-18 : 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" 18 Elijah replied, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, by abandoning the commandments of the LORD and following the Baals.
• Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
• Jonah 1:12 : 12 He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will calm down for you, for I know that it is because of me this great storm has come upon you."
• Rom 12:9 : 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
• 2 Cor 6:17 : 17 Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.'
• Eph 5:11 : 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
• Jas 1:27 : 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
• 1 John 5:21 : 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.