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?
The Canaanites and everyone else living in this land will hear about this defeat, and they'll surround us and completely destroy us so that no one will even remember we existed. What will happen to your great reputation then?
Joshua is worried that Israel's defeat will make God look weak to their enemies and cause Israel to be completely wiped out.
📚 Historical Context
This comes after Israel's shocking defeat at Ai, their first military loss since entering the Promised Land. Joshua is pleading with God, concerned that this defeat will embolden all the Canaanite nations to unite against Israel and destroy them completely. In ancient times, military victories and defeats were seen as direct reflections of a nation's god's power and favor.
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