## Rashi on Joshua Chapter 7 ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:2:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:2:1) **עִם בֵּית אָוֶן** אֵצֶל בֵּית אָוֶן. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Adjacent to Beis Aven.** Near Beis Aven. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:2:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:2:2) **מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית אֵל** מִמִּזְרַח לְבֵית אֵל. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **To the east of Beis Eil.** From the east of Beis Eil. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:5:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:5:1) **עַד הַשְּׁבָרִים** (תַּרְגּוּם:) עַד דְּתַבְרוּנוֹן.* **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Until Shevarim,** until they were broken.¹ footnotes: ¹ The place was called Shevarim lit. broken. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:7:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:7:1) **וְלוּ הוֹאַלְנוּ** הַלְוַאי נִמְלַכְנוּ לָשֶׁבֶת בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרָחָה, בְּאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שֶׁנִכְבְּשָׁה כְּבָר. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **We should have been content.** We should have decided to dwell on the eastern side of the Jordan, in the land of Sichon and Og which has already been captured. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:9:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:9:1) **וּמַה תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשִׁמְךָ** הַמְשׁוּתָּף בִּשְׁמֵנוּ, זֶהוּ מִדְרָשׁוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ וּמַה תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשֵׁם גְּבוּרָתְךָ שֶׁיָּצָא כְּבָר, וְעַתָּה יֹאמְרוּ תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And what will you do for Your Name, which is associated with our name?²** This is the Aggadic interpretation. The simple meaning is, What will you do for your mighty Name, that has already achieved such fame; and now they will be able to say, His strength has become lessened. footnotes: ² God’s Name, אֵל is part of our name יִשְׂרָאֵל. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:10:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:10:1) **קֻם לָךְ** קָם לָךְ כְּתִיב, עָמַד לְךָ מַה שֶּׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ לְפָנַי וְהִזְכַּרְתָּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: עָמַדְתָּ לְךָ בַּמַּחֲנֶה וְלֹא יָצָאתָ עִמָּהֶם, וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי: (במדבר כז יז), אֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם, (דברים לא כג): כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל... וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ: (שם ג כח), כִּי הוּא יַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהוּא יַנְחִיל אוֹתָם אִם תֵּלֵךְ אַתָּה לִפְנֵיהֶם יַצְלִיחוּ, וְאִם לָאו לֹא יַצְלִיחוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: **קֻם לָךְ** בִּשְׁבִילְךָ זֹאת לָהֶם, לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ לְהַקְדִּישׁ שְׁלַל הָעִיר. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Get yourself up.** [Even though we read the word as קֻם], it is written קם [which could be read קָם]. [The explanation therefore would be as follows]: Your prayers to Me have stood up for you, and [everything] you mentioned.³ Another explanation: you stood yourself in the camp and did not go out with them,⁴ and I had said, ‘Who will take them out [to war] and who will bring them [back].’⁵ ‘For you will bring the Bnei Yisroel— and I will be with you.’⁶ ‘For he will cross over before this people, and he will spur them on to inherit.’⁷ If you go before them, they will succeed, and if not, they will not succeed. Another explanation: Get *yourself* up, it is your fault [because of you] that this has happened to them. I did not tell you to sanctify the booty of the city. footnotes: ³ Your prayers and everything you said have accomplished their purpose. I will not permit the people to be defeated. ⁴ When you sent the men to capture the city of Ai, you remained at the camp and did not lead them. ⁵ Bamidbar 27:17. ⁶ Devorim 31:23. ⁷ Devorim 3:28. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:14:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:14:1) **לַבָּתִּים** יֵשׁ בְּמִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת הַרְבֵּה בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Households.** In one family grouping there can be many individual households. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:14:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:14:2) **לַגְּבָרִים** לְרָאשֵׁי גּוּלְגּוֹלֶת, כָּל אַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת יָבֹאוּ לַגּוֹרָל. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Men** Individualy, man by man. Each man of the household was to come to the choosing of lots. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:15:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:15:1) **(תוספת) יִשָּׂרֵף בָּאֵשׁ** הָאֹהֶל וְהַמִּטַּלְטְלִין. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **Burned with fire.** His tent and movable property [shall be burned]. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:15:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:15:2) **אֹתוֹ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ** כַּדִּין הַמְפוֹרָשׁ לְּמַטָּה (להלן פסוק כה): אוֹתוֹ וְהַבְּהֵמָה בִּסְקִילָה, וְהַזָּקֵף שֶׁהוּא עַל 'בָּאֵשׁ' מוֹכִיחַ שֶׁהוּא נִפְרָד 'מֵאוֹתוֹ', שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁהַטַּעַם מְחַלְּקָן, כְּמוֹ (דברים יא ל): אַחֲרֵי דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, שֶׁ'אַחֲרֵי' מוּפְלָג 'מִדֶּרֶךְ' עַל יְדֵי הַטַּעַם, וְכֵן פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: הַנִּלְכָּד בַּחֵרֶם יִשָּׂרֵף בָּאֵשׁ, הָרָאוּי לִישָּׂרֵף כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ לְּמַטָּה. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **He and all that he possesses.** [This should be understood] according to the law explained below— he and his livestock [are put to death] by stoning.⁸ The *zakeif* accent, appearing over the word, בָּאֵשׁ indicates that the word בָּאֵשׁ (with fire) is separated from the word אוֹתוֹ, (he). We find other verses in which the accent divides the verse, such as, ‘אַחַרֵי דֶרֶך מְבוֹא הַשֶׁמֶשׁ’⁹ (Far past the Jordan, the direction in which the sun sets). The word אַחַרֵי is separated from the word דֶרֶך by virtue of the [*pashta*] accent. Thus the interpretation of our verse is: He who is convicted [by the Ark] because of his taking of the condemned, shall be burned with fire, [which means] that which is fit to be burned [shall be burned], as is explained below.¹⁰ footnotes: ⁸ See below v. 25. ⁹ Devorim 11:30. See Rashi and Sifsei Chachomim there. ¹⁰ V. 25. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:15:3 [Rashi on Joshua 7:15:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:15:3) **אֹתוֹ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ** כַּדִּין הָאָמוּר לְּמַטָּה, וְזֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ (שמואל ב ה ח): כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר, לֹא פֵּירַשׁ מַה יִּהְיֶה לוֹ. וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (א יא ו) פֵּירַשׁ: יִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ, אַף כָּאן לֹא פֵּירַשׁ מַה יִּהְיֶה בְּ'אוֹתוֹ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ' וּלְמַטָּה פֵּירַשׁ. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **He and all that he possesses.** [This should be understood.] According to the law explained below.¹¹ This is an abbreviated verse, and there is a similar verse to it: ‘Whoever strikes the Jebusites and reaches the tower.’¹² The verse does not explain what will be done to him,¹³ but in Sefer Divrei Ha Yomim,¹⁴ it is explained ‘that he will become a leader.’ Here too, it is not explained what will be done to him ‘and to all that he possesses,’ but everything is explained below.¹⁵ footnotes: ¹¹ Ibid. ¹² II Shmuel 5:8. ¹³ We are not told what reward will be given to the one who reaches the tower. ¹⁴ I Divrei Hayumim 11:5. ¹⁵ V. 25. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:16:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:16:1) **וַיַּקְרֵב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל** לִפְנֵי הַחֹשֶׁן, מָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁבָטִים כְּתוּבִים, וּמָסַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סִימָן, שֶׁהַשֵּׁבֶט שֶׁחָטָא אַבְנוֹ כָּהָה, וְכָהֲתָה אַבְנוֹ שֶׁל יְהוּדָה. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And brought the Bnei Yisroel near.** He brought them in front of the *Choshen*¹⁶ was one of the sacred garments worn by the *Kohein Gadol.* The Divine decisions were given through the letters inscribed on the *Choshen.* on which the names of the tribes were inscribed. The Holy One, blessed is He, gave him a sign— the stone of the sinning tribe will fade, and the stone inscribed with Yehudah’s name, faded. footnotes: ¹⁶ The Choshen ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:17:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:17:1) **וַיַּקְרֵב אֶת מִשְׁפַּחַת יְהוּדָה** לְגוֹרָל אֶחָד קֵרַב רָאשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת, אָדָם אֶחָד מִכָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה וְהִטִּילוּ גּוֹרָל עַל מִי יִפּוֹל, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַל כָּל בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ מִשְׁפָּחָה, וּבָא אָדָם אֶחָד מִכָּל בֵּית אָב לְגוֹרָל, וְאַחַר כֵּן בָּאוּ כָּל אַנְשֵׁי אוֹתוֹ הַבַּיִת. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And when he brought near the family of Yehudah.** To the initial casting of lots he brought the heads of families near, one man from each family, and they cast lots [to see] on whom it would fall. Afterwards lots were cast on each household— one man from each household came to the casting of lots, and then came all the men of that particular household. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:19:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:19:1) **שִׂים־נָא כָבוֹד** הִתְחִיל לְהוֹצִיא לַעַז עַל הַגּוֹרָל, אָמַר לוֹ: בְּגוֹרָל אַתָּה בָּא עָלַי, אַתָּה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר אַתֶּם; הַטֵּל הַגּוֹרָל עַל שְׁנֵיכֶם, וְיִפּוֹל עַל הָאֶחָד. אָמַר לוֹ: שִׂים־נָא כָבוֹד, בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ, אַל תּוֹצִיא לַעַז עַל הַגּוֹרָלוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ עֲתִידָה הָאָרֶץ לֵיחָלֵק. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **I beseech you, give honor.** Ochan began to defame the casting of lots.¹⁷ He said to Yehoshua, “On the basis of casting lots, Are you accusing me? You and Elozer, the *Kohein,* are the greatest of the generation. If a lot was cast between you, it would certainly fall on one of you.”¹⁸ Yehoshua then said to him, ‘I beseech you, give honor, (etc).’ “I ask you, please do not defame the method of casting lots, for this is the way the land will ultimately be divided.”¹⁹ footnotes: ¹⁷ As a means of establishing guilt. ¹⁸ Therefore lots are not a definitive method of reaching a decision. ¹⁹ You are therefore casting doubt on the division of the land. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:20:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:20:1) **וַיַּעַן עָכָן** רָאָה בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נֶאֱסָפִים לְמִלְחָמָה, אָמַר: מוּטָב שֶׁאָמוּת אֲנִי לְבַדִּי וְאַל יֵהָרְגוּ כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And Ochan answered.** He saw the men of [the tribe of] Yehudah assembling for war,²⁰ and he said, “It is better that I alone should die rather than have many thousands of Bnei Yisroel killed.”²¹ footnotes: ²⁰ They were prepared to go to war to protect Ochan, who was one of their tribe. ²¹ There would have been a civil war between the tribe of Yehudah and the other tribes. This would have caused thousands of casualties. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:20:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:20:2) **וְכָזֹאת וְכָזֹאת עָשִׂיתִי** גַּם בַּחֲרָמִים אֲחֵרִים בִּימֵי משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כא ב): וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי אֶת עָרֵיהֶם. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And I have done the following.** (Lit. and this and this have I done)²² I also sinned regarding other sacred things, during the days of Moshe, as it is said, ‘I will sanctify their cities.’²³ footnotes: ²² The implication was that this was not the only time he had sinned regarding sacred things. ²³ Bamidbar 21:2. This occurred when the Bnei Yisroel took revenge against Midian and declared that some of the booty be considered sacred. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:21:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:21:1) **וָאֵרֶא בַשָּׁלָל** הִתְבּוֹנַנְתִּי בְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (דברים כ יד): וְאָכַלְתָּ [אֶת־שְׁלַל] וְגוֹ'. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **I saw amidst the spoils**—I gave thought to what is written in the Torah,²⁴ understands וָאֵרֶה as referring to intellectual comprehension. ‘and you shall consume, [the booty] etc.’²⁵ footnotes: ²⁴ Rashi ²⁵ Devorim 20:14. Ochan took this verse as a command to consume the booty captured from the enemy. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:21:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:21:2) **אַדֶּרֶת שִׁנְעָר** תַּרְגּוּמוֹ: אִיצְטְלָא (דְּמֵילָתָא) בַּבְלִי, שֶׁכָּל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה לוֹ פַּלְטֵרִין בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַּעְתּוֹ בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ג יט): וְאֶתֵּן־לָךְ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה נַחֲלַת צְבִי צִבְאוֹת גּוֹיִם, וְהָיָה לְמֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל פַּלְטֵרִין בִּירִיחוֹ, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה בָּא לְכָאן לוֹבֵשׁ אוֹתָם. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **A Babylonian garment.** This is translated according to the Targum. Any king who did not possess a palace in Eretz Yisroel, was not content with his kingship, as it is said, ‘And I will give you a desired land, and inheritance desired by many nations.’²⁶ The king of Babylonia had a palace in Yericho, and when he visited here he would wear them.²⁷ footnotes: ²⁶ Yirmiahu 3:19. The verse obviously refers to Eretz Yisroel, which is the land desired many kings. ²⁷ This explains how a Babylonian garment was found in Yericho. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:22:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:22:1) **וַיָּרֻצוּ הָאֹהֱלָה** שֶׁלֹּא יַקְדִּימוּ שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וְיִטְּלוּהָ מִשָּׁם לְהַכְחִישׁ אֶת הַגּוֹרָל. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And they ran to [his] tent.** They wanted to get there before the tribe of Yehudah had a chance to remove the articles and deny the accuracy of the lots. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:23:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:23:1) **וַיַּצִּקֻם** (תַּרְגּוּם:) וְאַתִּיכוּנוּן, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (סנהדרין מד א): בָּא וַחֲבָטָן לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עַל אֵלּוּ יִפְּלוּ רוּבָּן שֶׁל סַנְהֶדְרִין. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And they spread them out.** The Targum renders וַיַצִקָם as וְאַתִּיכוּנוּן [which implies, and they melted them] Our Sages said, ‘He [Yehoshua] came and cast them before the Omnipresent. He said before him, “Master of the universe, for these, shall the bulk of Sanhedrin fall?’”²⁸ footnotes: ²⁸ Because of these insignificant items, will You punish them. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:24:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:24:1) **וְאֶת בָּנָיו וְגוֹ' וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל** לִרְאוֹת בְּרִדּוּיוֹ וְיִוַּסְּרוּ מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת כָּמוֹהוּ. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **His sons etc., and all of Yisroel.**²⁹ To witness his downfall, and to be forewarned against doing as he did. footnotes: ²⁹ Why was it necessary to bring all of Yisroel? Rashi therefore explains—to witness his downfall. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:24:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:24:2) **וְאֶת שׁוֹרוֹ וְאֶת חֲמֹרוֹ** לְאַבְּדָם, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (לעיל פסוק טו): וְהָיָה הַנִּלְכָּד בַּחֵרֶם יִשָּׂרֵף בָּאֵשׁ אֹתוֹ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **His ox(en) and his mule(s)** to destroy them, as it was said, ‘And he who is convicted by [his guilt in taking of] the sacred things, shall be burned with fire, he and all that he possesses.’³⁰ footnotes: ³⁰ See Verse 15 above, and Rashi’s commentary there. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:25:1 [Rashi on Joshua 7:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:25:1) **וַיִּרְגְּמוּ אֹתוֹ... אֶבֶן** שֶׁחִלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And [they] stoned him.**³¹ He had desecrated the Shabbos. footnotes: ³¹ Why this particular death? Rashi answers. he desecrated the Shabbos. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:25:2 [Rashi on Joshua 7:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:25:2) **וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ אֹתָם** הָאֹהֶל וְהַמִּטַּלְטְלִין. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And they burned them.** This refers to the tent, and all other movable objects. ###### Rashi on Joshua 7:25:3 [Rashi on Joshua 7:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Joshua/r/7:25:3) **וַיִּסְקְלוּ אֹתָם** הַשּׁוֹר וְהַבְּהֵמָה. **The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997:** **And they stoned them.** This refers to the ox(en) and other animals.