Joshua 24 · Verse 12

Joshua 24:12

And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
Joshua 24:12, King James Version

Joshua 24:12 in other translations

BSBI sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you, but not by your own sword or bow.
WEBI sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.
ASVAnd I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
YLTAnd I send before you the hornet, and it casteth them out from your presence--two kings of the Amorite--not by thy sword, nor by thy bow.
DARBYAnd I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, as the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
BBEAnd I sent the hornet before you, driving out the two kings of the Amorites before you, not with your sword and your bow.
WebsterAnd I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

What does Joshua 24:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. I sent the hornet before you--a particular species of wasp which swarms in warm countries and sometimes assumes the scourging character of a plague; or, as many think, it is a figurative expression for uncontrollable terror (see on Ex 23:28).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 I sent the hornet before you - See the note on Exo 23:28.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 24:1-14

We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done. If he lengthen out our days beyond what we expected, like those of Joshua, it is because he has some further service for us to do. He who aims at the same mind which was in Christ Jesus, will glory in bearing the last testimony to his Saviour's goodness, and in telling to all around, the obligations with which the unmerited goodness of God has bound…

Read the full comment on Joshua 24:1-14 →

Joshua 24:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֶשְׁלַ֤חva.'esh.Lachand I sentH7971
לִפְנֵיכֶם֙lif.nei.Khem<to> before youH6440
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַצִּרְעָ֔הha.tzir.'Ahthe hornetH6880
וַתְּגָ֤רֶשׁva.te.Ga.reshand it drove outH1644
אוֹתָם֙'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םmi.pe.nei.Khemfrom before youH6440
שְׁנֵ֖יshe.Nei[the] twoH8147
מַלְכֵ֣יmal.Khei[the] kings ofH4428
הָאֱמֹרִ֑יha.'e.mo.Rithe Amorite[s]H567
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
בְחַרְבְּךָ֖ve.char.be.Khaby sword yourH2719
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
בְקַשְׁתֶּֽךָ\׃ve.kash.Te.chaby bow yourH7198

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 24:12

  • Exodus 23:28

    And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

  • Deuteronomy 7:20

    Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

  • Psalms 44:3-6

    For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I sent.
Ex 23:28; De 7:20
not.
Ps 44:3-6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 24:11

    And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

  • Joshua 24:12

    And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

  • Joshua 24:13

    And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

Read all of Joshua 24

Joshua 24:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y envié tábanos delante de vosotros, los cuales los echaron de delante de vosotros, á saber, á los dos reyes de los Amorrheos; no con tu espada, ni con tu arco.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et j’envoyai devant vous les frelons qui les chassèrent devant vous, comme les deux rois des Amoréens: ce ne fut point par ton épée ni par ton arc.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sandte die Hornissen vor euch her, und sie vertrieben sie vor euch, die beiden Könige der Amoriter; nicht mit deinem Schwert und nicht mit deinem Bogen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Misique ante vos crabrones: et ejeci eos de locis suis, duos reges Amorrhæorum, non in gladio nec in arcu tuo.