The Meaning of Joshua 23:12 Explained

Joshua 23:12

KJV: Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

YLT: But -- if ye at all turn back and have cleaved to the remnant of these nations, these who are left with you, and intermarried with them, and gone in to them, and they to you,

Darby: For if ye in any wise go back, and cleave unto the residue of these nations, these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and come in unto them and they unto you:

ASV: Else if ye do at all go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Else if ye do in any wise  go back,  and cleave  unto the remnant  of these nations,  [even] these that remain  among you, and shall make marriages  with them, and go in  unto them, and they to you: 

What does Joshua 23:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 23:1-16 - Joshua's Farewell Address
Joshua's anxiety for the welfare of his people after his death has New Testament parallels. See Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 1:13-15; and especially John 13:1-38; John 14:1-31; John 15:1-27. As always, he lays stress on what the Lord had done, Joshua 23:14-1627; Joshua 23:5; Joshua 23:9. Not one ray of glory is stolen for himself.
He argues for their steadfastness on three grounds: There are the promises of Joshua 23:5; the threatenings of Joshua 23:11-13; the exhortations of 1713588996_2. Our failure to drive out the foes of our heart is due to our failure to follow the Lord. A lack of whole-hearted surrender lies at the root of all failure. Cleaving to the Lord is the Old Testament way of saying "abide in Christ," John 15:1-27.
In contrast to man's inconstancy and infidelity, notice the sublime testimony to God's faithfulness. "Not one thing hath failed," Joshua 23:14. When at last we review our life, we, too, shall be able to say as much, if only by His grace we are kept faithful and obedient. We cannot keep the old Covenant, but the new stands forever, Jeremiah 31:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 23

1  Joshua's exhortation before his death
3  by former benefits
5  by promises
11  and by threatenings

What do the individual words in Joshua 23:12 mean?

Or else if indeed you do go back and cling to the remnant of nations these that remain these among you and make marriages with them and go in to them and they to you
כִּ֣י ׀ אִם־ שׁ֣וֹב תָּשׁ֗וּבוּ וּדְבַקְתֶּם֙ בְּיֶ֙תֶר֙ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְהִֽתְחַתַּנְתֶּ֥ם בָּהֶ֛ם וּבָאתֶ֥ם בָּהֶ֖ם וְהֵ֥ם בָּכֶֽם

כִּ֣י ׀  Or  else 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שׁ֣וֹב  indeed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
תָּשׁ֗וּבוּ  you  do  go  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וּדְבַקְתֶּם֙  and  cling 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַק  
Sense: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.
בְּיֶ֙תֶר֙  to  the  remnant 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
הַגּוֹיִ֣ם  of  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים  that  remain 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַר  
Sense: to remain, be left over, be left behind.
הָאֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
אִתְּכֶ֑ם  among  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְהִֽתְחַתַּנְתֶּ֥ם  and  make  marriages 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָתַן 
Sense: to become a son-in-law, make oneself a daughter’s husband.
בָּהֶ֛ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וּבָאתֶ֥ם  and  go  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בָּהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וְהֵ֥ם  and  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
בָּכֶֽם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural