SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:6
¶ Entonces Josué rompió sus vestidos, y se postró en tierra sobre su rostro delante del arca del SEÑOR hasta la tarde, él y los ancianos de Israel; echando polvo sobre sus cabezas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:6
Verse 6. Joshua rent his clothes, &c.] It was not in consequence of this slight discomfiture, simply considered in itself, that Joshua laid this business so much to heart; but 1. Because the people melted, and became as water, and there was little hope that they would make any stand against the enemy; and 2. Because this defeat evidently showed that God had turned his hand against them. Had it not been so, their enemies could not have prevailed. Put dust upon their heads.] Rending the clothes, beating the breast, tearing the hair, putting dust upon the head, and falling down prostrate, were the usual marks of deep affliction and distress. Most nations have expressed their sorrow in a similar way. The example of the distressed family of King Latinus, so affectingly related by Virgil, may be adduced in illustration of many passages in the history of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, &c.
Regina ut testis venientem prospicit hostem - Purpureos moritura manu discindit amictus - Filia prima manu flavos Lavinia crines, Et roseas laniata genas. - It scissa veste Latinus - Canitiem immundo perfusam pulvere turpans. AEn. lib. xii., ver. 594.
"The queen, who saw the foes invade the town, And brands on tops of burning houses thrown, She raves against the gods, she beats her breast, And tears, with both her hands, her purple vest.
The sad Lavinia rends her yellow hair, And rosy cheeks; the rest her sorrow share.
Latinus tears his garments as he goes, Both for his public and his private woes; With filth his venerable beard besmears, And sordid dust deforms his silver hairs." DRYDEN.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. And Joshua rent his clothes , etc.] As was usual in those ancient times, on hearing bad news, and as expressive of grief and trouble f102 ; (see Genesis 37:29,34 Job 1:20); and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord, until the eventide ; in a posture of adoration and prayer, in which he continued till even; how long that was cannot be said, since the time is not mentioned when the army returned from Ai; very probably it was some time in the afternoon: this was done before the ark of the Lord, the symbol of the divine Presence, not in the most holy place, where that usually was, and into which Joshua might not enter, but in the tabernacle of the great court, over against where the ark was: he and the elders of Israel ; either the elders of the people in the several tribes, or rather the seventy elders, which were the sanhedrim or council, and which attended Joshua, and assisted him as such; and put dust upon their heads ; another rite or ceremony used in times of mourning and distress, and that very anciently, before Joshua’s time and after, (see Job 2:12 1 Samuel 4:12 2 Samuel 1:2); and among various nations; so when Achilles bewailed the death of Patroclus, he is represented by Homer taking with both his hands the black earth, and pouring it on his head; so Aristippus among the Athenians is said to sprinkle dust on his head in token of mourning on a certain account.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-9 - Joshua's concern for the honour of God, more than even for the fate of Israel, was the language of the Spirit of adoption. He pleaded with God. He laments their defeat, as he feared it would reflect on God' wisdom and power, his goodness and faithfulness. We cannot at any tim urge a better plea than this, Lord, what wilt thou do for thy grea name? Let God be glorified in all, and then welcome his whole will.
Original Hebrew
ויקרע 7167 יהושׁע 3091 שׂמלתיו 8071 ויפל 5307 על 5921 פניו 6440 ארצה 776 לפני 6440 ארון 727 יהוה 3068 עד 5704 הערב 6153 הוא 1931 וזקני 2205 ישׂראל 3478 ויעלו 5927 עפר 6083 על 5921 ראשׁם׃ 7218
