Joshua 6:18 (GNV)

Passage

Notwithstanding, be ye ware of the execrable thing, lest ye make your selues execrable, and in taking of the execrable thing, make also the hoste of Israel execrable, and trouble it.

Nearby Context

Joshua 6:16 And when the Priests had blowen ye trumpets the seuenth time, Ioshua said vnto ye people, Shoute: for the Lord hath giuen you the citie.

Joshua 6:17 And the citie shalbe an execrable thing, both it, and all that are therein, vnto the Lord: onely Rahab the harlot shall liue, shee, and all that are with her in the house: for shee hid the messengers that we sent.

Joshua 6:18 Notwithstanding, be ye ware of the execrable thing, lest ye make your selues execrable, and in taking of the execrable thing, make also the hoste of Israel execrable, and trouble it.

Joshua 6:19 But all siluer, and gold, and vessels of brasse, and yron shalbe consecrate vnto the Lord, and shall come into the Lordes treasury.

Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted, whe they had blowen trumpets: for when the people had heard the sound of the trumpet, they shouted with a great shoute: and the wall fel downe flat: so the people went vp into the citie, euery man streight before him: and they tooke the citie.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "notwithstanding", "ware", "execrable", "lest", "make", "selues", and "taking". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "notwithstanding" and "ware", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "And the citie shalbe an execrable thing..." into verse 19's "But all siluer and gold and vessels...", so "notwithstanding" and "ware" belong inside that flow. In Joshua context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "notwithstanding" and "ware" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.