Josué 7:7 Midrash: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Sifrei Devarim & Bereshit Rabbah

R. Nachman said in the name of Rab: "What is the meaning of the passage (Prov. 18, 23) The poor speaketh entreatingly, but the rich answereth roughly. The poor speaketh, refers to Moses; and the rich, etc., refers to Joshua." What is the reason [for such an interpretation]? Shall I say because it is written (Josh. 6, 21) And he laid them out before the Lord? And R. Nachman explained this that he laid them down closely upon one another [and pleaded with Him], etc. Did not Pinchas do the same? As it is written (Ps. 106, 30) Then stood up Pinchas, etc. It ought to be written, va-yithpalel, which means, and he prayed, instead of va-ye phalel (debated). R. Elazar said: "Infer from this that he had debated with his Creator. He cast them before the Lord, saying: 'Sovereign of the Universe! were these so worthy that on account of them twenty-four thousand persons of Israel should fall? — as it is written (Num. 25, 9) And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.'" And if you infer it from the passage (Josh. 7, 7) Wherefore hast Thou caused this people to pass over the Jordan?— did not Moses say similar to this (Ex. 5, 22) Wherefore hast thou let so much evil come upon this people? We must therefore say, because Joshua said (Jos. 7, 7) Would that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan. (Ib., ib. 10) And the Lord said unto Joshua: Get thee up. R. Shilla lectured: The Holy One, praised be He! said to him: "Thine [transgressions] is worse than theirs, for I have said (Deut. 27, 4) And it shall be as soon as ye are gone above the Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, but ye went a distance of sixty miles before ye did this." After Shilla went away, Rab appointed an interpreter and lectured (Jos. 11. 15) As the Lord commanded Moses His servant, so did Moses command Joshua; and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. But why is it written, Get thee up? It means that the Lord said to him: Thou thyself hast caused all the evils, [because thou didst declare as accursed the goods of Jericho]. And this is meant by the passage (Ib. 8, 2) Only its spoil and its cattle shall ye take for booty unto yourselves.

"and he will cause them to inherit": If he causes them to inherit, they will inherit; if not, not. And thus do we find that when they went to do battle with Ai there fell of them some thirty-six righteous men, viz. (Joshua 7:5) "And the men of Ai smote of them some thirty-six righteous men … (6) and Joshua tore his clothing and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the L-rd until the evening … (7) and Joshua said: Ahah, L-rd, G-d, why did You bring this people across the Jordan … (8) Please, my L-rd, what shall I say now that Israel has turned its back … (10) And the L-rd said to Joshua: Arise! Why are you fallen on your face!'" Is this not what I said to Moses from the very beginning? If he passes over before them, they shall pass; if not, they shall not pass. If he causes them to inherit, they shall inherit; if not, they shall not inherit — and you sent them and did not pass over before them!

“The Lord said: If I find in Sodom fifty righteous people within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake” (Genesis 18:26).
“The Lord said: If I find in Sodom” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “For [I speak] of God who said: I have forgiven; I will not bring harm” (Job 34:31). This refers to what is written: “I will forgive [venasati] the entire place for their sake.” “I will not bring harm [eḥbol]” – [God said:] ‘I will not take collateral from them,⁵⁷To secure payment for their sins. as it is written: “If you take…as collateral [taḥbol]” (Exodus 22:25). Yet they pile up [ḥovelim] allegations against Me, saying: He does not judge properly.’ “What I do not see [biladai eḥeze]” (Job 34:32) – if something is beyond Me,⁵⁸This is the interpretation of biladai. If there is something that I have not seen, leading me to false judgment… go and examine My judgment.⁵⁹This is the interpretation of eḥeze. If I am mistaken, “you teach me” (Job 34:32). “If I have performed injustice” (Job 34:32) with the former generations, “I will not continue” (Job 34:32) with the latter ones.
“I am silent for him with his claims [badav]” (Job 41:4) – [God said to Abraham:] ‘For you and for the branches [badim] that emerge from you,⁶⁰For your descendants. I will be silent.’⁶¹Despite the harsh words that you and they speak before Me, I will remain silent. For Abraham, who said: “Far be it from You to do something like this”; for Moses, who said: “Why, Lord, will Your wrath be enflamed against your people?” (Exodus 32:11); for Joshua, who said: “Why did You take this people across…?” (Joshua 7:7); and for David, who said: “Why do You stand far off, Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1). “And his strident speech, and the elegance [ḥin] of his presentation” (Job 41:4) – grace [ḥen] was granted [to him] for the presentation of his lips, when he asked for mercy for the Sodomites.