Joshua Chapter 10
1 Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were amongst them,
2 they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 "Come up to me and help me. Let's strike Gibeon; for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel."
5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.
6 The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, "Don't abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us."
7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valour.
8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Don't fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you."
9 Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.
10 The LORD confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah.
11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, the LORD hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.
12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!"
13 The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn't this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn't hurry to go down about a whole day.
14 There was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
15 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
16 These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17 Joshua was told, saying, "The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah."
18 Joshua said, "Roll large stones to cover the cave's entrance, and set men by it to guard them;
19 but don't stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don't allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand."
20 When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
21 all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22 Then Joshua said, "Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me."
23 They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24 When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, "Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." They came near, and put their feet on their necks.
25 Joshua said to them, "Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight."
26 Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.
27 At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
28 Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30 The LORD delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.
32 The LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.
34 Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it.
35 They took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36 Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.
37 They took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.
38 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.
39 He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king.
40 So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded.
41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.
42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
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Joshua Chapter 10 Guide
This action of the Gibeonites in securing their own safety aroused the anger of the confederate kings and they proceeded to act against Gibeon in order to punish it. In their peril the men of Gibeon appealed to Joshua He instantly responded, for the gathering together of these kings created his opportunity. By forced marches he reached the scene of action. The rout of the kings was complete and was made more terrible by the storm of hail which swept upon them as they fled, killing more than were slain by the Israelitish hosts.
It was in connection with this defeat of the five kings that the day was lengthened for Joshua in answer to his prayer, sun and moon alike standing still at his command. To make this story a merely poetic description of a day not longer but fuller than usual is to declare it untrue, for the method of its telling leaves no doubt that the chronicler intended to record it as supernatural.
This decisive victory broke the ground for fresh triumphs. With the skill of a true general, Joshua followed up his advantage immediately. How long a period is covered by the events recorded, we have no means of knowing. That which is revealed is the determined and victorious movement ever onward until the whole of southern Canaan was in the possession of Israel.
Swiftly and surely the divine judgment was falling on the corrupt peoples, and the possibility of a new era in the history of humanity was being created by the coming of the chosen people into possession of the land.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Joshua Chapter 10 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Five kings war against Gibeon. -- (1-6)
- Joshua succours Gibeon, The sun and moon stand still. -- (7-14)
- The kings are taken, their armies defeated, and they are put to death. -- (15-27)
- Seven other kings defeated and slain. -- (28-43)
Verses 1-6
When sinners leave the service of Satan and the friendship of the world, that they make peace with God and join Israel, they must not marvel if the world hate them, if their former friends become foes. By such methods Satan discourages many who are convinced of their danger, and almost persuaded to be Christians, but fear the cross. These things should quicken us to apply to God for protection, help, and deliverance.
Verses 7-14
The meanest and most feeble, who have just begun to trust the Lord, are as much entitled to be protected as those who have long and faithfully been his servants. It is our duty to defend the afflicted, who, like the Gibeonites, are brought into trouble on our account, or for the sake of the gospel. Joshua would not forsake his new vassals. How much less shall our true Joshua fail those who trust in Him! We may be wanting in our trust, but our trust never can want success. Yet God's promises are not to slacken and do away, but to quicken and encourage our endeavours. Notice the great faith of Joshua, and the power of God answering it by the miraculous staying of the sun, that the day of Israel's victories might be made longer. Joshua acted on this occasion by impulse on his mind from the Spirit of God. It was not necessary that Joshua should speak, or the miracle be recorded, according to the modern terms of astronomy. The sun appeared to the Israelites over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Ajalon, and there they appeared to be stopped on their course for one whole day. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? forms a sufficient answer to ten thousand difficulties, which objectors have in every age started against the truth of God as revealed in his written word. Proclamation was hereby made to the neighbouring nations, Behold the works of the Lord, and say, What nation is there so great as Israel, who has God so nigh unto them?
Verses 15-27
None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. This shows their perfect safety. The kings were called to an account, as rebels against the Israel of God. Refuges of lies will but secure for God's judgment. God punished the abominable wickedness of these kings, the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And by this public act of justice, done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of the sins of the nations that God cast out from before them. Here is a type and figure of Christ's victories over the powers of darkness, and of believers' victories through him. In our spiritual conflicts we must not be satisfied with obtaining some important victory. We must pursue our scattered enemies, searching out the remains of sin as they rise up in our hearts, and thus pursue the conquest. In so doing, the Lord will afford light until the warfare be accomplished.
Verses 28-43
Joshua made speed in taking these cities. See what a great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we will be diligent, and improve our opportunities. God here showed his hatred of the idolatries and other abominations of which the Canaanites had been guilty, and shows us how great the provocation was, by the greatness of the destruction brought upon them. Here also was typified the destruction of all the enemies of the Lord Jesus, who, having slighted the riches of his grace, must for ever feel the weight of his wrath. The Lord fought for Israel. They could not have gotten the victory, if God had not undertaken the battle. We conquer when God fights for us; if he be for us, who can be against us?
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.