Joshua 10:1-7

The Sun Stands Still

1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed^[a] it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies.

2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.

3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon.

4 “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.

Read Chapter Compare

Joshua 10:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 10

This chapter treats of the combination of five kings against the Gibeonites, Jos 10:1-5; and of the application of the Gibeonites to Joshua, for assistance, in virtue of the league between them, which was granted, Jos 10:6-9; of the slaughter of the army by the kings of Israel, and chiefly by hailstones from heaven, Jos 10:10,11; and of the standing still of the sun, and of the moon, while vengeance was taken on them, Jos 10:12-14; and of the five kings being hid in a cave, and of the usage of them when taken, Jos 10:15-27; and of the taking of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, Jos 10:28-39; which finished the conquest of the southern part of the land, Jos 10:40-43.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 16

1. ver 3
2. Joshua 12:10; Joshua 15:8,63; Joshua 18:28; Judges 1:7
3. S Joshua 8:1
4. S Deuteronomy 20:16; S Joshua 8:22
5. Joshua 9:3
6. S Joshua 9:15
7. S Genesis 13:18
8. ver 5; Joshua 12:11; Joshua 15:35; Joshua 21:29; Nehemiah 11:29
9. ver 5,31; Joshua 12:11; Joshua 15:39; 2 Kings 14:19; 2 Chronicles 11:9; 2 Chronicles 25:27; 2 Chronicles 32:9; Nehemiah 11:30; Isaiah 36:2; Isaiah 37:8; Jeremiah 34:7; Micah 1:13
10. ver 38; Joshua 11:21; Joshua 12:13; Joshua 13:26; Joshua 15:7,49; Joshua 21:15; Judges 1:11; 1 Chronicles 6:58
11. ver 23,34,36; Joshua 12:12; Joshua 15:39
12. S Joshua 9:15
13. ver 16
14. Numbers 13:29; S Deuteronomy 1:7
15. S Deuteronomy 11:30
16. Joshua 8:1

Footnotes 1

[a]. The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 28, 35, 37, 39 and 40.