Joshua 10:20-30

20 It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaying them with a very great slaughter, ¹until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them had entered the fortified cities,

21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave."

23 They did so, and ²brought these five kings out to him from the cave: 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 these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near, ³put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua then said to them, "⁴Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight."

26 So afterward * Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he ⁵hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening.

27 It came about at sunset * that Joshua gave a command, and ⁶they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where * they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; ⁷he utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah ⁸just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Joshua's Conquest of Southern Palestine

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to ⁹Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

30 The LORD gave it also with its king into the hands of Israel, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. Thus he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

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Joshua 10:20-30 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 9

1. Deuteronomy 20:16
2. Deuteronomy 7:24
3. Malachi 4:3
4. Joshua 10:8
5. Joshua 8:29
6. Deuteronomy 21:22, 23
7. Deuteronomy 20:16
8. Joshua 6:21
9. Joshua 15:42; Joshua 21:13

Footnotes 7

[a]. Lit "striking"
[b]. Lit "and had"
[c]. Lit "sharpened his tongue"
[d]. Lit "the time of the going of the sun"
[e]. Or "put under the ban"
[f]. Some mss read "them"
[g]. Lit "soul," and so throughout the ch