Joshua 10:19

19 And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand."

Joshua 10:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 10:19

And stay you not, [but] pursue after your enemies
That is, do not stay at this cave, but having placed a sufficient guard there, go in pursuit of the enemy, with as much celerity as possible:

and smite the hindmost of them;
their rear; or "tail" them F15, as the word is, cut off the tail of them:

suffer them not to enter their cities;
where they would not only be safe themselves for a while, but would be able to hold out against a siege for some time, and give much trouble to conquer them:

for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hands;
this he said to encourage them, and quicken them to the pursuit of them with all eagerness and vehemence. According to the Samaritan Chronicle F16, the signal or watchword was,

``God is strong in battle, God is his name.''


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (Mtba) "caudam eorum caedite", Pagninus, Vatablus, Masius, Drusius; "et decaudetis eos", Montanus; "decaudabitis eos", Munster.
F16 Apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 509.

Joshua 10:19 In-Context

17 And it was told Joshua, saying, "The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah."
18 So Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them.
19 And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand."
20 Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities.
21 And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.