Yehoshua 10:1-15

1 0 Now it came to pass, when Adoni-Tzedek Melech Yerushalayim had heard how Yehoshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; just as he had done to Yericho and its melech, so he had done to Ai and its melech; and how the inhabitants of Giv’on had made terms of shalom with Yisroel, and were near them;
2 That they feared greatly, because Giv’on was an ir gedolah, like one of the royal cities, and because it was larger than Ai, and all the men thereof were gibborim.
3 Therefore Adoni-Tzedek Melech Yerushalayim, sent unto Hoham Melech Chevron, and unto Piram Melech Yarmut, and unto Yaphia Melech Lachish, and unto Devir Melech Eglon, saying,
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may attack Giv’on; for it hath made terms of shalom with Yehoshua and with the Bnei Yisroel.
5 Therefore the five kings of HaEmori, the Melech Yerushalayim, the Melech Chevron, the Melech Yarmut, the Melech Lachish, the Melech Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their machanot, and encamped before Giv’on, and made war against it.
6 And the anshei Giv’on sent unto Yehoshua to the machaneh at Gilgal, saying, Abandon not thy yad from thy avadim; come up to us quickly, save us, help us; for all the melachim of HaEmori that dwell in the har are gathered together against us.
7 So Yehoshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and kol Am HaMilchamah with him, and kol gibborei hachayil.
8 And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, Fear them not; for I have delivered them into thine yad; there shall not an ish of them stand before thee.
9 Yehoshua therefore came unto them pitom, and went up from Gilgal kol halailah.
10 And Hashem threw them into confusion before Yisroel, and struck them with a makkah gedolah at Giv’on, and pursued them along the derech that goeth up to Beit-Choron, and cut them down to Azekah, and to Makkedah.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Yisroel, and were in the going down to Beit-Choron, that Hashem cast down avanim gedolot from Shomayim upon them unto Azekah, and they died; they were more which died with avnei habarad (hailstones) than they whom the Bnei Yisroel slaughtered with the cherev.
12 Then spoke Yehoshua to Hashem in the day when Hashem delivered up HaEmori before the Bnei Yisroel, and he said in the sight of Yisroel, Shemesh, stand thou still upon Giv’on; and thou, Yarei’ach, in the Emek Ayalon.
13 And the shemesh stood still, the yarei’ach stopped, until the Goy had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the Sefer HaYasher? So the shemesh stood still in the middle of Shomayim, and hastened not to go down about a yom tamim (whole day).
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that Hashem paid heed unto the voice of an ish; for Hashem fought for Yisroel.
15 And Yehoshua returned, and kol Yisroel with him, unto the machaneh at Gilgal.

Yehoshua 10:1-15 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.

The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.