Joshua 10:26

26 And afterward Joshua smote them and put them to death, and he hung them on five trees. And they hung upon the trees until evening;

Joshua 10:26 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 10:26

And afterwards Joshua smote them and slew them
With the sword; either by his own hands, or by others whom he ordered to slay them:

and hanged them on five trees;
to their shame and disgrace, and the terror of others:

and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening;
by way of contempt of them, and as a spectacle of terror to others, especially to the inhabitants of Makkedah, and their king they were now besieging.

Joshua 10:26 In-Context

24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings." Then they came near, and put their feet on their necks.
25 And Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and of good courage; for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight."
26 And afterward Joshua smote them and put them to death, and he hung them on five trees. And they hung upon the trees until evening;
27 but at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set great stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
28 And Joshua took Makke'dah on that day, and smote it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed every person in it, he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makke'dah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.