Joshua 10:16-43

16 These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

17 It was told Yehoshua, saying, The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.

18 Yehoshua said, Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them:

19 but don't stay; pursue after your enemies, and strike the hindmost of them; don't allow them to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.

20 It happened, when Yehoshua and the children of Yisra'el had made an end of killing them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,

21 that all the people returned to the camp to Yehoshua at Makkedah in shalom: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Yisra'el.

22 Then said Yehoshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth those five kings to me out of the cave.

23 They did so, and brought forth those five kings to him out of the cave, the king of Yerushalayim, the king of Hevron, the king of Yarmut, the king of Lakhish, the king of `Eglon.

24 It happened, when they brought forth those kings to Yehoshua, that Yehoshua called for all the men of Yisra'el, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings. They came near, and put their feet on the necks of them.

25 Yehoshua said to them, Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom you fight.

26 Afterward Yehoshua struck them, and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging on the trees until the evening.

27 It happened at the time of the going down of the sun, that Yehoshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

28 Yehoshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it: he utterly destroyed them and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Yericho.

29 Yehoshua passed from Makkedah, and all Yisra'el with him, to Livna, and fought against Livna:

30 and the LORD delivered it also, and the king of it, into the hand of Yisra'el; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining in it; and he did to the king of it as he had done to the king of Yericho.

31 Yehoshua passed from Livna, and all Yisra'el with him, to Lakhish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:

32 and the LORD delivered Lakhish into the hand of Yisra'el; and he took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein, according to all that he had done to Livna.

33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lakhish; and Yehoshua struck him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

34 Yehoshua passed from Lakhish, and all Yisra'el with him, to `Eglon; and they encamped against it, and fought against it;

35 and they took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword; and all the souls who were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lakhish.

36 Yehoshua went up from `Eglon, and all Yisra'el with him, to Hevron; and they fought against it:

37 and they took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it, and all the cities of it, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to `Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were therein.

38 Yehoshua returned, and all Yisra'el with him, to Devir, and fought against it:

39 and he took it, and the king of it, and all the cities of it; and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hevron, so he did to Devir, and to the king of it; as he had done also to Livna, and to the king of it.

40 So Yehoshua struck all the land, the hill-country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, commanded.

41 Yehoshua struck them from Kadesh-Barnea even to `Aza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Giv`on.

42 All these kings and their land did Yehoshua take at one time, because the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, fought for Yisra'el.

43 Yehoshua returned, and all Yisra'el with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

Joshua 10:16-43 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.