Joshua 10:19

19 The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don’t give them a chance to get back to their towns, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them.”

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.''

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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 When Joshua heard that they had been found,

18 he issued this command: “Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks, and place guards at the entrance to keep the kings inside.

19 The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don’t give them a chance to get back to their towns, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them.”

20 So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and completely crushed the enemy. They totally wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified towns.

21 Then the Israelites returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak even a word against Israel.