Yehoshua 10

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.

16 But these five melachim fled, and hid themselves in a me’arah (cave) at Makkedah.

17 And it was told Yehoshua, saying, The five melachim are found hiding in a me’arah at Makkedah.

18 And Yehoshua said, Roll avanim gedolot upon the mouth of the me’arah, and post anashim by it to be shomer over them;

19 And stop ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and attack them; allow them not to enter into their towns; for Hashem Eloheichem hath delivered them into your yad.

20 And it came to pass, when Yehoshua and the Bnei Yisroel had made an end of striking them with a makkah gedolah me’od, until they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fortified cities.

21 And kol HaAm returned to the machaneh to Yehoshua at Makkedah in shalom; none moved his tongue against any of the Bnei Yisroel.

22 Then said Yehoshua, Open the mouth of the me’arah, and bring out those five melachim unto me out of the me’arah.

23 And they did so, and brought forth those five melachim unto him out of the me’arah, Melech Yerushalayim, Melech Chevron, Melech Yarmut, Melech Lachish, and Melech Eglon.

24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those melachim unto Yehoshua, that Yehoshua called for kol Ish Yisroel, and said unto the Ketzinei Anshei HaMilchamah which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these melachim. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.

25 And Yehoshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be discouraged, be strong and of good courage; for thus shall Hashem do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

26 And afterward Yehoshua struck them down, and slaughtered them, and hanged them on chamishah etzim; and they were hanging upon the etzim until the erev.

27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the shemesh, that Yehoshua commanded, and they took them down off the etzim, cast them into the me’arah wherein they had been hiding, and laid avanim gedolot on the mouth of the me’arah, which remain until this very day.

28 And that day Yehoshua took Makkedah, and struck it down with the edge of the cherev, and the Melech thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and every nefesh that was therein; he let none remain; and he did to the Melech of Makkedah as he did unto the Melech of Yericho [See Yehoshua 6:21].

29 Then Yehoshua passed from Makkedah, and kol Yisroel with him, unto Livnah, and fought against Livnah;

30 And Hashem delivered it also, and the melech thereof, into the yad Yisroel; and he struck it down with the edge of the cherev, and kol hanefesh therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the melech thereof as he did unto the melech of Yericho [See Yehoshua 6:21].

31 And Yehoshua passed from Livnah, and kol Yisroel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it;

32 And Hashem delivered Lachish into the yad Yisroel, which took it on the yom hasheni, and struck it down with the edge of the cherev, and kol hanefesh therein, according to all that he had done to Livnah.

33 Then Horam Melech Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Yehoshua struck him down and his army, until he had left him none remaining.

34 And from Lachish, Yehoshua passed unto Eglon, and kol Yisroel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it;

35 And they took it on that day, and struck it down with the edge of the cherev, and kol hanefesh therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36 And Yehoshua went up from Eglon, and kol Yisroel with him, unto Chevron; and they fought against it;

37 And they took it, and struck it down with the edge of the cherev, and the melech thereof, and all the towns thereof, and kol hanefesh therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and kol hanefesh therein.

38 And Yehoshua returned, and kol Yisroel with him, to Devir; and fought against it;

39 And he took it, and the melech thereof, and all the towns thereof; and they struck them down with the edge of the cherev, and utterly destroyed kol nefesh therein; he left none remaining; as he had done to Chevron, so he did to Devir, and to the melech thereof; as he had done also to Livnah, and to its melech.

40 So Yehoshua subdued kol HaAretz HaHar, and of the Negev, and of the Shefelah, and of the asedot (slopes), and all their melachim; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed kol haneshamah, as Hashem Elohei Yisroel commanded.

41 And Yehoshua struck them down from Kadesh-Barnea even unto Azah (Gaza), and all the country of Goshen, even unto Giv’on.

42 And all these melachim and their land did Yehoshua take at one time, because Hashem Elohei Yisroel fought for Yisroel.

43 And Yehoshua returned, and kol Yisroel with him, unto the machaneh at Gilgal.

Yehoshua 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Five kings war against Gibeon. (1-6) Joshua succours Gibeon The sun and moon stand still. (7-14) The kings are taken, their armies defeated, and they are put to death. (15-27) Seven other kings defeated and slain. (28-43)

Verses 1-6 When sinners leave the service of Satan and the friendship of the world, that they make peace with God and join Israel, they must not marvel if the world hate them, if their former friends become foes. By such methods Satan discourages many who are convinced of their danger, and almost persuaded to be Christians, but fear the cross. These things should quicken us to apply to God for protection, help, and deliverance.

Verses 7-14 The meanest and most feeble, who have just begun to trust the Lord, are as much entitled to be protected as those who have long and faithfully been his servants. It is our duty to defend the afflicted, who, like the Gibeonites, are brought into trouble on our account, or for the sake of the gospel. Joshua would not forsake his new vassals. How much less shall our true Joshua fail those who trust in Him! We may be wanting in our trust, but our trust never can want success. Yet God's promises are not to slacken and do away, but to quicken and encourage our endeavours. Notice the great faith of Joshua, and the power of God answering it by the miraculous staying of the sun, that the day of Israel's victories might be made longer. Joshua acted on this occasion by impulse on his mind from the Spirit of God. It was not necessary that Joshua should speak, or the miracle be recorded, according to the modern terms of astronomy. The sun appeared to the Israelites over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Ajalon, and there they appeared to be stopped on their course for one whole day. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? forms a sufficient answer to ten thousand difficulties, which objectors have in every age started against the truth of God as revealed in his written word. Proclamation was hereby made to the neighbouring nations, Behold the works of the Lord, and say, What nation is there so great as Israel, who has God so nigh unto them?

Verses 15-27 None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. This shows their perfect safety. The kings were called to an account, as rebels against the Israel of God. Refuges of lies will but secure for God's judgment. God punished the abominable wickedness of these kings, the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And by this public act of justice, done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of the sins of the nations that God cast out from before them. Here is a type and figure of Christ's victories over the powers of darkness, and of believers' victories through him. In our spiritual conflicts we must not be satisfied with obtaining some important victory. We must pursue our scattered enemies, searching out the remains of sin as they rise up in our hearts, and thus pursue the conquest. In so doing, the Lord will afford light until the warfare be accomplished.

Verses 28-43 Joshua made speed in taking these cities. See what a great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we will be diligent, and improve our opportunities. God here showed his hatred of the idolatries and other abominations of which the Canaanites had been guilty, and shows us how great the provocation was, by the greatness of the destruction brought upon them. Here also was typified the destruction of all the enemies of the Lord Jesus, who, having slighted the riches of his grace, must for ever feel the weight of his wrath. The Lord fought for Israel. They could not have gotten the victory, if God had not undertaken the battle. We conquer when God fights for us; if he be for us, who can be against us?

Chapter Summary

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.