Joshua 10:1-6

1 And when Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, had heard these things, that is, that Joshua had taken Ai, and had destroyed it; for as Joshua had done to Jericho and to the king thereof, so he did to Ai and to the king thereof; and that (the) men of Gibeon had fled (over) to Israel, and were bound in peace with them (and had made a covenant with them),
2 Adonizedek dreaded greatly (Adonizedek greatly feared); for Gibeon was a great city, and one of the king's cities, and greater than the city of Ai, and all the fighters thereof were most strong.
3 Therefore Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, sent to Hoham, king of Hebron, and to Piram, king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia, king of Lachish, and to Debir, king of Eglon, and said,
4 Ascend ye to me, and help me (Come ye up to me, and help me), (so) that we (can) fight against Gibeon, for it was yielded to Joshua, and to the sons of Israel.
5 Therefore (the) five kings of (the) Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, (and) the king of Eglon, were gathered (together), and ascended together with their hosts; and setted tents against Gibeon (and pitched their tents opposite Gibeon), and fought against it.
6 Soothly the dwellers of the city of Gibeon sent to Joshua, that dwelled then in tents at Gilgal, and said to him, Withdraw not thine hands from the help of thy servants; go up soon, and deliver us, and [bring] help; for all the kings of Amorites, that dwelled in the hilly places, came together against us. (And the inhabitants of the city of Gibeon sent to Joshua, who then lived in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, Do not thou withdraw thy hands from helping thy slaves; come up soon, and help us, and rescue us; for all the kings of the Amorites, who live in the hill country, have come up together against us.)

Joshua 10:1-6 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.