Joshua 10:19

19 And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies, and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands, to shelter themselves in their cities.

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 And it was told Josue, that the five kings were found hid in a cave of the city of Maceda.

18 And he commanded them that were with him, saying: Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men to keep them shut up:

19 And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies, and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands, to shelter themselves in their cities.

20 So the enemies being slain with a great slaughter, and almost utterly consumed, they that were able to escape from Israel, entered into fenced cities.

21 And all the army returned to Josue, in Maceda, where the camp then was, in good health, and without the loss of any one: and no man durst move his tongue against the children of Israel.