Joshua 10:18

18 And Joshua commanded to fellows, and said, Wallow ye great stones to the mouth of the den, and put ye witting men, that shall keep the (en)closed kings; (And Joshua commanded to his men, and said, Roll ye some great stones to the mouth of the cave, and put ye some able men there who shall keep the kings enclosed;)

Joshua 10:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 10:18

And Joshua said, roll great stones upon the mouth of the
cave
To keep the kings in, that they might not make their escape, until he had convenient time to have them brought before him, and be treated by him as they deserved; and no doubt there were plenty of stones about the hill or mountain, in which this cave was, fit for this purpose:

and set men by it for to keep them;
as a guard upon them, to prevent their escape.

Joshua 10:18 In-Context

16 For the five kings fled, and hid themselves in the den of the city of Makkedah. (But those five kings had escaped, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.)

17 And it was told to Joshua, that the five kings were found hid in the den of the city of Makkedah. (And Joshua was told that the five kings were found hiding in the cave of Makkedah.)

18 And Joshua commanded to fellows, and said, Wallow ye great stones to the mouth of the den, and put ye witting men, that shall keep the (en)closed kings; (And Joshua commanded to his men, and said, Roll ye some great stones to the mouth of the cave, and put ye some able men there who shall keep the kings enclosed;)

19 soothly do not ye stand, but pursue ye the enemies, and slay ye all the last of (the) fleers; and suffer ye not them to enter into the strongholds of their cities (and do not allow them to enter into the strongholds of their cities), the which enemies your Lord God hath betaken in(to) your hands.

20 Then when the adversaries were beaten with great vengeance, and were almost wasted unto the death, they that might flee Israel, entered into the strengthened cities. (And so when their adversaries were beaten with a great vengeance, and were almost destroyed unto the death, the few who escaped from the Israelites, entered into their strengthened cities.)