Joshua 10:27

27 And when the sun went down, he commanded to fellows, that they should put them down from the gibbets; and when they were put down, they casted forth them into the den, in which they were hid; and they putted great stones on the mouth thereof, which stones dwell till to [the] present time. (And when the sun went down, he commanded to his men, that they should take them down from the gallows, or the trees; and when they had taken them down, they threw them forth into the cave in which they were hidden; and they put great stones on the mouth of it, which stones remain there unto this present time.)

Joshua 10:27 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 10:27

And it came to pass, at the time of the going down of the
sun
Which was the time fixed by the law of God for taking down bodies that were hanged, ( Deuteronomy 21:23 ) ;

[that] Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees;
not from, any respect to them, but that they might not defile the land, as dead bodies in a ceremonial sense did, ( Deuteronomy 21:23 ) ; and this Joshua was the more careful of, as they were just entered into it, and were taking possession of it:

and they cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid;
so that what had been their hiding place now became their grave; and according to the Samaritan Chronicle ^F17, the trees also on which they were hanged were cast in with them;

and laid great stones in the cave's mouth:
not as a monumental pile, as in the instances of Achan and the king of Ai, ( Joshua 7:26 ) ( 8:29 ) ; but to prevent their carcasses being dragged out, and eaten by wild beasts, as some think; or that they might not be taken out, and buried in a more honourable manner:

[which remain] until this very day;
when Joshua was grown old, the writer of this book.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Apud Hottinger. Smegma. p. 511.

Joshua 10:27 In-Context

25 again Joshua said to Israel, Do not ye dread, neither be ye afeared, be ye comforted, and be ye strong; for so the Lord shall do to all your enemies, against which ye shall fight. (Joshua said to the people of Israel, Fear ye not, nor be ye afraid, but be ye encouraged, and be ye strong; for so shall the Lord do to all of your enemies, whom ye shall fight against.)

26 And Joshua smote those kings (And Joshua struck those kings), and killed them, and he hanged them (up) on five trees; and they were hanged unto the eventide.

27 And when the sun went down, he commanded to fellows, that they should put them down from the gibbets; and when they were put down, they casted forth them into the den, in which they were hid; and they putted great stones on the mouth thereof, which stones dwell till to [the] present time. (And when the sun went down, he commanded to his men, that they should take them down from the gallows, or the trees; and when they had taken them down, they threw them forth into the cave in which they were hidden; and they put great stones on the mouth of it, which stones remain there unto this present time.)

28 In the same day, Joshua took Makkedah, and smote by the sharpness of sword, and killed the king thereof, and all the dwellers thereof; he left not therein, namely, (any) little relics; and he did to the king of Makkedah, as he had done to the king of Jericho. (On the same day, Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it with the sharpness of their swords, and killed its king, and all of its inhabitants; he left nothing of value, or any remnant, there; and so he did to the king of Makkedah, as he had done to the king of Jericho.)

29 And Joshua passed (forth) with all Israel from Makkedah into Libnah, and he fought against it,