Joshua 10

ENGNIVEnglish43 verses6:42 Listen

Listen 6:42 · Standard · Dramatized Open in Biblight

1Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and were living near them.

2He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.

3So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon.

4“Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

5Then the five kings of the Amorites–the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon–joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

7So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.

8The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

9After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.

10The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

11As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

13So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

14There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

15Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.

17When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah,

18he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it.

19But don't stop! Pursue your enemies, attack them from the rear and don't let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”

20So Joshua and the Israelites destroyed them completely–almost to a man–but the few who were left reached their fortified cities.

21The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

22Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”

23So they brought the five kings out of the cave–the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

24When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

25Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

26Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening.

27At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

28That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it.

30The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel's hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it.

32The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.

33Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army–until no survivors were left.

34Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it.

35They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it.

37They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

38Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.

39They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

40So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.

41Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon.

42All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Commentary

10:1-6 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.

CHAPTER 10Jos 10:1-5. Five Kings War against Gibeon.1. Adoni-zedek—"lord of righteousness"—nearly synonymous with Melchizedek, "king of righteousness." These names were common titles of the Jebusite kings.Jerusalem—The original name, "Salem" (Ge 14:18; Ps 76:2), was superseded by that here given, which signifies "a peaceful possession," or "a vision of peace," in allusion, as some think, to the strikingly symbolic scene (Ge 22:14) represented on the mount whereon that city was afterwards built.inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them—that is, the Israelites; had made an alliance with that people, and acknowledging their supremacy, were living on terms of friendly intercourse with them.

Chapter 10 We have in this chapter an account of the conquest of the kings and kingdoms of the southern part of the land of Canaan, as, in the next chapter, of the reduction of the northern parts, which together completed the glorious successes of the wars of Canaan. In this chapter we have an account, I. Of the routing of their forces in the field, in which observe, 1. Their confederacy against the Gibeonites (v. 1-5). 2. The Gibeonites’ request to Joshua to assist them (v. 6). 3. Joshua’s speeds march under divine encouragement for their relief (v. 7-9). 4. The defeat of the armies of these confederate kings (v. 10, 11). 5. The miraculous prolonging of the day by the standing still of the sun in favour of the conquerors (v. 12–14). II. Of the execution of the kings that escaped out of the battle (v. 15–27). III. Of the taking of the particular cities, and the total destruction of all that were found in them. Makkedah (v. 28). Libnah (v. 29, 30). Lachish (v. 31, 32) and the king of Gezer that attempted its rescue (v. 33). Eglon (v. 34, 35). Hebron (v. 36, 37). Debir (v. 38, 39). And the bringing of all that country into the hands of Israel (v. 40–42). And, lastly, the return of the army to the head-quarters (v. 43).Verses 1-6 Joshua and the hosts of Israel had now been a good while in the land of Canaan, and no great matters were effected; they were made masters of Jericho by a miracle, of Ai by stratagem, and of Gibeon by surrender, and that was all; hitherto the progress of their victories had not seemed proportionable to the magnificence of their entry and the glory of their beginnings. Those among them that were impatient of delays, it is probable, complained of Joshua’s slowness, and asked why they did not immediately penetrate into the heart of the country, before the enemy could rally their forces to make head against them, why they stood trifling, while they were so confident both of their title and of their success. Thus Joshua’s prudence, perhaps, was censured as slothfulness, cowardice, and want of spirit. But, 1. Canaan was not to be conquered in a day. God had said that by little and little he would drive out the Canaanites, Ex. 23:30. He that believeth will not make haste, or conclude that the promise will never be performed because it is not performed so soon as he expected. 2. Joshua waited for the Canaanites to be the aggressors; let them first make an onset upon Israel, or the allies of Israel, and then their destruction will be, or at least will appear to be, the more just and more justifiable. Joshua had warrant sufficient to set upon them, yet he stays till they strike the first stroke, that he might provide for honest things in the sight, not only of God, but of men; and they would be the more inexcusable in their resistance, now that they had seen what favour the Gibeonites found with Israel. 3. It was for the advantage of Israel to sit still awhile, that the forces of these little kings might unite in one body, and so might the more easily be cut off at one blow. This God had in his eye when he put it into their hearts to combine against Israel; though they designed thereby to strengthen one another, that which he intended was to gather them as sheaves into the floor, to fall together under the flail, Mic. 4:12. Thus oftentimes that seeming paradox proves wholesome counsel, Stay awhile, and we shall have done the sooner.After Israel had waited awhile for an occasion to make war upon the Canaanites, a fair one offers itself. 1. Five kings combine against the Gibeonites. Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem was the first mover and ring-leader of this confederacy. He had a good name (it signifies lord of righteousness), being a descendant perhaps from Melchizedek, king of righteousness; but, notwithstanding the goodness of his name and family, it seems he was a bad man, and an implacable enemy to the posterity of that Abraham to whom his predecessor, Melchizedek, was such a faithful friend. He called upon his neighbours to join against Israel either because he was the most honourable prince, and had the precedency among these kings (perhaps they had some dependence upon him, at least they paid a deference to him, as the most public, powerful, and active man they had among them), or because he was first or most apprehensive of the danger his country was in, not only by the conquest of Jericho and Ai, but the surrender of Gibeon, which, it seems, was the chief thing that alarmed him, it being one of the most considerable frontier towns they had. Against Gibeon therefore all the force he would raise must be leveled. Come, says he, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon. This he resolves to do, either, (1.

Read the full commentary Audio, full commentary and offline reading

Translations8 · 5

AMHEVG እንዲህም ሆነ፤ የኢየሩሳሌም ንጉሥ አዶኒጼዴቅ ኢያሱ ጋይን እንደ ያዘ ፈጽሞም እንዳጠፋት፥ በኢያሪኮና በንጉሥዋም ያደረገውን እንዲሁ በጋይና በንጉሥዋ እንዳደረገ፥ የገባዖንም ሰዎች ከእስራኤል… አማርኛ BCV ንጉስ ኢየሩሳሌም ኣዶኒፄዴቅ፥ ኢያሱ ንጋይ ከም ዝሓዛን ፈፂሙ ኸም ዘጥፍኣን፥ ከምቲ ንኢያሪኮን ንንጉሳን ዝገበሮ፥ ከምኡ ድማ ንጋይን ንንጉሳን ከም ዝገበረ ሰምዐ። እቶም ሰብ ጊብዓውን ምስ … ትግርኛ GAZBIB Adonii-Zedeq mootiin Yerusaalem, Iyaasuun Aayin fudhatee, raawwatee akka isa balleesse, wanta inni Yerikoo fi mootii Ye… Afaan Oromoo BCV GIZ ወሶበ ሰምዐ አዶኒቤዜቅ ንጉሠ ኢየሩሳሌም ከመ ነሥኣ ኢየሱስ ለጋይ ወሠረዋ በከመ ገብራ ለኢያሪኮ ወለንጉሣ ከማሁ ገብራ ለጋይ ወለንጉሣ ወከመ ለሊሆሙ ገረሩ ሰብአ ገባኦን ወመጽኡ ኀበ ኢየሱስ… giz GAZGAZ Adonii-Zedeq mootiin Yerusaalem, Iyaasuun Aayin fudhatee, raawwatee akka isa balleesse, wanta inni Yerikoo fi mootii Ye… Afaan Oromoo BCV aksum ንጉስ ኢየሩሳሌም ኣዶኒፄዴቅ፥ ኢያሱ ንጋይ ከም ዝሓዛን ፈፂሙ ኸም ዘጥፍኣን፥ ከምቲ ንኢያሪኮን ንንጉሳን ዝገበሮ፥ ከምኡ ድማ ንጋይን ንንጉሳን ከም ዝገበረ ሰምዐ። እቶም ሰብ ጊብዓውን ምስ … ትግርኛ AMHNIV የኢየሩሳሌም ንጉሥ አዶኒጼዴቅ፣ ኢያሱ ጋይን ይዞ እንደ ደመሰሳት፣ እንደዚሁም በኢያሪኮና በንጉሥዋ ላይ ያደረገውን ሁሉ፣ በጋይና በንጉሥዋ ላይ ማድረጉን፣ የገባዖን ሰዎችም ከእስራኤል ጋር የ… አማርኛ SWAHSUV Basi ikawa hapo Adonisedeki, mfalme wa Yerusalemu, aliposikia jinsi Yoshua alivyoushika mji wa Ai na kuuharibu kabisa; … Kiswahili