Joshua10
New American Standard
1Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had utterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were within their land,
2that he feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
3Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4“Come up to me and help me, and let’s attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.”
5So 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, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.
6Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.”
7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the valiant warriors.
8And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not one of them will stand against you.”
9So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.
10And the Lord brought them into confusion before Israel, and He struck them down in a great defeat at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent to Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11And as they fled from Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord hurled large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
12Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord turned the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, And moon, at the Valley of Aijalon!”
13So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the Book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.
14There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
15Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16Now these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men by it to guard them,
19but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.”
20It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them down in a very great defeat, until they were destroyed, and the survivors of them who escaped had entered the fortified cities,
21that all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.”
23They did so, and brought these five kings out to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come forward, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and put their feet on their necks.
25Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all your enemies with whom you fight.”
26So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they were hung on the trees until evening.
27Then it came about at sunset that Joshua gave the command, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.
28Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it. He left no survivor. So he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30And the Lord also handed it over to Israel, with its king, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. So he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it.
32And the Lord handed Lachish over to Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua defeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor.
34And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it.
35They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he utterly destroyed on that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron, and they fought against it.
37And they captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.
38Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir, and they fought against it.
39He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king.
40So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country and the Negev and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivor, but he utterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
41Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen even as far as Gibeon.
42Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joshua 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Five kings war against Gibeon. (1–6). Joshua succours Gibeon, The sun and moon stand still. (7–14). The kings are taken, their armies defeated, and they are put to death. (15–27). Seven other kings defeated and slain. (28–43).
vv1-6
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.
vv7-14
The meanest and most feeble, who have just begun to trust the Lord, are as much entitled to be protected as those who have long and faithfully been his servants. It is our duty to defend the afflicted, who, like the Gibeonites, are brought into trouble on our account, or for the sake of the gospel. Joshua would not forsake his new vassals. How much less shall our true Joshua fail those who trust in Him! We may be wanting in our trust, but our trust never can want success. Yet God's promises are not to slacken and do away, but to quicken and encourage our endeavours. Notice the great faith of Joshua, and the power of God answering it by the miraculous staying of the sun, that the day of Israel's victories might be made longer. Joshua acted on this occasion by impulse on his mind from the Spirit of God. It was not necessary that Joshua should speak, or the miracle be recorded, according to the modern terms of astronomy. The sun appeared to the Israelites over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Ajalon, and there they appeared to be stopped on their course for one whole day. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? forms a sufficient answer to ten thousand difficulties, which objectors have in every age started against the truth of God as revealed in his written word. Proclamation was hereby made to the neighbouring nations, Behold the works of the Lord, and say, What nation is there so great as Israel, who has God so nigh unto them?
vv15-27
None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. This shows their perfect safety. The kings were called to an account, as rebels against the Israel of God. Refuges of lies will but secure for God's judgment. God punished the abominable wickedness of these kings, the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And by this public act of justice, done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of the sins of the nations that God cast out from before them. Here is a type and figure of Christ's victories over the powers of darkness, and of believers' victories through him. In our spiritual conflicts we must not be satisfied with obtaining some important victory. We must pursue our scattered enemies, searching out the remains of sin as they rise up in our hearts, and thus pursue the conquest. In so doing, the Lord will afford light until the warfare be accomplished.
Key Words
אֲדֹנִי־צֶדֶק: Adoni-Tsedek, a Canaanitish king
מֶלֶךְ: a king
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
יְהוֹשׁוּעַ: Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader
לָכַד: to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere
עַי: Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in Palestine
חָרַם: to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
Cross References
Joshua 10Prophetic and poetic allusion to the sun and moon standing still during the battle.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The only other biblical reference mentioning the ancient historical record called the Book of Jasher.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament application of putting enemies underfoot, symbolizing Christ treading Satan under believers' feet.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Adherence to the Mosaic law requiring that bodies hanged on trees be taken down by sunset.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The name Adoni-zedek ('lord of righteousness') echoes Melchizedek ('king of righteousness'), both kings of Jerusalem.
Supported by JFB
Isaiah references the Lord's awesome, miraculous judgment in the valley of Gibeon.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Messianic archetype of enemies being placed as a footstool under the feet of the conquering King.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct fulfillment of God's promise that no king or enemy would stand before Israel.
Supported by John Calvin
Miraculous hailstones as a divine weapon of war, echoing the plagues of Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole