10 And the LORD H3068 discomfited H2000 them before H6440 Israel, H3478 and slew H5221 them with a great H1419 slaughter H4347 at Gibeon, H1391 and chased H7291 them along the way H1870 that goeth up H4608 to Bethhoron, H1032 and smote H5221 them to Azekah, H5825 and unto Makkedah. H4719
11 And it came to pass, as they fled H5127 from before H6440 Israel, H3478 and were in the going down H4174 to Bethhoron, H1032 that the LORD H3068 cast down H7993 great H1419 stones H68 from heaven H8064 upon them unto Azekah, H5825 and they died: H4191 they were more H7227 which died H4191 with hailstones H1259 H68 than they whom H834 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 slew H2026 with the sword. H2719
12 Then spake H1696 Joshua H3091 to the LORD H3068 in the day H3117 when the LORD H3068 delivered up H5414 the Amorites H567 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and he said H559 in the sight H5869 of Israel, H3478 Sun, H8121 stand thou still H1826 upon Gibeon; H1391 and thou, Moon, H3394 in the valley H6010 of Ajalon. H357
13 And the sun H8121 stood still, H1826 and the moon H3394 stayed, H5975 until the people H1471 had avenged H5358 themselves upon their enemies. H341 Is not this H1931 written H3789 in the book H5612 of Jasher? H3477 So the sun H8121 stood still H5975 in the midst H2677 of heaven, H8064 and hasted H213 not to go down H935 about a whole H8549 day. H3117
14 And there was no day H3117 like that before H6440 it or after H310 it, that the LORD H3068 hearkened H8085 unto the voice H6963 of a man: H376 for the LORD H3068 fought H3898 for Israel. H3478
15 And Joshua H3091 returned, H7725 and all Israel H3478 with him, unto the camp H4264 to Gilgal. H1537
16 But these five H2568 kings H4428 fled, H5127 and hid H2244 themselves in a cave H4631 at Makkedah. H4719
17 And it was told H5046 Joshua, H3091 saying, H559 The five H2568 kings H4428 are found H4672 hid H2244 in a cave H4631 at Makkedah. H4719
18 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Roll H1556 great H1419 stones H68 upon the mouth H6310 of the cave, H4631 and set H6485 men H582 by it for to keep H8104 them:
19 And stay H5975 ye not, but pursue H7291 after H310 your enemies, H341 and smite the hindmost H2179 of them; suffer H5414 them not to enter H935 into their cities: H5892 for the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath delivered H5414 them into your hand. H3027
20 And it came to pass, when Joshua H3091 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had made an end H3615 of slaying H5221 them with a very H3966 great H1419 slaughter, H4347 till they were consumed, H8552 that the rest H8300 which remained H8277 of them entered H935 into fenced H4013 cities. H5892
21 And all the people H5971 returned H7725 to the camp H4264 to Joshua H3091 at Makkedah H4719 in peace: H7965 none moved H2782 his tongue H3956 against any H376 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
22 Then said H559 Joshua, H3091 Open H6605 the mouth H6310 of the cave, H4631 and bring out H3318 those five H2568 kings H4428 unto me out of the cave. H4631
23 And they did H6213 so, and brought forth H3318 those five H2568 kings H4428 unto him out of the cave, H4631 the king H4428 of Jerusalem, H3389 the king H4428 of Hebron, H2275 the king H4428 of Jarmuth, H3412 the king H4428 of Lachish, H3923 and the king H4428 of Eglon. H5700
24 And it came to pass, when they brought out H3318 those kings H4428 unto Joshua, H3091 that Joshua H3091 called H7121 for all the men H376 of Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto the captains H7101 of the men H582 of war H4421 which went H1980 with him, Come near, H7126 put H7760 your feet H7272 upon the necks H6677 of these kings. H4428 And they came near, H7126 and put H7760 their feet H7272 upon the necks H6677 of them.
25 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto them, Fear H3372 not, nor be dismayed, H2865 be strong H2388 and of good courage: H553 for thus shall the LORD H3068 do H6213 to all your enemies H341 against whom ye fight. H3898
26 And afterward H310 Joshua H3091 smote H5221 them, and slew H4191 them, and hanged H8518 them on five H2568 trees: H6086 and they were hanging H8518 upon the trees H6086 until the evening. H6153
27 And it came to pass at the time H6256 of the going down H935 of the sun, H8121 that Joshua H3091 commanded, H6680 and they took them down H3381 off the trees, H6086 and cast H7993 them into the cave H4631 wherein they had been hid, H2244 and laid H7760 great H1419 stones H68 in the cave's H4631 mouth, H6310 which remain until this very H6106 day. H3117
28 And that day H3117 Joshua H3091 took H3920 Makkedah, H4719 and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and the king H4428 thereof he utterly destroyed, H2763 them, and all the souls H5315 that were therein; he let H7604 none remain: H8300 and he did H6213 to the king H4428 of Makkedah H4719 as he did H6213 unto the king H4428 of Jericho. H3405
29 Then Joshua H3091 passed H5674 from Makkedah, H4719 and all Israel H3478 with him, unto Libnah, H3841 and fought H3898 against Libnah: H3841
30 And the LORD H3068 delivered H5414 it also, and the king H4428 thereof, into the hand H3027 of Israel; H3478 and he smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and all the souls H5315 that were therein; he let H7604 none remain H8300 in it; but did H6213 unto the king H4428 thereof as he did H6213 unto the king H4428 of Jericho. H3405
31 And Joshua H3091 passed H5674 from Libnah, H3841 and all Israel H3478 with him, unto Lachish, H3923 and encamped H2583 against it, and fought H3898 against it:
32 And the LORD H3068 delivered H5414 Lachish H3923 into the hand H3027 of Israel, H3478 which took H3920 it on the second H8145 day, H3117 and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and all the souls H5315 that were therein, according to all that he had done H6213 to Libnah. H3841
33 Then Horam H2036 king H4428 of Gezer H1507 came up H5927 to help H5826 Lachish; H3923 and Joshua H3091 smote H5221 him and his people, H5971 until he had left H7604 him none remaining. H8300
34 And from Lachish H3923 Joshua H3091 passed H5674 unto Eglon, H5700 and all Israel H3478 with him; and they encamped H2583 against it, and fought H3898 against it:
35 And they took H3920 it on that day, H3117 and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and all the souls H5315 that were therein he utterly destroyed H2763 that day, H3117 according to all that he had done H6213 to Lachish. H3923
36 And Joshua H3091 went up H5927 from Eglon, H5700 and all Israel H3478 with him, unto Hebron; H2275 and they fought H3898 against it:
37 And they took H3920 it, and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and the king H4428 thereof, and all the cities H5892 thereof, and all the souls H5315 that were therein; he left H7604 none remaining, H8300 according to all that he had done H6213 to Eglon; H5700 but destroyed H2763 it utterly, and all the souls H5315 that were therein.
38 And Joshua H3091 returned, H7725 and all Israel H3478 with him, to Debir; H1688 and fought H3898 against it:
39 And he took H3920 it, and the king H4428 thereof, and all the cities H5892 thereof; and they smote H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and utterly destroyed H2763 all the souls H5315 that were therein; he left H7604 none remaining: H8300 as he had done H6213 to Hebron, H2275 so he did H6213 to Debir, H1688 and to the king H4428 thereof; as he had done H6213 also to Libnah, H3841 and to her king. H4428
40 So Joshua H3091 smote H5221 all the country H776 of the hills, H2022 and of the south, H5045 and of the vale, H8219 and of the springs, H794 and all their kings: H4428 he left H7604 none remaining, H8300 but utterly destroyed H2763 all that breathed, H5397 as the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 commanded. H6680
41 And Joshua H3091 smote H5221 them from Kadeshbarnea H6947 even unto Gaza, H5804 and all the country H776 of Goshen, H1657 even unto Gibeon. H1391
42 And all these kings H4428 and their land H776 did Joshua H3091 take H3920 at one H259 time, H6471 because the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 fought H3898 for Israel. H3478
43 And Joshua H3091 returned, H7725 and all Israel H3478 with him, unto the camp H4264 to Gilgal. H1537
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 10
Commentary on Joshua 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
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,
Jos 10:1-6
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,
After Israel had waited awhile for an occasion to make war upon the Canaanites, a fair one offers itself.
Jos 10:7-14
Here,
Jos 10:15-27
It was a brave appearance, no doubt, which the five kings made when they took the field for the reducing of Gibeon, and a brave army they had following them; but they were all routed, put into disorder first, and then brought to destruction by the hail-stones. And now Joshua thought, his work being done, he might go with his army into quarters of refreshment. Accordingly it was resolved, perhaps in a council of war, that they should presently return to the camp at Gilgal (v. 15), till they should receive orders from God to take possession of the country they had now conquered; but he soon finds he has more work cut out for him. The victory must be pursued, that the spoils might be divided. Accordingly he applies himself to it with renewed vigour.
Jos 10:28-43
We are here informed how Joshua improved the late glorious victory he had obtained and the advantages he had gained by it, and to do this well is a general's praise.