Joshua 10 

Joshua 10:1 King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem happened to hear that Joshua had captured Ai and set it apart for destruction, treating Ai and its king as he had Jericho and its king. He also heard that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel and were living among them.

Joshua 10:2 So Adoni-Zedek and his people were greatly alarmed because Gibeon was a large city like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors.

Joshua 10:3 That is why King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent word to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon, saying,

Joshua 10:4 “Come up and assist me. We will attack Gibeon because they have made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites.”

Joshua 10:5 So the five Amorite kings – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon – joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.

Joshua 10:6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Don’t give up on your slaves. Come quickly and deliver us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.”

Joshua 10:7 So Joshua and all his troops, including all his most capable soldiers, came from Gilgal.

Joshua 10:8 Yahveh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them because I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”

Joshua 10:9 So Joshua caught them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal.

Joshua 10:10 Yahveh threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

Joshua 10:11 As they fled before Israel, Yahveh dropped large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.

Joshua 10:12 On the day Yahveh gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to Yahveh in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

Joshua 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting almost a full day.

Joshua 10:14 There has been no day like it before or since when Yahveh listened to a man because Yahveh fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Joshua 10:16 The five defeated kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.

Joshua 10:17 It was reported to Joshua: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”

Joshua 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings.

Joshua 10:19 But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities because Yahveh, your God, has handed them over to you.”

Joshua 10:20 So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities.

Joshua 10:21 The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared threaten the Israelites.

Joshua 10:22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.”

Joshua 10:23 That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, to Joshua out of the cave.

Joshua 10:24 When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So, the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua 10:25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for Yahveh will do this to all the enemies you fight.”

Joshua 10:26 After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees, and they were there until evening.

Joshua 10:27 At sunset, Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then, large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are still there today.

Joshua 10:28 On that day, Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He set it and everyone in it apart for destruction, leaving no survivors. So, he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho.

Joshua 10:29 Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.

Joshua 10:30 Yahveh also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone to the sword, and left no survivors. He treated Libnah’s king as he had the king of Jericho.

Joshua 10:31 From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it.

Joshua 10:32 Yahveh handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just like he had done to Libnah.

Joshua 10:33 At that time, King Horam of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.

Joshua 10:34 Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon, with all Israel, and they laid siege to and attacked it.

Joshua 10:35 On that day, they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He set it apart for destruction that day, just like he had done to Lachish.

Joshua 10:36 Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it.

Joshua 10:37 They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. He left no survivors, just like he had done at Eglon. He set Hebron and everyone in it apart for destruction.

Joshua 10:38 Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir and attacked it. And all Israel was with him.

Joshua 10:39 He captured it – its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and set everyone in it apart for destruction, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king.

Joshua 10:40 So Joshua conquered the whole region – the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes – with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He set every breathing[1] being apart for destruction, as Yahveh, the God of Israel, had commanded.

Joshua 10:41 Joshua conquered everyone from Kadesh-Barnea to Gaza and all the land of Goshen as far as Gibeon.

Joshua 10:42 Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign because Yahveh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:43 Then Joshua returned with all of Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

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[1] נְשָׁמָה= breathing. Joshua 10:40; 11:11, 14.

Joshua 10 quotes:

“A poem from the Book of Jashar celebrates the Lord’s support of the troops. In the poem’s introduction, Joshua calls out to the Lord, the ruler of the heavens, in front of Israel. He mentions the sun standing still over Gibeon and the moon, over the Valley of Aijalon. The poem states that the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the tribes avenged themselves against the enemy (10:12-13).”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 65.

“The word spoken to the sun was “stand still” (10:12). The variety of meanings of that word includes 4e silent or mute, become inactive, or cease from normal activity and function. Since the function of the sun is to shine, the word in this context could mean refrain from shining (don’t break forth with the dawn). On the other hand the statement concluding verse 13 describes the sun as stopping in the sky and staying in the sky, thus delaying the sunset.”

Lyles, Ron, et al. Joshua and Judges. 1st ed, Baptistway Press, 2005. p. 56.

“The first part of the book (1.1—12.24), which deals with the conquest of Canaan, is now drawing to a close. Having secured the central section of the land (Jericho, Ai, Gibeon), Joshua now strikes south and captures important cities and strongholds. In chapter 11 Joshua’s campaigns in the northern part of Canaan are reported, and chapter 12 brings the first half of the book to a close with a summary statement of the victories of Moses and Joshua.”

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 136.

Joshua 10 links

a slew of Amorites
back to the camp safely
every breathing being
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 12, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 13, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, June 22, 2023
ministry and conflict #1
mistakes and miracles
Sun, stand still
where did all the spirits go?

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library

Joshua 9

Joshua 9:1 When all the kings heard about Jericho and Ai, those who were west of the Jordan in the hill country, in the Judean foothills, and all along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon – the Hethites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites – 

Joshua 9:2 they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.

Joshua 9:3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

Joshua 9:4 they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

Joshua 9:5 They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly.

Joshua 9:6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a faraway land. Please make a treaty with us.”

Joshua 9:7 The men of Israel replied to the Hivites, “What if you actually live among us? How could we make a treaty with you?”

Joshua 9:8 They said to Joshua, “We are your slaves.” Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

Joshua 9:9 They replied to him, “Your slaves have come from a faraway land because of the reputation of Yahveh, your God. You see, we have heard news about him and all that he did in Egypt,

Joshua 9:10 and all that he did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan –  King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.

Joshua 9:11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, “We are your slaves. Please make a treaty with us.”‘

Joshua 9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you; but see, it is now dry and crumbly.

Joshua 9:13 These wineskins were new when we filled them; but see, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey.”

Joshua 9:14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions but did not seek Yahveh’s decision.

Joshua 9:15 So Joshua established a relationship with them and made a treaty to allow them to stay alive, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.

Joshua 9:16 Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them.

Joshua 9:17 So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

Joshua 9:18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by Yahveh, the God of Israel. Then, the whole community grumbled against the leaders.

Joshua 9:19 All the leaders answered them, “We have sworn an oath to them by Yahveh, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

Joshua 9:20 This is how we will treat them: we will let them stay alive so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

Joshua 9:21 They also said, “Let them stay alive.” So, as the leaders had promised, the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community.

Joshua 9:22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

Joshua 9:23 Therefore you are cursed and will always be slaves – woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

Joshua 9:24 The Gibeonites answered him, “It was clearly reported to your slaves that Yahveh, your God, had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to annihilate all the inhabitants of the land before you. We greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.

Joshua 9:25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right.”

Joshua 9:26 This is what Joshua did to them: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.

Joshua 9:27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers – as they are today – for the community and for Yahveh’s altar at the place he would choose.

Joshua 9 quotes:

” A new phase of possessing the land begins here, and conquering the hill country is the next challenge for possessing the land. The narrator tells of independent ethnic enclaves who plot war against the tribal threat (9:1). These ethnic groups live in the hill country, in the western foothills (Shephelah), and along the coast of the Mediterranean, or Great Sea, as far north as Lebanon. The narrator tells readers that the nations in Canaan came together to make war against Joshua and Israel (9:2).”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 61.

“The biblical narrator wants the reader to know that this ruse tricked the Israelites but not their God. Had they inquired of God, they would have learned of the deceit that targeted them (9:14).”

Lyles, Ron, et al. Joshua and Judges. 1st ed, Baptistway Press, 2005. p. 53.

“This chapter tells how the people of Gibeon, a city some 11 kilometers southwest of Ai, tricked the Israelites into making a treaty with them. Their plan worked, and even when the Israelites discovered that they had been deceived they could not kill them; the treaty was binding, and all the Israelites could do was to subject them to the status of slavery, a condition which was still in force when the account was written.”

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 123.

Joshua 9 links:

Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 10, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 11, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, June 20, 2019
missions and common sense

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library