10:5-8This alliance of enemy kings from the south actually helped Joshua and his army. Because the enemies had united to attack Gibeon, Joshua didn’t have to spend the time and resources required to wage separate campaigns against each fortified city represented in the coalition. Joshua confidently confronted this coalition of armies and defeated them in a single battle because he trusted God to give Israel the victory. EO A OMI. 0 10 Km. THE BATTLE FOR GIBEQN Five Amorite kings conspired to destroy Gibeon. Israel came to the aid of the Gibeonites. The Israelites attacked the enemy armies outside of Gibeon and chased them through the valley of Aijalon as far as Makkedah and Azekah.
Life Application Study BibleJoshuaChapter 10
Joshua 10
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 328, 329, 330
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10Joshua 10
Israel Defeats the Southern Armies
110 Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed* Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the town of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies. 2He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large town—as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were strong warriors. 3So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Egion. *"Come and help me destroy Gibeon,” he urged them, “for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel.” 5So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon. 6The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. “Don't abandon your servants now!” they pleaded. “Come at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us.” 7So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. 8“Do not be afraid of them,” the LORD said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Nota single one of them will be able to stand up to you.” 9Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. °The LORD threw them intoa panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah. "!As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword.
12On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to theLORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said,“Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”
13So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar*? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, 10:1 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or "people to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in 10:28, 35, 37, 39, 40. 15a Or The Book of the Upright. and it did not set as on a normal day.* "There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day! 18Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
Joshua Kills the Five Southern Kings
16‘6During the battle the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 7When Joshua heard that they had been found, 18he issued this command: “Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks, and place guards at the entrance to Keep the kings inside. The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don’t give them a chance to get back to their towns, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them.” 20So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and completely crushed the enemy. They totally wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified towns. 21Then the Israelites returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak even a word against Israel.. 22Then Joshua said, “Remove the rocks covering the opening of the cave, and bring the five kings to me.” 23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24When they brought them out, Joshua told the commanders of his army, “Come and put your feet on the kings’ necks.” And they did as they were told. 25"Don't ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous, for the Lor» is going to do this to all of your enemies.” 26Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and impaled them on five sharpened poles, where they hung until evening. 27As the sun was going down, Joshua gave instructions for the bodies of the kings to be taken down from the poles and thrown into the cave where they had been hiding. Then they covered the opening of the cave with a pile of large rocks, which remains to this very day.
Israel Destroys the Southern Towns
2828That same day Joshua captured and destroyed the town of Makkedah. He killed everyone in it, including the king, leaving no survivors. He destroyed them all, and he killed the king of Makkedah as he had killed the king of Jericho. 29Then Joshua and the Israelites went to Libnah and attacked it. 30There, too, the LORD gave them the town and its king. He killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah as he had killed the king of Jericho. 31From Libnah, Joshua and the Israelites went to Lachish and attacked it. 9@Here again, the LORD gave them Lachish. Joshua took it on the second day and killed everyone in it, just as he had done at Libnah. 23During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer arrived with his army to help defend the town. But Joshua's men killed him and his army, leaving no survivors. 34Then Joshua and the Israelite army went on to Eglon and attacked it. °5They captured it that day and killed everyone in it. He completely destroyed everyone, just as he had done at Lachish. 36From Eglon, Joshua and the Israelite army went up to Hebron and attacked it. 37They captured the town and killed everyone in it, including its king, leaving no survivors. They did the same thing to all of its surrounding villages. And just as he had done at Eglon, he completely destroyed the entire population. 38Then Joshua and the Israelites turned back and attacked Debir. 39He captured the town, its king, and all of its surrounding villages. He completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He did to Debir and its king just what he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king. 40So Joshua conquered the whole region—the kings and people of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills,* and the mountain slopes. He completely destroyed everyone in the land, leaving no survivors, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 4tJoshua slaughtered them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from the region around the town of Goshen up to Gibeon. 42Joshua conquered all these kings and their land ina single campaign, for the LORD, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people. 43Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal. 3. Joshua attacks the northern kings
Textual footnotes
- 10:13b Or did not set for about a whole day.
- 10:40 Hebrew the Shephelah.
Life Application Notes 8 notes
10:6,7Joshua's response shows his integrity. After having been deceived by the Gibeonites, Joshua and the leaders could have been slow about their attempt to rescue them. Instead, they immediately responded to their call for help. How willing would you be to help someone who had deceived you, even though you had forgiven him or her? We should take our word just as seriously as Joshua did.
10:12-14How did the sun stand still? Of course, in relation to the earth the sun always stands sti!l—it is the earth that travels around the sun. But the terminology used in Joshua should not cause us to doubt the miracle. After all, we are not confused when someone tells us the sun rises or sets. The point is that the day was prolonged, not that God used a particular method to prolong it. Two explanations have been given for how this event occurred: (1) A slowing of the earth’s normal rotation gave Joshua more time, as the original Hebrew language seems to indicate. (2) Some unusual refraction of the gun's rays gave additional hours of light. Regardless of God’s chosen method, the Bible is clear that the day was prolonged by a miracle, and that God’s intervention turned the tide of battle for his people.
10:13The Book of Jashar (also mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:18) was probably a collection of historical events put to music. Many parts of the Bible contain quotations from previous books, songs, poems, or other spoken and written materials. Because God guided the writer of this book to select this material, his message comes with divine authority.
10:24Placing a foot on the neck of a captive was a common military practice in the ancient Near East. It symbolized the victor’s domination over his captives. These proud kings had boasted of their power. Now all Israel could see that God was superior to any earthly army.
10:25With God’s help, Israel won the battle against five Amorite armies. Such a triumph was part of God's daily business as he worked with his people for victory. Joshua told his men never to be afraid because God would give them similar victories over all their enemies. God has often protected us and won victories for us. The same God who empowered Joshua and who has led us in the past will help us with our present and future needs. Reminding ourselves of his help in the past will give us hope for the struggles that lie ahead.
10:32Notice that in every Israelite victory, the text gives the credit to the LORD. All of Israel's victories came fram God. When we are successful, we may be tempted to take all the credit and glory as though we succeeded by ourselves, in our own strength. In reality, God gives us the victories, and he alone delivers us from our enemies. We should give him the credit and praise him for his goodness.
10:40-43God had commanded Joshua to take the leadership in ridding the land of sin so God’s people could occupy it. Joshua did his part thoroughly—teading the united army to weaken the inhabitants. When Gad orders us to stop sinning, we must not pause to debate, consider the options, negotiate a compromise, or rationalize. Instead, like Joshua, our response must be swift and complete. We must be ruthless in avoiding relationships and activities that can lead us into sin.
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THE BATTLE FOR HAZOR Kings from the north joined together to battle the Israelites who controlled the southern half of Canaan. They gathered by the water near Merom, but Joshua attacked them by surprise— the enemies’ chariots were useless in the dense forests. Hazor, the largest Canaanite center in Galilee, was destroyed.
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