Joshua Chapter 10
Showing all 43 verses for Joshua Chapter 10.
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"Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; "
"Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, heard the news: Joshua had captured Ai and wiped it out completely, just as he'd done to Jericho and its king. He also heard that the people of Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel and were now living among them."
Adonizedec's fear comes from watching what happens when I show mercy to those who turn to me - Gibeon's peace with Israel becomes a sign that unsettles a whole kingdom. Do not be surprised when your reconciliation with me disturbs people who have built their lives on hostility; grace is often threatening to those who have not received it.
"That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. "
"The king and his people were terrified, because Gibeon was a major city - as important as a royal capital, bigger than Ai had been, and full of strong fighting men."
Fear multiplies when we measure ourselves against the strength of others instead of trusting me. These kings were terrified by Gibeon's might, but I want you to measure every situation by my power, not by the size of the threat in front of you.
"Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, "
"So the king of Jerusalem sent messengers to four other kings - Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon - with a message."
It is easy for people to unite quickly around fear and self-interest, forming alliances of convenience rather than conviction. Watch your own heart for this - do not let anxiety drive you into partnerships that have no root in love or truth.
"Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. "
"His message was: 'Come and help me attack Gibeon, because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.'"
Adonizedec calls Gibeon's peace with me an offence worth punishing - a reminder that some will always resent those who choose reconciliation with God. If people oppose you for making peace with me, take heart; you are in good company.
"Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. "
"So the five Amorite kings - of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon - joined forces, marched out together, set up camp outside Gibeon, and attacked it."
Five kings uniting against one small city shows how overwhelming the world's opposition can look when you stand with me. But numbers and coalitions never determine outcomes when I am the one fighting for my people - do not let a show of force shake your confidence.
"And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. "
"The people of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal: 'Don't abandon us. Come quickly and rescue us - all the Amorite kings from the hill country have gathered to attack us.'"
Gibeon's desperate cry for help - 'come up to us quickly, and save us' - is a model prayer: honest, urgent, and trusting that rescue is possible. Whenever you are overwhelmed, cry out to me the same way; I do not despise urgency or need.
"So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. "
"So Joshua set out from Gilgal, taking his entire army with him, including all his best fighters."
Joshua responds to a covenant obligation immediately, even though it means marching his whole army to defend people who were not originally Israel's own. Faithfulness to your word, and love for those who need you, should move you to act without delay.
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. "
"The LORD told Joshua, 'Don't be afraid of them - I have already handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.'"
Before the battle even begins, I tell Joshua the outcome: do not fear, for I have already delivered them into your hand. When you face an intimidating situation, remember that my word to you is not a promise of ease but a promise of victory - hold on to that.
"Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. "
"So Joshua caught them by surprise, marching all through the night from Gilgal to reach them."
Joshua's all-night march shows that obedience sometimes costs sleep and comfort, but urgency in love for others is worth the sacrifice. When someone needs you and I have called you to help, do not let convenience hold you back.
"And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. "
"The LORD threw the enemy into confusion in front of Israel, and Israel struck them down in a massive defeat at Gibeon, chasing them along the road up to Beth-horon and striking them all the way to Azekah and Makkedah."
The victory belongs to me, not to Israel's strength - I discomfited them, I fought this battle. Whatever battles you win in life, remember to give credit where it belongs; pride steals the joy of seeing my hand at work.
"And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. "
"As the enemy fled down the slope from Beth-horon, the LORD hurled huge hailstones down on them all the way to Azekah, killing them - more died from the hailstones than were killed by Israel's swords."
I fight for my people in ways beyond human strategy - hailstones did more damage than swords. Trust that I can act on your behalf through means you never planned for or expected; my help is not limited to what you can see coming.
"Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. "
"On the day the LORD handed the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua spoke to the LORD, saying in front of everyone, 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon; Moon, stay still over the valley of Aijalon.'"
Joshua speaks boldly to me in front of everyone, asking for something extraordinary because he trusts our relationship. Never be afraid to bring me your biggest, boldest requests - I welcome the prayers of those who believe I can do far more than they imagine.
"And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. "
"And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped moving, until the people had finished defeating their enemies. Isn't this written down in the Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky and didn't go down for about a full day."
I stopped the sun itself to answer one man's prayer offered in faith on behalf of my people. Nothing in creation is too fixed or too vast for me to bend it towards the good of those I love - your situation is never beyond my reach.
"And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. "
"There has never been a day like it, before or since, when the LORD listened to what a person asked for in that way - because the LORD was fighting for Israel."
This day was unique because I listened to the voice of a man - a reminder that prayer genuinely moves me, and that I delight in partnering with the people who trust me rather than acting alone. Your voice matters to me; I am not distant or indifferent to what you ask.
"And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. "
"Then Joshua and all Israel with him went back to their camp at Gilgal."
After the victory, Joshua returns to camp rather than staying to bask in triumph - a picture of humility that does not linger in glory but keeps moving in obedience. Let your victories draw you back to faithful, ordinary obedience rather than to pride.
"But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. "
"But the five kings ran away and hid in a cave at Makkedah."
The five kings hide in a cave, but nothing is ever truly hidden from me - their location was quickly told to Joshua. There is no point running from what I already see; far better to come to me honestly than to hide in fear.
"And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. "
"Joshua was told, 'The five kings have been found - they're hiding in a cave at Makkedah.'"
Good news and useful information travel quickly when people are paying attention and working together - someone told Joshua exactly what he needed to know. Be the kind of person who shares what is needed, when it is needed, for the good of the whole community.
"And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: "
"Joshua said, 'Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave, and post guards there to keep them in.'"
Joshua secures the kings first and deals with them later, showing wisdom in ordering priorities - finish the urgent pursuit before settling every account. Wisdom often means sequencing your responses rather than trying to do everything at once.
"And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"'Don't stop - keep chasing your enemies and strike down those at the back. Don't let them reach their cities, because the LORD your God has handed them over to you.'"
Joshua urges his men not to stop the pursuit halfway - do not let up when the victory I have promised is still unfolding. Perseverance to the very end matters; do not grow slack once the hardest part feels over.
"And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. "
"When Joshua and Israel had finished striking them down in a huge defeat, until they were nearly wiped out, the few who were left made it into walled cities."
Even in a decisive victory, some of the enemy still find refuge in fortified cities - reminding us that not every struggle ends completely and cleanly in this life. Do not be discouraged if some battles carry on; keep trusting that I am still at work even in what remains unfinished.
"And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. "
"All the people returned safely to Joshua's camp at Makkedah - no one dared say a word against any of the Israelites."
The people return 'in peace' with no one daring to speak against Israel - a picture of the quiet confidence that follows faithful obedience under my protection. When you walk closely with me, you can know a settled peace even in the aftermath of hard battles.
"Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. "
"Then Joshua said, 'Open up the cave and bring those five kings out to me.'"
Joshua does not leave the defeated kings hidden forever - he brings them out into the light for all to see and understand. There is a place for openly confronting what was done wrong, so that the lesson is not lost on those who witness it.
"And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. "
"So they did as he said, and brought the five kings out of the cave to him - the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon."
These once-proud kings, who gathered armies and made war, are now brought out powerless before Joshua - a sobering picture of how quickly human pride and strength can be humbled. Let this remind you never to trust in your own power, but always in mine.
"And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. "
"When the kings were brought out to Joshua, he called all the men of Israel together and told the army commanders, 'Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.' So they came and put their feet on the kings' necks."
Joshua has the captains put their feet on the kings' necks - a vivid, symbolic act meant to build courage in ordinary soldiers by letting them share in the moment of victory. I want you to know that you too are invited to share fully in every victory I win on your behalf, not just watch from a distance.
"And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. "
"Joshua told them, 'Don't be afraid or discouraged - be strong and brave, because this is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you fight.'"
Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage - Joshua repeats to his captains the very words I once spoke to him. Pass on to others the encouragement you yourself have received from me; courage is meant to be shared, not kept to yourself.
"And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. "
"After that, Joshua struck the kings down, killed them, and hung their bodies on five trees, where they stayed until evening."
This is a hard and severe scene, reflecting the ancient practice of dealing decisively with defeated enemy rulers who threatened God's people entirely. Even in reading difficult passages like this, trust that my ultimate purpose across history moves towards mercy fulfilled fully in Jesus, who bore judgement so that none need fear condemnation who come to him.
"And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day. "
"At sunset, Joshua gave the order, and they took the bodies down from the trees and threw them into the cave where the kings had been hiding, then blocked the mouth of the cave with large stones - stones that were still there when this was written."
The bodies are taken down before nightfall, following the same principle of respect for the dead that later shows up in the law - even in war there are limits and dignity to be observed. Even when dealing firmly with wrong, do not lose sight of basic human dignity in how you treat others.
"And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho. "
"That same day Joshua captured Makkedah, struck it down completely, and destroyed its king and everyone in it - he left no survivors, treating the king of Makkedah exactly as he had treated the king of Jericho."
Makkedah falls just as Jericho did - a reminder that my patterns of justice and mercy remain consistent across every situation you face. What I have done before, I can do again; my character does not change from one battle in your life to the next.
"Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah: "
"Then Joshua and all Israel moved on from Makkedah to Libnah, and attacked it."
Joshua does not stop after one victory but keeps moving forward city by city - a picture of steady, ongoing obedience rather than a single dramatic moment followed by complacency. Faithfulness is often less about one great act and more about continuing to show up for the next task.
"And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho. "
"The LORD handed Libnah and its king over to Israel too. Israel struck it down completely, leaving no survivors, and treated its king just as they had treated the king of Jericho."
Again the text says the LORD delivered the city - the credit for every victory rests with me, not human effort or cleverness. Keep returning your gaze to who is truly responsible for the good things that happen in your life.
"And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: "
"Joshua and Israel then moved from Libnah to Lachish, set up camp against it, and attacked it."
Joshua presses on to Lachish, undeterred by the string of battles already fought - showing that endurance matters as much as initial courage. Do not let weariness after early wins cause you to slow down when there is still ground to cover.
"And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah. "
"The LORD handed Lachish over to Israel, and they captured it on the second day, striking it down completely, just as they had done to Libnah."
Lachish falls quickly, on the second day, showing that momentum built through obedience tends to carry forward. Do not underestimate how consistent faithfulness in small steps builds towards greater breakthroughs.
"Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining. "
"Then Horam, king of Gezer, came to help defend Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his people completely, leaving no survivors."
Horam comes to help Lachish but is defeated alongside it - a picture of how joining a losing cause out of loyalty to the wrong side still leads to the same outcome. Choose carefully who and what you align yourself with; loyalty to the wrong cause does not change its result.
"And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: "
"From Lachish, Joshua and all Israel moved on to Eglon, camped against it, and attacked it."
The campaign continues methodically to Eglon - each city taken in its turn, without shortcuts. Faithfulness to my calling on your life often looks like this: unglamorous, steady, one step following another.
"And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. "
"They captured Eglon that same day, striking it down completely and destroying everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish."
Eglon shares the fate of Lachish - a reminder that the consequences of standing against what I am doing tend to repeat themselves across those who choose the same path. There is safety and blessing found only in aligning your life with my purposes.
"And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it: "
"Joshua and Israel then went up from Eglon to Hebron, and fought against it."
Joshua now turns to Hebron, a city that will later become deeply significant - the place where the patriarchs are buried and where Caleb will receive his inheritance. Even the ground you fight for today may hold purposes for tomorrow that you cannot yet see.
"And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein. "
"They captured it, striking down the city, its king, and all the surrounding towns under it, leaving no survivors - just as they had done to Eglon, destroying it and everyone in it completely."
Hebron falls just as thoroughly as the cities before it - persistence in obedience yields consistent results even as the campaign grows long. Do not assume that later battles in your life will be any less winnable than the earlier ones, when you continue trusting me.
"And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it: "
"Then Joshua and Israel turned back to Debir and attacked it."
Joshua returns to Debir, completing the sweep through the southern hill country - showing thoroughness in fulfilling what I had promised to Israel. When I call you to a task, I want you to see it through completely, not leave it partly done.
"And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king. "
"He captured it, along with its king and all its surrounding towns, striking them down and destroying everyone in them, leaving no survivors - just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and their kings."
The chapter repeats the same phrases city after city - a literary pattern that mirrors real life, where faithful obedience often means doing the same right thing again and again without variation. Do not despise the repetitive parts of faithfulness; consistency is itself a form of devotion.
"So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. "
"So Joshua conquered the whole region - the hill country, the southern desert, the lowland valleys and the springs area - along with all their kings. He left no survivors, destroying everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded."
This verse summarises Joshua's total obedience to what I had commanded - he left nothing undone that I asked of him. Complete obedience is costly and demanding, but it is also the clearest evidence of a life truly surrendered to me.
"And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. "
"Joshua conquered the land from Kadesh-barnea all the way to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen, up to Gibeon."
The scope of this campaign, from Kadeshbarnea to Gaza, shows how far my promises reach when my people trust and obey me step by step. Do not underestimate how much ground can be covered when you simply keep moving in faithful obedience over time.
"And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. "
"Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one single campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel."
Joshua conquered these kings 'at one time' because I fought for Israel - not because of superior tactics or timing, but because of my active involvement. Whatever you accomplish that seems to happen with surprising speed or ease, look first for my hand at work in it.
"And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. "
"Then Joshua and all Israel returned to their camp at Gilgal."
The campaign ends where it began, back at Gilgal - the place of covenant and remembrance. However far your journey of obedience takes you, always return to the place where you remember who I am and what I have done for you.