1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek H139 king H4428 of Jerusalem H3389 had heard H8085 how H3588 Joshua H3091 had taken H3920 Ai, H5857 and had utterly destroyed H2763 it; as he had done H6213 to Jericho H3405 and her king, H4428 so he had done H6213 to Ai H5857 and her king; H4428 and how the inhabitants H3427 of Gibeon H1391 had made peace H7999 with Israel, H3478 and were among H7130 them;
And Melchizedek H4442 king H4428 of Salem H8004 brought forth H3318 bread H3899 and wine: H3196 and he was the priest H3548 of the most high H5945 God. H410
And they utterly destroyed H2763 all that was in the city, H5892 both man H376 and woman, H802 young H5288 and old, H2205 and ox, H7794 and sheep, H7716 and ass, H2543 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
And thou shalt do H6213 to Ai H5857 and her king H4428 as thou didst H6213 unto Jericho H3405 and her king: H4428 only the spoil H7998 thereof, and the cattle H929 thereof, shall ye take for a prey H962 unto yourselves: lay H7760 thee an ambush H693 for the city H5892 behind H310 it.
And the other H428 issued out H3318 of the city H5892 against H7125 them; so they were in the midst H8432 of Israel, H3478 some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote H5221 them, so that H5704 they let H7604 none of them remain H8300 or escape. H6412 And the king H4428 of Ai H5857 they took H8610 alive, H2416 and brought H7126 him to Joshua. H3091 And it came to pass, when Israel H3478 had made an end H3615 of slaying H2026 all the inhabitants H3427 of Ai H5857 in the field, H7704 in the wilderness H4057 wherein they chased H7291 them, and when they were all fallen H5307 on the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 until they were consumed, H8552 that all the Israelites H3478 returned H7725 unto Ai, H5857 and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719 And so it was, that all that fell H5307 that day, H3117 both of men H376 and women, H802 were twelve H8147 H6240 thousand, H505 even all the men H582 of Ai. H5857 For Joshua H3091 drew H7725 not his hand H3027 back, H7725 wherewith he stretched out H5186 the spear, H3591 until he had utterly destroyed H2763 all the inhabitants H3427 of Ai. H5857 Only the cattle H929 and the spoil H7998 of that city H5892 Israel H3478 took for a prey H962 unto themselves, according unto the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 which he commanded H6680 Joshua. H3091 And Joshua H3091 burnt H8313 Ai, H5857 and made H7760 it an heap H8510 for ever, H5769 even a desolation H8077 unto this day. H3117 And the king H4428 of Ai H5857 he hanged H8518 on a tree H6086 until eventide: H6256 H6153 and as soon as the sun H8121 was down, H935 Joshua H3091 commanded H6680 that they should take H3381 his carcase H5038 down H3381 from the tree, H6086 and cast H7993 it at the entering H6607 of the gate H8179 of the city, H5892 and raise H6965 thereon a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones, H68 that remaineth unto this day. H3117
And Joshua H3091 made H6213 peace H7965 with them, and made H3772 a league H1285 with them, to let them live: H2421 and the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 sware H7650 unto them. And it came to pass at the end H7097 of three H7969 days H3117 after H310 they had made H3772 a league H1285 with them, that they heard H8085 that they were their neighbours, H7138 and that they dwelt H3427 among H7130 them. And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed, H5265 and came H935 unto their cities H5892 on the third H7992 day. H3117 Now their cities H5892 were Gibeon, H1391 and Chephirah, H3716 and Beeroth, H881 and Kirjathjearim. H7157 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote H5221 them not, because the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 had sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And all the congregation H5712 murmured H3885 against the princes. H5387 But all the princes H5387 said H559 unto all the congregation, H5712 We have sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478 now therefore we may H3201 not touch H5060 them. This we will do H6213 to them; we will even let them live, H2421 lest wrath H7110 be upon us, because of the oath H7621 which we sware H7650 unto them. And the princes H5387 said H559 unto them, Let them live; H2421 but let them be hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 unto all the congregation; H5712 as the princes H5387 had promised H1696 them. And Joshua H3091 called H7121 for them, and he spake H1696 unto them, saying, H559 Wherefore have ye beguiled H7411 us, saying, H559 We are very H3966 far H7350 from you; when ye dwell H3427 among H7130 us? Now therefore ye are cursed, H779 and there shall none of you be freed H3772 from being bondmen, H5650 and hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 for the house H1004 of my God. H430 And they answered H6030 Joshua, H3091 and said, H559 Because it was certainly H5046 told H5046 thy servants, H5650 how that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 commanded H6680 his servant H5650 Moses H4872 to give H5414 you all the land, H776 and to destroy H8045 all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 from before H6440 you, therefore we were sore H3966 afraid H3372 of our lives H5315 because H6440 of you, and have done H6213 this thing. H1697 And now, behold, we H2009 are in thine hand: H3027 as it seemeth H5869 good H2896 and right H3477 unto thee to do H6213 unto us, do. H6213 And so did H6213 he unto them, and delivered H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they slew H2026 them not. And Joshua H3091 made H5414 them that day H3117 hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 for the congregation, H5712 and for the altar H4196 of the LORD, H3068 even unto this day, H3117 in the place H4725 which he should choose. H977
There was not a city H5892 that made peace H7999 with the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 save the Hivites H2340 the inhabitants H3427 of Gibeon: H1391 all other they took H3947 in battle. H4421 For it was of the LORD H3068 to harden H2388 their hearts, H3820 that they should come against H7125 Israel H3478 in battle, H4421 that he might destroy them utterly, H2763 and that they might have no favour, H8467 but that he might destroy H8045 them, as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 10
Commentary on Joshua 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Jos 10:1-5. Five Kings War against Gibeon.
1. Adoni-zedek—"lord of righteousness"—nearly synonymous with Melchizedek, "king of righteousness." These names were common titles of the Jebusite kings.
Jerusalem—The original name, "Salem" (Ge 14:18; Ps 76:2), was superseded by that here given, which signifies "a peaceful possession," or "a vision of peace," in allusion, as some think, to the strikingly symbolic scene (Ge 22:14) represented on the mount whereon that city was afterwards built.
inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them—that is, the Israelites; had made an alliance with that people, and acknowledging their supremacy, were living on terms of friendly intercourse with them.
2. they feared greatly—The dread inspired by the rapid conquests of the Israelites had been immensely increased by the fact of a state so populous and so strong as Gibeon having found it expedient to submit to the power and the terms of the invaders.
as one of the royal cities—Although itself a republic (Jos 9:3), it was large and well-fortified, like those places in which the chiefs of the country usually established their residence.
3, 4. Wherefore Adoni-zedek … sent, … saying, Come up unto me, and help me—A combined attack was meditated on Gibeon, with a view not only to punish its people for their desertion of the native cause, but by its overthrow to interpose a barrier to the farther inroads of the Israelites. This confederacy among the mountaineers of Southern Palestine was formed and headed by the king of Jerusalem, because his territory was most exposed to danger, Gibeon being only six miles distant, and because he evidently possessed some degree of pre-eminence over his royal neighbors.
5. the five kings of the Amorites—The settlement of this powerful and warlike tribe lay within the confines of Moab; but having also acquired extensive possessions on the southwest of the Jordan, their name, as the ruling power, seems to have been given to the region generally (2Sa 21:2), although Hebron was inhabited by Hittites or Hivites (Jos 11:19), and Jerusalem by Jebusites (Jos 15:63).
Jos 10:6-9. Joshua Rescues It.
6-8. the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua—Their appeal was urgent and their claim to protection irresistible, on the ground, not only of kindness and sympathy, but of justice. In attacking the Canaanites, Joshua had received from God a general assurance of success (Jos 1:5). But the intelligence of so formidable a combination among the native princes seems to have depressed his mind with the anxious and dispiriting idea that it was a chastisement for the hasty and inconsiderate alliance entered into with the Gibeonites. It was evidently to be a struggle of life and death, not only to Gibeon, but to the Israelites. And in this view the divine communication that was made to him was seasonable and animating. He seems to have asked the counsel of God and received an answer, before setting out on the expedition.
9. Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly—This is explained in the following clause, where he is described as having accomplished, by a forced march of picked men, in one night, a distance of twenty-six miles, which, according to the slow pace of Eastern armies and caravans, had formerly been a three days' journey (Jos 9:17).
Jos 10:10, 11. God Fights against Them with Hailstones.
10, 11. the Lord discomfited them—Hebrew, "terrified," confounded the Amorite allies, probably by a fearful storm of lightning and thunder. So the word is usually employed (1Sa 7:10; Ps 18:13; 144:6).
and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon—This refers to the attack of the Israelites upon the besiegers. It is evident that there had been much hard fighting around the heights of Gibeon, for the day was far spent before the enemy took to flight.
chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon—that is, "the House of Caves," of which there are still traces existing. There were two contiguous villages of that name, upper and nether. Upper Beth-horon was nearest Gibeon—about ten miles distant, and approached by a gradual ascent through a long and precipitous ravine. This was the first stage of the flight. The fugitives had crossed the high ridge of Upper Beth-horon, and were in full flight down the descent to Beth-horon the Nether. The road between the two places is so rocky and rugged that there is a path made by means of steps cut in the rock [Robinson]. Down this pass Joshua continued his victorious rout. Here it was that the Lord interposed, assisting His people by means of a storm, which, having been probably gathering all day, burst with such irresistible fury, that "they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword." The Oriental hailstorm is a terrific agent; the hailstones are masses of ice, large as walnuts, and sometimes as two fists; their prodigious size, and the violence with which they fall, make them always very injurious to property, and often fatal to life. The miraculous feature of this tempest, which fell on the Amorite army, was the entire preservation of the Israelites from its destructive ravages.
Jos 10:12-15. The Sun and Moon Stand Still at the Word of Joshua.
12-15. Then spake Joshua to the Lord … and … he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still … and thou, Moon—The inspired author here breaks off the thread of his history of this miraculous victory to introduce a quotation from an ancient poem, in which the mighty acts of that day were commemorated. The passage, which is parenthetical, contains a poetical description of the victory which was miraculously gained by the help of God, and forms an extract from "the book of Jasher," that is, "the upright"—an anthology, or collection of national songs, in honor of renowned and eminently pious heroes. The language of a poem is not to be literally interpreted; and therefore, when the sun and moon are personified, addressed as intelligent beings, and represented as standing still, the explanation is that the light of the sun and moon was supernaturally prolonged by the same laws of refraction and reflection that ordinarily cause the sun to appear above the horizon, when it is in reality below it [Keil, Bush]. Gibeon ("a hill") was now at the back of the Israelites, and the height would soon have intercepted the rays of the setting sun. The valley of Ajalon ("stags") was before them, and so near that it was sometimes called "the valley of Gibeon" (Isa 28:21). It would seem, from Jos 10:14, that the command of Joshua was in reality a prayer to God for the performance of this miracle; and that, although the prayers of eminently good men like Moses often prevailed with God, never was there on any other occasion so astonishing a display of divine power made in behalf of His people, as in answer to the prayer of Joshua. Jos 10:15 is the end of the quotation from Jasher; and it is necessary to notice this, as the fact described in it is recorded in due course, and the same words, by the sacred historian (Jos 10:43).
Jos 10:16-27. The Five Kings Hanged.
16-27. these five kings … hid themselves in a cave—Hebrew, "the cave."
at Makkedah—The pursuit was continued, without interruption, to Makkedah at the foot of the western mountains, where Joshua seems to have halted with the main body of his troops while a detachment was sent forward to scour the country in pursuit of the remaining stragglers, a few of whom succeeded in reaching the neighboring cities. The last act, probably the next day, was the disposal of the prisoners, among whom the five kings were consigned to the infamous doom of being slain (De 20:16, 17); and then their corpses were suspended on five trees till the evening.
24. put your feet upon the necks of these kings—not as a barbarous insult, but a symbolical action, expressive of a complete victory (De 33:29; Ps 110:5; Mal 4:3).
Jos 10:28-42. Seven More Kings Conquered.
28-42. that day Joshua took Makkedah—In this and the following verses is described the rapid succession of victory and extermination which swept the whole of southern Palestine into the hands of Israel. "All these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal."