COMMENTARY ON JOSHUA CHAPTER S 9-12. DEFEAT OF THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN CONFEDERACIES. ISRAEL ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE LAND. Having won their initial battles Israel were now free to settle in the central hill country while maintaining Gilgal in the Jordan Rift Valley as their fighting base. The centr... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 10. DEFEAT OF THE CANAANITE CONFEDERACY - THE INVASION OF THE SOUTH. In this chapter we read of an alliance of five Canaanite kings against the Gibeonites, who then appeal to Joshua for assistance, in virtue of their treaty rights, something which has to Joshua grant. This is followed by th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ That they were deeply afraid, for Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai and all its men were mighty men.' The shock of the capitulation of Gibeon was greater than that of the defeat of Jericho and Ai. The latter were only relatively small, but Gib... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ For that reason Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying.' In view of the disturbing situation and the capitulation of Gibeon, the king of Jerusalem connected possible allies in the... [ Continue Reading ]
“ Come up to me, and help me, and let us smite Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua, and with the children of Israel.” The first plan was to smite Gibeon. In their view what Gibeon had done had been an act of treachery against them, and their aim was to weaken the new alliance (as they saw it.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.' The five kings of the five... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, “Slack not your hands from your servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered together against us.” ' Seeing the forces ranged against them... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.' Joshua's response was immediate. He gathered the Israelite forces together, ascended into the hill country, and made for Gibeon. He would leave enough men of war to guard the camp, especially... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them for I have delivered them into your hands. There shall not a man of them stand before you.” ' This time Joshua did not fail to consult YHWH and he received assurance from Him of complete victory with the help of YHWH. YHWH was assuring him that H... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Joshua therefore came on them suddenly, for he went up from Gilgal all night. And YHWH discomfited them before Israel and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and to Makkedah, and so it was that as they fled fr... [ Continue Reading ]
Joshua 10:12 A ‘Then spoke Joshua to YHWH, in the day when YHWH delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun on Gibeon be silent (still), Moon in the vale of Aijalon So the sun was silent (still) and the moon stayed, Until the nation was reve... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.' As will be noted from what follows this statement seems to be in an unusual place, for the following verses continue with the pursuit. However it follows the extract from the Book of Jasher and is therefore clearly intended to c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.' Taken by surprise from the beginning, totally routed, their armies decimated both by sword and natural catastrophe, and totally exhausted, the five kings who had led their people into disaster took shelter in a cave in the ar... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And it was told Joshua saying, “The five kings are found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” Capturing the kings would be looked on by the captors as a real coup. They may even have felt that now the pursuit could be relaxed while they concentrated on entering the caves, dealing with any guards, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave, and set men by it so as to retain them. But do not yourselves stay, pursue after your enemies and smite those who are at the rear. Do not allow them to enter into their cities. For Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand.” '... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And so it was that when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, and the remnant who remained of them had entered into the walled (fenced) cities, all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. N... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Then said Joshua, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.' All being now settled Joshua turned his attention to the kings trapped in the cave at Makkedah. He commanded his men to open the caves, deal with any opposition, and bring the kings to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they did so, and brought those five kings to him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.' The kings were brought out. All had been captured. Not one was missing. YHWH had defeated them all. It should be noted... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And so it was that when they brought out these kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they came near, and put their feet on their necks.' What Joshua now did w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage. For thus shall YHWH do to all your enemies against whom you fight.' Compare Joshua 1:6; Joshua 1:9; Joshua 1:18; Joshua 8:1. Joshua knew the value of encouragement. What he had done was not intended to bri... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And afterwards Joshua smote them and slew them, and hung them on five trees, and they were hanging on the trees until the evening.' The necessary executions had then to follow, for YHWH had commanded the slaying of all Canaanites who would not leave Canaan. And after they were dead their bodies w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And so it was that at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua gave the command, and they took them down from the trees and cast them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, to this very day.' Once sunset came Joshua, in obedience to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and its king. He utterly destroyed (devoted) them and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.' The same day as he executed the king... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. And YHWH delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel. And he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it, And YHWH delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it, in accordance with al... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua smote him, and his people, until he had left him none remaining.' When Horam, king of Gezer, heard that Lachish was being attacked (they may well have had a mutual help pact) he hastened to help them. But he arrived too late and found hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon, and they encamped against it, and fought against it. And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it he utterly destroyed (devoted) that day, in accordance with all he had don... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron, and they fought against it. And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining, in accordance with all that he had done to Eglon. Bu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. And he took it and its king, and all its cities, and they smote them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed (devoted) all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So Joshua smote all the land, the hill country and the South (the Negeb), and the lowland (Shephelah) and the slopes and all their kings. He left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed (devoted) all that breathed as YHWH, the God of Israel, commanded.' The purpose of Joshua's invasion of the So... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua smote them, from Kadesh-barnea, even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon. And all these kings, and their land, did Joshua take at one time, because YHWH the God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned and all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal.' So after... [ Continue Reading ]