Joshua 10:27

_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._ Laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day. This rude monument, which would stand for ages, would be a permanent record of the war of invasion. With what exultation and lively gratitude would the Israelite contemporaries of Joshua point to the gathered heap around the cave at Makkedah, and tell their children's children of the wonders of the field of Gibeon, and how on one day the gallant Joshua, by God's favour, quelled the pride of five kings....

15-27 None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. This shows their perfect safety. The kings were called to an account, as rebels against the Israel of God. Refuges of lies will but secure for God's judgment. God punished the abominable wickedness of these kings, the measure of whose iniquity was now full. And by this public act of justice, done upon these ringleaders of the Canaanites in sin, he would possess his people with the greater dread and detestation of the sins of the nations that God cast out from before them. Here is a type and figure of Christ's victories over the powers of darkness, and of believers' victories through him. In our spiritual conflicts we must not be satisfied with obtaining some important victory. We must pursue our scattered enemies, searching out the remains of sin as they rise up in our hearts, and thus pursue the conquest. In so doing, th...

EXPOSITION THE BATTLE OF BETH-HORON, AND THE SUBJUGATION OF SOUTHERN PALESTINE.— JOSHUA 10:1 ADONI-ZEDEC (cf. Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18). The _name_ given to the king of Jerusalem was good enough, and no doubt was a survival of earlier and purer times. In the days of Melchizedek the name corresponded to the character. JERUSALEM. Hebrew, _Jerushalaim, _with the usual dual termination. It has been generally supposed to be the same with Salem, or rather Shalem, the city of which Melehizedek was king, and this is supported by the fact t

AND IT CAME TO PASS, AT THE TIME OF THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN,.... Which was the time fixed by the law of God for taking down bodies that were hanged, Deuteronomy 21:23; [THAT] JOSHUA COMMANDED, AND THEY TOOK THEM DOWN OFF THE TREES; not from, any respect to them, but that they might not defile the land, as dead bodies in a ceremonial sense did, Deuteronomy 21:23; and this Joshua was the more careful of, as they were just entered into it, and were taking possession of it: AND THEY CAST THEM INTO THE CAVE WHEREIN THEY HAD BEEN HID; so that what had been their hiding place now became their grave; and according to the Samaritan Chronicle q, the trees also on which they were hanged were cast in with them; and laid great stones in the cave

10. THE VICTORIOUS CONQUEST CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Adoni-zedec and his confederacy (Joshua 10:1)_ 2. The war (Joshua 10:7) 3. The miracle (Joshua 10:12) 4. The victory won (Joshua 10:16) 5. The five kings slain (Joshua 10:22) 6. Further conquests (Joshua 10:28) The name Jerusalem is mentioned here for the first time in the Bible. (Salem in...

DEFEAT AND DEATH OF THE FIVE KINGS. Here we have the account of the famous battle of Bethhoron. Five kings band themselves together against Gibeon; the Gibeonites send for help to Joshua, who comes upon the enemy suddenly and completely routs them. It is hardly necessary to say that the adjuration to the sun to stand still is purely poetical, and is to be compared with the words of Deborah's song, The stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The compiler of this book, however, took it as an actual prayer that was really granted, as is seen from the words, So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven. Mr. Stanley Cook would omit the third line and make the fourth line part of the appeal, which would then run, Sun, stand thou still at Gibeon, and thou, moon, on the valley of Aijalon, till Yahweh (not the people) hath avenged himself on his enemies. He also gives the interesting infor...

TOOK THEM DOWN. Compare Deuteronomy 21:22; Deuteronomy 21:23....

Flight and Execution of the Five Kings 16. _But these five kings_ Here the regular historical narrative is resumed. The second stage in the flight was over. "In the lengthened day granted to Joshua's prayer" now commences the third stage. The tide of fugitives rolled on, hotly pursued by the Israelites through the pass of Lower Beth-horon to Azekah, and thence to Makkedah....

_VER._ 26, 27. _AND AFTERWARD JOSHUA SMOTE THEM,_ &C.— He hung these five kings; and at the sun-setting they were taken down from their gibbets by his orders, lest the land which God had chosen to inhabit should be defiled by their dead bodies. Deuteronomy 21:23. Thus the king of Ai had been before executed. Maimonides and the Samaritan Chronicle add, that, together with the bodies of the five kings, Joshua caused the instruments of their punishment, and all that had been used for the purpose, to be shut up in the cave of Makkedah. This cave served as a sepulchre to the five vanquished princes, and was again blocked up by a heap of stones to serve as a monument of their tragical end, and of the triumph of the conquerors. Travellers inform us, that this cavern is still to be seen, and that it is inclosed with walls. REFLECTIONS.—We have here, 1. New

_The Death of the Five Kings Joshua 10:15-27_ 15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp of Gilgal. 16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20 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. 21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tong