This chapter treats of the combination of five kings against the Gibeonites, Josh. 10:1–5; and of the application of the Gibeonites to Joshua, for assistance, in virtue of the league between them, which was granted, Josh.

Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem So called, perhaps by anticipation, Jerusalem, since it seems to have had this name given it by the Israelites, when they had got possession of it: and Jerusalem signifies “the possession of Salem” [[21]], and in memory of this its ancient…

That they feared greatly The king of Jerusalem and his people, lest they should fall into the hands of the Israelites, and be used as Jericho and Ai, and the kings and inhabitants of them were, and that they would be the next that should fall a sacrifice to them; for Gibeon was fifty furlongs from…

Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron Which, according to Jerom [[3]] was twenty two miles from Jerusalem; it was an ancient city built seven years before Zoan in Egypt; (See Gill on Gen. 13:18) and (See Gill on Num.

Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon For which he thought himself not a match, not only because it was a great city, and full of mighty men, and had other cities subject to it, but because he might reasonably judge that Joshua would come to their assistance if possible, being in…

Therefore the five kings of the Amorites For though they were chiefly Hittites that dwelt in Hebron, and Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; yet as the Amorites were the most powerful people in the land, and had dispersed themselves in the several parts of it, and seem to have the greatest authority…

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, &c.] Which some think they did when besieged, and not before, which showed their faith in the power of God, whom they now professed; but it is not likely that they should defer sending for help so long, since it is reasonable to suppose…

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal Which lay low in the plains of Jericho: he and all the men of war with him; which must not be understood of the whole camp of Israel, which consisted of five hundred thousand fighting men at least; since such a number was unnecessary for this expedition, and could not…

And the Lord said unto Joshua Either when upon the march, and while he was proceeding on in his journey to the assistance of the Gibeonites, or rather before he set out; and it is highly probable he consulted the Lord on this occasion, having, it may be, some doubt on his mind, whether he should go…

Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly Which no doubt threw them into consternation and confusion: and went up from Gilgal all night; he chose the night for secrecy and surprise, and that he might be the sooner with the enemy, and to the assistance and relief of Gibeon; and as it was about nine…

And the Lord discomfited them before Israel Disturbed, troubled, and frightened them, at the appearance and presence of the people of Israel; they were thrown into terror and confusion upon their approach, being so sudden and unexpected: and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon; by the…

And it came to pass, as they fled before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron The descent of it on that side towards Azekah, and which was also a very narrow passage, of which Josephus [[17]] makes mention.

Then spake Joshua to the Lord In prayer, and entreated as follows, that the sun and moon might stand still, until the victory was complete; though the Jewish writers interpret it of a song; so the Targum, then Joshua praised, or sung praise, as in the Targum on ; and which is approved of by Jarchi…

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed The sun that came out of his chamber like a bridegroom, and rejoiced as a strong man to run his course, stopped his course at once; and the moon that walks in her brightness proceeded not on, but both stood still, motionless, and continued in this…

And there was no day like that, before it, or after it Which must be understood as referring not to natural days, or such as are according to the natural course of things, as those in the northern and southern poles, which are much longer, but to miraculous and extraordinary ones: never was there…

And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. ] That is, he thought to have returned, had determined upon it, and prepared for it, but was prevented by hearing that the five kings had hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah; which he ordered to be stopped up till the people…

But these five kings fled They were not killed by hailstones, nor slain by the sword of the Israelites, but made their escape, being reserved by the providence of God for a more shameful end: and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah; not in the city of Makkedah, which as yet was not in the hands of…

And it was told Joshua Either by some of his own people, or by some of the inhabitants of the land in his interest, who had observed it: saying, the five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah: this seems to make it appear that they were others, and not Joshua’s soldiers, that found them; for…

And Joshua said, roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave To keep the kings in, that they might not make their escape, until he had convenient time to have them brought before him, and be treated by him as they deserved; and no doubt there were plenty of stones about the hill or mountain, in…

And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies That is, do not stay at this cave, but having placed a sufficient guard there, go in pursuit of the enemy, with as much celerity as possible: and smite the hindmost of them; their rear; or “tail” them [[13]], as the word is, cut off the tail of them:…

And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel, &c.] Joshua seems to have pitched his camp at Makkedah, while the rest of his army pursued the fleeing Canaanites, and when he and they were at different places: had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were…

And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace Sound and well, as not one killed or missing, so not one wounded, as the Vulgate Latin version, “sound and in full number:” none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel; as to curse them, reproach them, and speak…

Then said Joshua, open the mouth of the cave That is, roll away the great stones that were laid at the mouth of it: and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave; to receive their sentence in a public manner, for the encouragement of his troops and the terror of the Canaanites,…

And they did so Opened the mouth “of” the cave, by rolling away the stones: and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave; who are next mentioned by name, one by one, according to their dignity, and in the order they were brought unto him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron,…

And it came to pass, when they brought out these kings unto Joshua And set them before him, and he had passed sentence on them: that he called for all the men of Israel; that is, for the chief men, the principal officers of the army: and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him;…

And Joshua said, rest not, nor be dismayed Not meaning at the kings, who perhaps lay bound upon the ground, or however were not in a condition to make any resistance, so that they had nothing to fear from them; but this respects future time, and what other enemies they should meet with; who would…

And afterwards Joshua smote them and slew them With the sword; either by his own hands, or by others whom he ordered to slay them: and hanged them on five trees; to their shame and disgrace, and the terror of others: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening; by way of contempt of…

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, ; 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…

And that day Joshua took Makkedah Some say it was the day on which the sun stood still; but it seems to mean the day in which the five kings were hanged: and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof; slew the inhabitants of it and their king, after having entered and taken it: he…

And Joshua passed from Makkedah After he had taken it, and destroyed its inhabitants, and its king: and all Israel with him; that is, all the men of war he took with him from the camp at Gilgal, from whence he went to the relief of Gibeon: unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah; a city that fell to…

And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel At once, no opposition being made that we read of: and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, he let none remain in it; that is, Israel smote it, or Joshua, and indeed both; and this…

And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish Which, according to Bunting [[3]], was eight miles from Libnah, and twenty miles from Jerusalem to the southwest of this city; see ; and encamped against it, and fought against it; for it seems this city stood out, and would not…

And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which he took on the second day Either the second day from the slaughter of the kings, or rather the second day of the encampment or siege; so Kimchi: and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to…

Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish Perhaps the rather induced to it, because it had no king to defend it. In Jerom’s [[4]] time it was a village called Gazera, four miles from Nicopolis, or Emmaus, to the north: if this king came before the city was taken, he was not able to raise the…

And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon Which, according to Bunting [[5]], was eight miles from Lachish, and twelve from Jerusalem southward, of which see ; and all Israel with him, and they encamped against it, and fought against it; it not surrendering at once, but attempted to hold out a…

And they took it on that day The same day they encamped about it and besieged it; the besieged finding they were not able to keep it: and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day; made an utter devastation of all its inhabitants:…

And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron Which lay in the hill country, and therefore they are said to go up to it from Eglon, which lay lower; and, according to Bunting [[6]], it was sixteen miles from it: and they fought against it; it making some resistance at first,…

And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof For though the king of Hebron was one of the kings that were taken in the cave of Makkedah, and hanged; yet before Joshua came up to it, they had set up another king over them: and all the cities thereof; for Hebron was…

And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir A city, according to Kimchi, which he passed by when he went to Hebron, and did not fight against it; but, when he had taken Hebron, returned and took it; and which Bunting [[7]] says was but a mile from it, and twenty two miles from Jerusalem,…

And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof For this also was a royal city, and had others dependent on it; and therefore must lie further from Hebron than before suggested; and indeed Burchard [[9]] says it was five or six miles from it, and another writer [[10]] says ten…

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 That part of the land of Canaan which lay southward, and consisted of hills and vales; which abounded with springs, and was a well watered country, and agrees with the description…

And Joshua smote them, from Kadeshbarnea Which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, (Num. 13:17, Num. 13:26) ; even unto Gaza, which lay to the southwest, and was one of the five principalities of the Philistines; of which city (See Gill on Amos 1:7); and (See Gill on Acts 8:26); and all the…

And all these kings, and their land, did Joshua take at one time Not in one day, but in a very short time, in a few days, as the history clearly shows: because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel; which is the true reason of such quick dispatch being made, otherwise in all probability much…

And Joshua returned After all these kings and their cities had been taken by him, and not before; though the same is said, , before the history of those facts; (See Gill on Josh.