Joshua 10:6 Kommentar

We have in this chapter an account of the conquest of the kings and kingdoms of the southern part of the land of Canaan, as, in the next chapter, of the reduction of the northern parts, which together completed the glorious successes of the wars of Canaan. In this chapter we have an account, I. Of the routing of their forces in the field, in which observe, 1. Their confederacy against the Gibeonites (Jos 10:1-5). 2. The Gibeonites' request to Joshua to assist them (Jos 10:6). 3. Joshua's speeds march under divine encouragement for their relief (Jos 10:7-9). 4. The defeat of the armies of these confederate kings (Jos 10:10, Jos 10:11). 5. The miraculous prolonging of the day by the standing still of the sun in favour of the conquerors (Jos 10:12-14). II. Of the execution of the kings that escaped out of the battle (Jos 10:15-27). III. Of the taking of the particular cities, and the total destruction of all that were found in them. Makkedah (Jos 10:28). Libnah (Jos 10:29, Jos 10:30). Lachish (Jos 10:31, Jos 10:32) and the king of Gezer that attempted its rescue (Jos 10:33). Eglon (Jos 10:34, Jos 10:35). Hebron (Jos 10:36, Jos 10:37). Debir (Jos 10:38, Jos 10:39). And the bringing of all that country into the hands of Israel (Jos 10:40-42). And, lastly, the return of the army to the head-quarters (Jos 10:43).

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 10 This chapter treats of the combination of five kings against the Gibeonites, Jos 10:1; and of the application of the Gibeonites to Joshua, for assistance, in virtue of the league between them, which was granted, Jos 10:6; of the slaughter of the army by the kings of Israel, and chiefly by hailstones from heaven, Jos 10:10; and of the standing still of the sun, and of the moon, while vengeance was taken on them, Jos 10:12; and of the five kings being hid in a cave, and of the usage of them when taken, Jos 10:15; and of the taking of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, Jos 10:28; which finished the conquest of the southern part of the land, Jos 10:40.

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,.... 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 they might have heard of the design of the five kings against them; or that they should be able to send out messengers when surrounded on all sides; it may be better therefore to render the words, "had sent" (m), which they did as soon as they heard of the preparations made by the five kings to war with them, and of their rendezvous at Jerusalem, and especially as soon as they had information of their march towards them: saying, slack not thine hands from thy servants; they entreat that he would not neglect them, be indifferent to them, and delay to assist them, since they were his subjects; and were entitled to his protection: come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us; they did not doubt, if he made haste and helped them, but they should be saved by him: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. Jerusalem lay among mountains, and Hebron was in the hill country in Judea, see Psa 125:2; and the other cities were doubtless in a like situation. (m) "sed miserant", Piscator; so Pool and Patrick.

There is no doubt that when a human soul associates itself with the Word of God, it is immediately going to have enemies, and that those it once considered friends will be changed into adversaries. The soul should not only expect to suffer this from humans, but it should also know that such will likewise be forthcoming from opposing powers and spiritual iniquities. Thus it happens that whoever longs for friendship with Jesus knows he must tolerate the hostilities of many.…Even now, therefore, the Gibeonites, such as they are, are assaulted because of friendship with Jesus [Joshua], even though they are “hewers of wood and carriers of water.” That is, although you are the least worthy in the church, nevertheless, because you belong to Jesus, you will be assailed by five kings. The Gibeonites, however, are not abandoned or scorned by Jesus [Joshua] or by the leaders and elders of the Israelites; instead they offer help for their weakness.

Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem, hearing of the capture of Ai, and that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel, calls to his assistance four other kings to fight against Gibeon, Jos 10:1-4. They join forces, and encamp against Gibeon, Jos 10:5. The Gibeonites send to Joshua for succor, Jos 10:6, who immediately marches to their relief, receives encouragement from God, and falls suddenly on the confederate forces, Jos 10:7-9, and defeats them; they fly, and multitudes of them are slain by a miraculous shower of hail-stones, Jos 10:10, Jos 10:11. Joshua, finding that the day began to fail, prayed that the sun and moon might stand still, that they might have time to pursue and utterly destroy these confederate forces, Jos 10:12. The sun and moon stand still, and make that day as long as two, Jos 10:13, Jos 10:14. Joshua and the people return to their camp at Gilgal, Jos 10:15. The five kings having taken shelter in a cave at Makkedah, Joshua commanded the people to roll great stones against the mouth of the cave, and set a watch to keep it, while Israel were pursuing their enemies, Jos 10:16-19. The Israelites return to Makkedah, bring forth the five kings, then slay and hang them on five trees, Jos 10:20-27. The Israelites take and destroy Makkedah, Jos 10:28, and Libnah, Jos 10:29, Jos 10:30, and Lachish, Jos 10:31, Jos 10:32, and defeat Horam king of Gezer, Jos 10:33, and take Eglon, Jos 10:34, Jos 10:35, and Hebron, Jos 10:36, Jos 10:37, and Debir, Jos 10:38, Jos 10:39, and all the country of the hills, south, vale, and springs, and the whole country from Kadesh-Barnea to Gibeon, Jos 10:40-42. They return to Gilgal, Jos 10:43.

FIVE KINGS WAR AGAINST GIBEON. (Jos 10:1-5) 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" (Gen 14:18; Psa 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 (Gen 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.

JOSHUA RESCUES IT. (Jos 10:6-9) 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.

The Gibeonites then sent to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and entreated him to come to his help as speedily as possible. "Slack not thy hand from thy servants," i.e., withhold not thy help from us. The definition appended to "the kings of the Amorites" ("that dwelt in the mountains") is to be understood a potiori, and does not warrant us in drawing the conclusion, that all the towns mentioned in Jos 10:3 were in the mountains of Judah. The Amorites who dwelt in the mountains were the strongest of all the Canaanites. Jos 10:7 In accordance with this petition Joshua advanced from Gilgal (ויּעל, not went up) with all the people of war, even (vav expl.) all the men of valour. Jos 10:8 The Lord then renewed the assurance of His help in this particular war, in which Joshua was about to fight for the first time with several allied kings of Canaan (cf. Jos 2:24; Jos 6:2; Jos 8:1, Jos 8:18). Jos 10:9 Joshua came suddenly upon them (the enemy), as he had marched the whole night from Gilgal, i.e., had accomplished the entire distance in a night. Jiljilia is fully fifteen miles from el-Jib. Jos 10:10 "Jehovah threw them into confusion," as He had promised in Exo 23:27, and in all probability, judging from Jos 10:11, by dreadful thunder and lightning (vid., Sa1 7:10; Psa 18:15; Psa 144:6 : it is different in Exo 14:24). "Israel smote them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Bethhoron," i.e., Upper Bethhoron (Beit Ur, el-Foka), which was nearest to Gibeon, only four hours distant on the north-west, on a lofty promontory between two valleys, one on the north, the other on the south, and was separated from Lower Bethhoron, which lies further west, by a long steep pass, from which the ascent to Upper Bethhoron is very steep and rocky, though the rock has been cut away in many places now, and a path made by means of steps (see Rob. Pal. iii. p. 59). This pass between the two places leads downwards from Gibeon towards the western plain, and was called sometimes the ascent, or going up to Bethhoron, and sometimes the descent, or going down from it (Jos 10:11), ἀνάβασις καὶ κατάβασις Βαιθωρῶν (1 Macc. 3:16, 24). Israel smote the enemy still further, "to Azekah and Makkedah:" so far were they pursued and beaten after the battle (cf. Jos 10:16, Jos 10:21). If we compare Jos 10:11, according to which the enemy was smitten, from Bethhoron to Azekah, by a violent fall of hail, it is very evident that the two places were on the west of Bethhoron. And it is in perfect harmony with this that we find both places described as being in the lowland; Azekah in the hill-country between the mountains and the plain (Jos 15:35), Makkedah in the plain itself (Jos 15:41). Azekah, which was fortified by Rehoboam (Ch2 11:9), besieged by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer 34:7), and still inhabited after the captivity (Neh 11:30), was not far from Socoh, according to Jos 15:35; whilst sideways between the two was Ephes-dammim (Sa1 17:1). Van de Velde has discovered the latter in the ruins of Damm, about an hour's journey east by south from Beit Nettif (Mem. p. 290), and consequently imagines that Azekah is to be found in the village of Ahbek, which stands upon a lofty mountain-top a mile and a half to the north of Damm, and about four of five miles N.N.E. of Shuweikeh, supposing this to be Aphek. The statement in the Onom. (s. v. Ἀζηκά), ἀνάμεσον Ἐλευθεροπολεως καὶ Αἰλίας, agrees with this. Makkedah is described in the Onom. as being eight Roman miles to the east of Eleutheropolis, and hence Knobel supposes it to have been near Terkumieh, or Morak; but he is wrong in his supposition, as in that case it would have been in the hill-country or upon the mountains, whereas it was one of the towns in the plain (Jos 15:41). Van de Velde's conjecture (p. 332) is a much more probable one, viz., that it is to be found in Summeil, a considerable village on an eminence in the plain, with a large public well 110 feet deep and 11 feet in diameter, with strongly built walls of hewn stones, where there is also part of an old wall, which to all appearance must formerly have belonged to a large square castle built of uncemented stones, resembling in some respects the oldest foundation wall of Beit Jibrin (Rob. Pal. ii. p. 368). It is two hours and a half to the north-west of Beit Jibrin, and there Van de Velde discovered the large cave (see at Jos 10:16), which Robinson has not observed (see his Journey through Syria and Palestine). Jos 10:11 The large stones which the Lord threw upon the flying foe at the slope of Bethhoron were hail-stones (see Isa 30:30), not stone-hail, or a shower of stones, but a terrible hail-storm, in which hail fell upon the foe in pieces as large as stones (see Wis. 46:6), and slew a greater number of them than the swords of the Israelites. This phenomenon, which resembled the terrible hail in Egypt (Exo 9:24), was manifestly a miraculous occurrence produced by the omnipotent power of God, inasmuch as the hail-stones slew the enemy without injuring the Israelites, who were pursuing them. By this the Israelites were to be made to see that it was not their own power, but the supernatural help of their God, which had given them the victory; whilst the enemy discovered that it was not only the people of Israel, but the God of Israel, that had devoted them to destruction.