CHAPTER 10
. 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" (Genesis 14:18;
Psalms 76:2), was superseded by that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 (Genesis 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 (), 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 (), although Hebron was inhabited by Hittites or Hivites (), and Jerusalem by Jebusites ().
. 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 (). 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 (Joshua 9:17).
Joshua 10:10;
Joshua 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 (1 Samuel 7:10;
Psalms 18:13; Psalms 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.
Psalms 144:6. 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" (). It would seem, from , 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.
Joshua 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 (Joshua 10:15).
Joshua 10:15. 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 (Deuteronomy 20:16;
Deuteronomy 20:17); and then their corpses
were suspended on five trees till the evening.
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 (Deuteronomy 20:16;
Deuteronomy 20:17); and then their corpses
were suspended on five trees till the evening.
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."
CHAPTER 10
. 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" (Genesis 14:18; Psalms 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 (Genesis 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 (), 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 (), although Hebron was inhabited by Hittites or Hivites (), and Jerusalem by Jebusites ().
. 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 (). 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 (Joshua 9:17).
Joshua 10:10; Joshua 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 (1 Samuel 7:10; Psalms 18:13; Psalms 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.
Psalms 144:6. 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" (). It would seem, from , 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. Joshua 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 (Joshua 10:15).
Joshua 10:15. 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 (Deuteronomy 20:16; Deuteronomy 20:17); 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 (Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalms 110:5; Malachi 4:3).
Malachi 4:3. SEVEN MORE KINGS CONQUERED.
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 (Deuteronomy 20:16; Deuteronomy 20:17); and then their corpses were suspended on five trees till the evening.
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."