Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Joshua 10
Joshua 10:8And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you."
God speaks directly to Joshua before the battle, removing any fear and promising a total victory. This assurance is the foundation for Joshua's courageous actions that follow.Joshua 10:13And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
In an unprecedented miracle, God answers Joshua's prayer and stops the sun's movement. This demonstrates that God's power is limitless and that He will do anything to fulfill His purposes for His people.Joshua 10:42And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
This verse summarizes the entire southern campaign, giving all the credit for the swift and total victory to God. It reminds the reader that Israel's success was entirely because the Lord was fighting on their behalf.
Historical & Cultural Context
An Alliance Forged in Fear
The story picks up right after the events of chapter 9, where the Gibeonites tricked Israel into a peace treaty. This decision has immediate consequences. The powerful Amorite kings of southern Canaan, led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, see this alliance as a betrayal and a threat. They form a coalition to punish Gibeon and to stop Israel's momentum before it becomes unstoppable.
A Miraculous Victory and a Swift Conquest
When the five kings attack, the Gibeonites send a desperate plea to Joshua, who honors the treaty and marches his army through the night. The events that follow are a stunning display of divine power, not merely a battle. God throws the enemy into confusion, sends a lethal hailstorm, and even extends the day, allowing Israel to win a decisive victory that crushes the southern opposition and leads to a rapid conquest of the region.
The Battle for Southern Canaan
After the Gibeonites made a treaty with Israel in the previous chapter, five southern kings felt threatened and decided to attack Gibeon. This chapter opens with Gibeon's desperate call for help, forcing Joshua to honor his pact. The stage is set for a massive confrontation that will determine the fate of the entire southern region of the Promised Land.
The Ambush and the Hailstorm (Joshua 10:1-11)
5 So the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
2 he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors.
3 So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 "Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel."
5 So the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, "Do not relax your hand 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 against us."
7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.
8 And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you."
5 So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom and fell upon them.
10 And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
Commentary:
A southern coalition attacks Israel's allies, but God fights back with confusion and a supernatural storm.
Related Verse Analysis
The Day the Sun Stood Still (Joshua 10:12-15)
12 At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."
10 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.
15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
Commentary:
Joshua asks God to stop the sun, and He does, allowing Israel to secure a total victory.
Related Verse Analysis
Judgment in the Cave (Joshua 10:16-27)
16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
18 Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them,"
19 But do not stay there yourselves, pursue your enemies and attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”
20 So Joshua and the people of Israel defeated them with a great blow at Gibeon, chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
21 And all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah.
22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave."
23 And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings." Then they came near and put their feet on their necks.
25 And Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight."
26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening.
27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
Commentary:
The five enemy kings are captured and executed, symbolizing God's promise of complete victory over all enemies.
Conquering the South (Joshua 10:28-43)
28 As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
30 The Lord gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua and all Israel passed on from Libnah to Lachish and laid siege to it and fought against it.
32 And the Lord gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people, until he left none remaining.
34 And Joshua and all Israel passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped against it and fought against it.
35 And they captured it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he devoted every person in it to destruction that day, as he had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron. And they fought against it
37 And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns they devoted to destruction.
38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it.
39 and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. Just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king.
40 So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
41 And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
42 And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
43 Thus Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
Commentary:
Following the main battle, Joshua's army swiftly conquers all the key cities of southern Canaan.
God's Power, Faithfulness, and Judgment
God's Sovereignty Over Creation
The hailstorm and the sun standing still are powerful declarations that the God of Israel is the Lord of all creation. He is not limited by the laws of nature. He can command the elements and the cosmos to serve His purposes. This shows that His power is absolute and His authority is ultimate.
The Power of Bold Faith
Joshua’s prayer for the sun to stop is an incredible act of faith, spoken in the middle of a battle. It shows that when a leader is in tune with God's will, they can ask for seemingly impossible things. God honors this faith, proving that He works in partnership with the courageous obedience of His people.
Covenant Faithfulness and Divine Judgment
Israel was bound by a treaty to defend Gibeon, and God honors their commitment to that promise. At the same time, the conquest represents God's righteous judgment against the deep-seated wickedness of the Canaanite nations. The command to 'devote to destruction' was the fulfillment of this long-foretold judgment, not a general rule for warfare.
Lessons from a Long Day
Joshua 10 shows that God fights for His people, often in ways we could never anticipate. When you face overwhelming challenges, remember that God can intervene supernaturally, as He did with the hailstones (Joshua 10:11). Your part is to move forward in obedience and trust that He is working on your behalf, even when the odds seem impossible.
Joshua's prayer was bold, specific, and born from a desire to see God's mission completed. It teaches you that prayer is not merely a passive wish list. It can be a courageous declaration of faith in God's power to act (Joshua 10:12). Don't be afraid to ask God for big, seemingly impossible things when you are seeking to follow His will.
The conquest was a specific, unique moment in history, representing God's judgment on societies that had reached a point of extreme moral decay, something He had warned about for centuries. It is a sobering reminder that God is both just and holy, not a model for our behavior today. The text makes it clear this was a direct command from God for that time (Joshua 10:40), not a timeless principle for how His people should engage with others.
God's Power Secures the Promise
Joshua 10 demonstrates that God's promises are fulfilled through His direct and overwhelming power. The victory was not won by military strategy alone, but by hailstones from heaven and daylight supernaturally extended. The message is clear: when we walk in faithful obedience, God fights our battles, overcoming obstacles that seem insurmountable to secure the inheritance He has promised us.
What This Means for Us Today
Joshua 10 is a dramatic invitation to trust in a God who is bigger than our circumstances and even the laws of nature. It calls us to step out in bold faith, knowing that the God who fought for Israel is the same God who empowers us today. We are invited to face our own 'battles' not with fear, but with the courage that comes from knowing God is on our side.
- What 'battle' are you facing where you need to ask God for a 'sun stand still' kind of intervention?
- In what area of your life do you need to be more 'strong and courageous,' trusting that God will give you the victory?
- How can you remember the ways God has fought for you in the past to build your faith for the future?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This chapter details God's parting of the Red Sea, another foundational story of God controlling nature to save His people.
The prophet Habakkuk recalls this specific event, where the 'sun and moon stood still in their habitation,' as a reason to trust in God's power.
This passage describes a different kind of warfare - spiritual - but echoes the theme that our ultimate victory comes from God's power, not our own.
Discussion Questions
- Joshua honored a treaty that was made under false pretenses. What does this teach us about integrity and keeping our word, even when it's costly?
- The miracle of the sun standing still is unique in the Bible. Why do you think God performed such an extraordinary sign in this specific battle?
- How do we balance the call to 'be strong and courageous' and take action, with the truth that 'the Lord fought for Israel'?