Joshua 10
Judges 10 can be divided into two parts. The first half (verses 1–5) briefly introduces the short records of the judgeship of Tola and Jair. The second half (verses 6–18) describes how Israel falls into idolatry again and again, leading to God’s anger, invasions by foreign nations (the Ammonites and the Philistines), and Israel’s process of crying out to God in the midst of that suffering.
1verseNow when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them,
2versethey were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
3verseTherefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4verse“Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Gibeon; for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”
5verseTherefore 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 themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.
6verseThe men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.”
7verseSo Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor.
8verseThe LORD said to Joshua, “Don’t fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you.”
9verseJoshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.
10verseThe LORD confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah.
11verseAs they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, the LORD hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.
12verseThen Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!”
13verseThe sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day.
14verseThere was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
15verseJoshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
16verseThese five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17verseJoshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
18verseJoshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;
19versebut don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”
20verseWhen Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
21verseall the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22verseThen Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”
23verseThey did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24verseWhen they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.
25verseJoshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
26verseAfterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.
27verseAt the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
28verseJoshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29verseJoshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30verseThe LORD delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31verseJoshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.
32verseThe LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33verseThen Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.
34verseJoshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it.
35verseThey took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36verseJoshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.
37verseThey took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.
38verseJoshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.
39verseHe took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king.
40verseSo Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded.
41verseJoshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.
42verseJoshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43verseJoshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
The Ministry of Tola and Jair (Verses 1–5)
- Tola: As a man of the tribe of Issachar, he was active in the Ephraim region as well, ruling Israel for 23 years and contributing to a period of stability.
- Jair: a Gileadite who ruled Israel for 22 years. It is recorded that his 30 sons lived in the towns of Jair, showing that he had regional influence.
- Both judges, with no specific accomplishments or records of war, emphasize that Israel experienced a calm period.
Israel’s Repeated Cycle of Evil (Verses 6–16)
The people of Israel again abandon the LORD and serve foreign gods such as Baal and the Ashtoreths. Because of this, God becomes angry and they are oppressed by the Philistines and the Ammonites (verses 7–9). In response to their cries, God at first turns away, but after genuine repentance and the removal of idols, He shows compassion.
Repeated Sin and God’s Grace in the Period of the Judges
- We can see that the overall pattern of Judges—Israel’s downfall, hardship, repentance, and deliverance—repeats itself in this chapter as well.
- God’s judgment is based on justice, yet His character is revealed in the way He has compassion on the people when they return.
- When Israel truly turns away from idols, God again extends compassion to them.
Meditation Points
- I reflect on whether there is a pattern of sin repeating in my life, just as in Israel.
- Not simply repentance aimed at escaping hardship, but whether I have the courage to rely only on God and to cast aside idols in a real way.
- I think about whether I can trust that God delights in sincere repentance and opens the way to restoration again.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- I learn that I need to take a look at what my other “idols” are and make the decision to cut them off.
- I remember that God’s patience and compassion are continuing in my life as well, and I develop a humble heart to turn back to the Lord even amid repeated mistakes.
As part of Coupang Partners activities, this post may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
