Joshua 10:1-14

The Southern Coalition Joshua 10:1-14

Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had 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;
2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel,
5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.
8 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee,
9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10 And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;
and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
until the people had avenged themselves

upon their enemies.

Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

1.

Who was Adoni-zedek? Joshua 10:1

The name means lord of righteousness. It is almost synonymous with Melchizedek which means king of righteousness. This may have been a title of the Jebusite kings, as Pharaoh was the Egyptian rulers and Caesar was later of the Roman. Adoni-zedek does not appear to have any of the righteous inclinations which belong to Melchizedek, the high priest to whom Abraham paid the tithe. Instead of being a friend of God's people and the descendants of Abraham, he was an enemy with a burning desire to resist the wrath of God.

2.

Where was Jerusalem? Joshua 10:1 b

This word means the foundling or possession of peace. It was called Salem in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:18). It was the proper name of the town which was also frequently called Jebus (Judges 19:10-11; 1 Chronicles 11:4), or city of the Jebusites (Judges 19:11). During the division of the land it was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:28); but being situated upon the border of Judah (Joshua 15:8), it was conquered and burned by the sons of Judah after the death of Joshua (Judges 1:8). It was very soon taken again by the Jebusites whom the sons of Judah were not able to destroy (Joshua 15:63, Judges 19:12); so both Benjaminites and Judahites lived there along with the Jebusites (Judges 1:21; Joshua 15:63). The upper town, especially upon the summit of Mt. Zion, remained a fortification in the possession of the Jebusites until David conquered it (2 Samuel 5:6 ff.). He made it the capital of his kingdom and called it by his own name, the city of David, after which the old name of Jebus fell into disuse.

3.

Why were the Jebusites afraid? Joshua 10:2

The Jebusites were afraid not only because they had heard what the Israelites had done at Jericho and Ai but also because one of their cities had made a league with them. They might have believed the Gibeonites would assist the Israelites and make war against the rest of the Canaanites. Indeed the Hivites who lived in Gibeon would be bound by their treaty to assist the Israelites in whatever way they were directed. In addition, the other Canaanites must have felt a sense of reproach and shame that one of their own cities had signed a treaty with the enemy. This revealed internal weakness, and they decided to attack immediately.

4.

Where was Hebron? Joshua 10:3 a

Hebron, the town of Arba the Anakite (Joshua 15:13; cf. Genesis 23:2), was about twenty miles south of Jerusalem. It lay in a deep and narrow valley upon the mountains of Judah and was a town of the greatest antiquity (Numbers 13:22). It is now called el Khalil, i.e., the field (of God), with reference to Abraham's sojourn there. The ruins include an ancient colossal mosque which contains, according to the Mohammedan tradition, the burial-place of the patriarchs (See Genesis 23:17).

5.

Where was Jarmuth? Joshua 10:3 b

Jarmuth was in the lowlands of Judah (Joshua 15:35; Nehemiah 11:29). A hamlet, Jermucha, is on the road to Jerusalem, and is identified as the modern Jarmuk. This village is on a lofty hill and has remains of walls and cisterns of a very ancient date. The name is called Tell -Armuth by the Arabs.

6.

Where was Lachish? Joshua 10:3 c

Lachish was in the lowlands of Judah (Joshua 15:39) and was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:9). It was besieged by Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 18:17; 2 Kings 19:8; Jeremiah 34:7) but was still inhabited by Jews after the return from captivity (Nehemiah 11:30). It is probably to be found in Um Lakis, an old place upon a low round hill. The site is covered with heaps of small round stones thrown together in great confusion containing relics of marble columns.

7.

Where was Eglon? Joshua 10:3 d

Eglon was in the lowlands of Judah (Joshua 15:39). The present name is Ajlan, a heap of ruins. It lies to the east of Um Lakis. Eglon was very closely associated with the affairs of the Philistines and was the city most remote from the center of the land. The king must have been able to contribute something to the campaign led by Adonizedek, and these people joined with their fellow Canaanites in waging a campaign against the Hivites who had made peace with Israel.

8.

Why did the Gibeonites appeal to ?Joshua 10:6

When the men of Gibeon saw that the other Canaanites were attacking them, they sent to Joshua for help. Since the two peoples had entered into a league with each other, the Israelites were honor bound to assist the Gibeonites. Consequently, Joshua left his camp at Gilgal and took with him his full complement of soldiers led by his mighty men of valor.

9.

What was the ascent of Beth-horon? Joshua 10:10

This was the ascent to Upper Beth-horon (Beit Ur, el Foka), which was nearest to Gibeon, only a short way distant on the northwest. It lay on a lofty promontory between two valleys, one on the north, the other on the south, and was separated from Lower Beth-horon, which lay further west, by a long steep pass. The ascent to Upper Beth-horon is very steep and rocky, though the rock has been cut away in many places and a path made by means of steps. This pass between the two places leads downwards from Gibeon towards the western plain and was called sometimes the ascent, or going up to Beth-horon, and sometimes the descent, or going down from it (Joshua 10:11) Frequent references to this passageway are found both in Biblical and extra-Biblical sources.

10.

Where was Makkedah? Joshua 10:10 b

This site is believed to be found in Summeil, a considerable village on an eminence in the plain. It has a large public well 110-' deep and 11-' in diameter, with strongly built walls of hewn stones. There is also part of an old wall which to all appearances must have belonged to a large square castle built of uncemented stones.

11.

Where was Azekah? Joshua 10:11

Both Azekah and Makkedah are in the lowland on the west of Canaan. Azekah is in the hill-country between the mountains and the plain (Joshua 15:35); Makkedah, in the plain itself (Joshua 15:41). Azekah was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:9) and was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 34:7) but still inhabited after the captivity (Nehemiah 11:30). It was not far from Socoh, according to Joshua 15:35.

12.

What were the hailstones? Joshua 10:11

The large stones which the Lord threw upon the flying foe at the slope of Beth-horon were hailstones (see Isaiah 30:30). It was not stone-hail or a shower of stones, but a terrible hailstorm, in which hail fell upon the foe in pieces as large as stones. There was no evidence that Israel was equipped well enough with slingers in order to hail stones upon the army. The author is not trying to express this, but is rather telling the reader that God interfered in the affairs of men. From the heavens which are controlled by the Creator of the heavens poured forth those hailstones which would normally come in less quantity and with less severity. On this occasion, God interfered with what we call the laws of nature and caused such a storm to come upon the Canaanites that they were routed by Israel.

13.

Are there valid objections to the miracle of the sun standing still? Joshua 10:13

Several objections are raised. First, it is said, No annals of other nations contain such an account. For that matter, annals of many nations do not go back to this period. Second, it is urged that the motion of the stars is unchangeable. These so-called laws, however, are nothing more than phenomena, or forms of manifestation, of those divine creative powers, the true character of which no mortal has ever fathomed. Third, it is objected that such a sudden stoppage of the revolution of the earth upon its axis would have dashed to pieces all the works of human hands which were to be found upon its surface and hurled the earth itself with its satellite, the moon, out of their orbits, This leaves out of sight the fact that the omnipotent hand of God, which not only created the stars but gave them the power to revolve with regularity in their orbits as long as this universe endures, is not too short to guard against such disastrous consequences, There can be no valid objections to the view that this was a miracle worked by God Himself.