Joshua 10:2
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So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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).
Open source ↗10:2 Gibeon was apparently not one of the royal cities. Gibeon might have been subservient to Canaan-controlled Jerusalem before making the covenant with Joshua, or it might have been an independent town controlled by a few leading families.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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No man will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you upon all the land, wherever you set foot, as He has promised you.
“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”
Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”