Joshua 10:16-27
Christian Standard Bible
Execution of the Five Kings
16 Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was reported to Joshua, “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. 19 But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” 20 So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. 21 The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten the Israelites.
22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.” 23 That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. 24 When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous,(A) for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.”
26 After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung[a] their bodies on five trees[b] and they were there until evening.(B) 27 At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees(C) and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are still there today.(D)
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Joshua 10:16-27
New English Translation
16 The five Amorite kings[a] ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it.[b] 19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them.[c] Don’t allow them to retreat to[d] their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.”[e] 20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities.[f] 21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah.[g] No one[h] dared threaten the Israelites.[i] 22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings[j] out of the cave to me.” 23 They did as ordered;[k] they brought the five kings[l] out of the cave to him—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he[m] summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here[n] and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up[o] and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![p] Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight.” 26 Then Joshua executed them[q] and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees.[r] They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.)[s]
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- Joshua 10:16 tn Heb “these five kings.”
- Joshua 10:18 tn Heb “and appoint by it men to guard them.”
- Joshua 10:19 tn Heb “But [as for] you, don’t stand still, chase after your enemies and attack them from the rear.”
- Joshua 10:19 tn Or “enter into.”
- Joshua 10:19 tn Heb “has given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.
- Joshua 10:20 tn Heb “When Joshua and the sons of Israel finished defeating them with a very great defeat until they were destroyed (now the survivors escaped to the fortified cities).” In the Hebrew text the initial temporal clause (“when Joshua…finished”) is subordinated to v. 21 (“the whole army returned”).
- Joshua 10:21 tn Heb “all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua [at] Makkedah [in] peace.”
- Joshua 10:21 tc Heb “No man.” The lamed (ל) prefixed to אִישׁ (ʾish, “man”) is probably dittographic (note the immediately preceding יִשְׂרָאֵל [yisraʾel] which ends in lamed, ל); cf. the LXX.
- Joshua 10:21 tn Heb “no man sharpened [or perhaps, “pointed”] his tongue against the sons of Israel.” Cf. NEB “not a man of the Israelites suffered so much as a scratch on his tongue,” which understands “sharpened” as “scratched” (referring to a minor wound). Most modern translations understand the Hebrew expression “sharpened his tongue” figuratively for opposition or threats against the Israelites.
- Joshua 10:22 tn Heb “these five kings.”
- Joshua 10:23 tn Heb “they did so.”
- Joshua 10:23 tn Heb “these five kings.”
- Joshua 10:24 tn Heb “Joshua.” The translation has replaced the proper name with the pronoun (“he”) because a repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style.
- Joshua 10:24 tn Or “Draw near.”
- Joshua 10:24 tn Or “drew near.”
- Joshua 10:25 tn Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”
- Joshua 10:26 tn Heb “struck them down and killed them.”
- Joshua 10:27 sn For the legal background of the removal of the corpses before sundown, see Deut 21:22-23.
- Joshua 10:27 tn Heb “to this very day.” The words “They remain” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
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