Joshua 10- Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Josh 10:1-8

1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. 2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. 3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. 4 ‘Come up and help me attack Gibeon,’ he said, ‘because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.’

5 Then the five kings of the Amorites – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon – joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: ‘Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.’

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.’

A. Find out:

1. Who heard about all that was happening? v.1
2. Why was he upset about Gibeon? v.2
3. So what did he do? v.3,4
4. What did the Gibeonites do when attacked? v.6
5. What was Joshua’s response? v.7
6. How did the Lord encourage Joshua? v.8

B. Think:

1. Why exactly did the king of Jerusalem take this action?
2. Why did Gibeon call for Joshua?
3. Why did Joshua respond?

C. Comment:

      The word has got around about Gibeon, as well as about Joshua’s exploits. Some of the inhabitants of the land see the writing on the wall and decide to act quickly against Gibeon, so they band together and attack the city. Gibeon ‘s immediate reaction is to call for Joshua, after all they have made a peace treaty and they belong to Israel now, so let’s get some of the benefits of that! Joshua is a man of honor and integrity so he responds immediately. He is in covenant with Gibeon and as such he has a responsibility towards them, so he takes the whole army and goes to their aid. As he goes the Lord indicates His approval. He doesn’t say “Have nothing to do with this!” but instead promises victory, after all these are some of the same inhabitants of the land who have to be cleared out, so this is as good a way to deal with them as any.

     The lesson here is obvious: covenants or agreements bring both benefits and responsibilities e.g.1. when we join a church there are benefits but there are also responsibilities, e.g.2. when we marry there are benefits but there are also responsibilities!

D. Application?

1. When someone comes to the Lord they come out of the world, and the world may not like it! Watch out for counterattacks.
2. Are we people of honor and integrity?

Passage: Josh 10:9-15

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
    and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’
13 So the sun stood still,
    and the moon stopped,
    till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

A. Find out:

1. How did Israel take them by surprise? v.9
2. How did the Lord intervene? v.10a
3. With what result? v.10b
4. What did the Lord then do? v.11
5. What inexplicable event occurred at Joshua’s request? v.12,13
6. What did Israel recognize? v.14b

B. Think:

1. How was this battle a partnership between the Lord and Israel against the enemy?
2. What does that show about Israel ‘s pact with Gibeon?
3. Why would it be necessary, as far as Joshua is concerned, for the day to be lengthened?

C. Comment:

     Israel took the enemy by surprise by coming upon them through the night, but the enemy could have come back strongly against them. Instead the Lord “threw them into confusion” i.e. He put feelings of confusion into their minds which, as they submitted to them, resulted in them fleeing before Israel. Not only that, as they fled the Lord released massive hailstones on them, destroying many of them.

     Then we come to a mystery, the standing still of the sun for a day. How such a thing could happen defies our understanding. If it did actually happen, we know it would have meant the whole world would have stopped rotating. Not possible, even as a miracle! If we consider the reason for it, that might make it more clear. Obviously Joshua needed time to catch up with the enemy before night fell. What perhaps happened is that the Lord gave Israel supernatural ability to deal with the enemy in such a short time that it seemed like a whole day had passed. If this was not so then this remains a mystery to us. But then, in a different way, the resurrection of Jesus is just a big a mystery, but then God IS God!

D. Application?

1. Praise the Lord who is sovereign God!
2. Thank the Lord that grace comes in different ways.

Passage: Josh 10:16-28

16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18 he said, ‘Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19 But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.’

20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

22 Joshua said, ‘Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.’ 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, ‘Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.’ So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.’ 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

A. Find out:

1. What happened to the 5 kings? v.16
2. Why did Joshua say to block them in? v.18,19
3. When did they release the kings? v.20-22
4. What did Joshua make his commanders do? v.24
5. What did he promise? v.25
6. What happened to the kings? v.26,27

B. Think:

1. Why was it essential not to stop and deal with the five kings?
2. Why do you think Joshua did what he did with his commanders when they took the kings out?
3. Why do you think it was necessary for the kings to die?

C. Comment:

     There may be a tendency within us, with our “civilized” outlook on life(!) to be somewhat horrified by this “barbaric” episode. That is our failure not theirs! Two things need remembering: first, all have sinned and deserve to die, and the fact that God doesn’t destroy us is simply a sign of His mercy and grace. These kings were responsible rulers of pagan idol worshipping anti-God peoples, and they deserved the judgement of God. Second, this was a situation of destroy or be destroyed. They had come to destroy the allies of the people of God.

     In this passage we see the wisdom and commitment of Joshua. First, his wisdom in “locking up” the kings while his army dealt with the fleeing armies, and then in strengthening the faith and resolve of his army commanders. Second, his commitment as he determinedly put the kings to death. There must have been the temptation to spare them as “great men deserving something better”, but that would have been wrong. Left to live these men would simply have raised up opposition to God yet again. Sin that is not dealt with keeps on raising its ugly head. Deal with it! Destroy it!

D. Application?

1. Do we allow things to remain in our lives that raise up opposition to God or do we, as Scripture commands put them to death? (Col3:5)
2. Holiness involves purity!

Passage: Josh 10:29-43

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 30 The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32 The Lord gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army – until no survivors were left.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37 They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned round and attacked Debir. 39 They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

A. Find out:

1. What city did Joshua next take? v.29,30
2. What next city took 2 days to take? v.31-33
3. What city came next? v.34,35,38
4. Why had Joshua totally destroyed everyone? v.40
5. Why had he been so successful? v.42

B. Think:

1. Find a Bible map of Canaan and follow Joshua’s victories on it.
2. What was happening here? Look up Joshua 1:3-5
3. Reminder: before being an army commander, what had Joshua been?

C. Comment:

     In the first part of the campaign, Israel went from Jericho to Ai, (to Gibeon, against 5 kings), to Makkedah, moving from the central eastern part of Canaan right into the center of the south of the land. From there they quickly moved taking the cities of the south: Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, Debir, a total of eight cities taken so far, an impressive campaign! We are reminded of Joshua’s OBEDIENCE and the Lord’s POWER. Joshua sought to do what the Lord told him to do, and the Lord enabled him to achieve it all. That is always the order of things, even for us. As we seek to obey the Lord, He then enables us to do it. Overcoming comes with obedience.

     Remember here was a land basically under God’s judgement, a land with no excuse (see Romans 1:18 -20) a land which now refused (with the exceptions of Rahab and her family and the Gibeonites) to accept the life of the people of God, with the Lord at the center. If we find such a part of Israel ‘s history unpleasant, we should ask the Lord to bring us the understanding of the awfulness of sin, of rebellion against God and its earthly and eternal consequences. When we see that, we shall also see the grace of God that seeks to reach out and save all men. If God says “Destroy!” He knows the people in question will not repent.

D. Application?

1. Our obedience opens the way for God’s blessing.
2. Sin destroys!