Joshua-Chap-10-1-21

-hebraicstudies.net-

Please do NOT visit this site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts!

Re Tanakh versions:

Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, although JPS-1917 is my preferred version!

Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

YYYYYYY

Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

YYYYYYY

“Joshua Chapter 10:1-21”

Part One..

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Joshua Chapter 10 marks a critical turning point in the conquest of Canaan, shifting from localized skirmishes to a major regional conflict. Following the destruction of Jericho and Ai, and the surprising peace treaty with the Gibeonites, the surrounding Canaanite nations are gripped by “great fear”. This chapter describes the formation of a southern confederacy of five kings led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, who target Gibeon for its “defection” to Israel. What begins as a rescue mission by Joshua becomes one of the most miraculous displays of Divine intervention in the Tanakh, featuring both a deadly hailstorm and the famous halting of the sun and moon.

YYYYYYY

Let us read Joshua Chapter 10:1-21: (JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).

1. “Now it came to pass, 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; 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 Adoni-zedek 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, and let us 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 all their hosts, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it. 6. And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying: ‘Slack not thy hands 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 hill-country are gathered together against us’. 7. So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. 8. And יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Joshua: ‘Fear them not; for I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand against thee’. 9. Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal all the night. 10. And יְהוָה - the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon; and they chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that יְהוָה - the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died; they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12. Then spoke Joshua to יְהוָה - the LORD in the day when יְהוָה - 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 Aijalon’. 13. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stayed 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 יְהוָה - the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man; for יְהוָה - the LORD fought for Israel. 15. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 16. And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17. And it was told Joshua, saying: ‘The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah’. 18. And Joshua said: ‘Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them; 19. but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities; for יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem - hath delivered them into your hand’. 20. And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21. that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace; none whetted his tongue against any of the children of Israel”.

YYYYYYY

Explanation of Verses 1-21:

Verses 1-5: The Southern Confederacy Forms.
Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, hears of Joshua’s total victory over Ai and the peace made with Gibeon. Because Gibeon was a “great city” with “mighty men”, its alliance with Israel posed a massive strategic threat. Adoni-zedek rallies four other kings from ‘Hebron’, ‘Jarmuth’, ‘Lachish’, and ‘Eglon’ to attack Gibeon as a punishment and a deterrent.

Verses 6-8: The Cry for Help and Divine Reassurance.
The Gibeonites send an urgent “SOS” to Joshua at Gilgal, pleading for him to “slack not thy hand” and come quickly to save them. Despite the Gibeonite’ earlier deception, Joshua remains faithful to his oath. אֱלֹהִים - Elohim encourages Joshua, commanding him “Fear them not”, and promising that “not a man of them shall stand against thee”.

Verses 9-11: The Surprise Attack and the Hailstones.
Joshua and his army perform a grueling all-night march from Gilgal to surprise the Amorite forces. יְהוָה - the LORD throws the enemy into a panic, and as they flee down the “descent of Beth-horon”, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) casts down “great stones from heaven” (hailstones). Remarkably, the text notes that more enemies died from the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

Verses 12-15: The Sun Stands Still.
In the heat of battle, Joshua speaks to יְהוָה - the LORD in the sight of all Israel, commanding the sun to “stand thou still upon Gibeon” and the moon in the “valley of Aijalon”. The sun halts in the midst of heaven for “about a whole day”. While some sages like Maimonides and Gersonides suggest this may be poetic or a “subjective” miracle where the victory was simply so swift it felt like the day never ended, the text emphasizes that “there was no day like that... that יְהוָה - the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man”.

Verses 16-21: Pursuit and the Cave at Makkedah.
The five kings flee and hide in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua orders large stones to be rolled against the mouth of the cave to trap them while the army continues to pursue the remaining enemy forces. After the slaughter is complete, the people return to the camp in peace, and the text notes that “none whetted his tongue against any of the children of Israel”, signifying a total and uncontested victory.

YYYYYYY

My Closing Message:

The narrative of Joshua 10 teaches us that Divine help often meets human effort halfway. Joshua did not wait for a miracle; he marched all night in an act of exhausting faithfulness. Only after Joshua exerted his full strength did the heavens respond with hailstones and the halting of time.

This chapter serves as a reminder that when we honour our commitments, even those made under difficult circumstances, like the oath to Gibeon, we align ourselves with יְהוָה - “the LORD of Righteousness”. In our own lives, when the “confederacy” of challenges seems overwhelming, may we find the “good courage” to march forward, trusting that the Master of the Universe can still move heaven and earth to bring us to a place of peace!.

YYYYYYY

Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links are located down the page!

This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...

“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts” Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).

YYYYYYY

“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Enter ...

http://www.hebraicstudies.net/Site-Index.htm

Enter ...

https://www.hebraicstudies.net

-hebraicstudies.net-

Email the Rabbi

RBA@hebraicstudies.net

If the email link does not open - You can also copy the link and use it.

Although the author does not believe in having to copyright “Hebraic Studies” commenced in the mid 1980’,

but there have been occasions where there parts of his studies have been taken and quoted out of context

under my name, and thus he has been misquoted by those who have their own reasons for doing so.

Thus, it is only for this reason these works are fully covered under strict ...