Joshua 10:10 kjv
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 Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
Joshua 10:10 nkjv
So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
Joshua 10:10 niv
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.
Joshua 10:10 esv
And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
Joshua 10:10 nlt
The LORD threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
Joshua 10 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 14:14 | The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. | God fights for Israel |
| Exod 14:24 | And in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians. | God confuses enemy hosts (hāmām) |
| Deut 3:22 | Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you. | The Lord is the divine warrior |
| Judg 4:15 | And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host... | God routs enemies (hāmām) |
| 1 Sam 7:10 | And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle... but the LORD thundered... and they were smitten. | Divine intervention in battle |
| 2 Sam 5:20 | ...The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters... | God's powerful breaking forth against enemies |
| 2 Chr 20:29 | And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms... when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. | God instills fear in nations |
| Psa 44:3 | For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. | God, not Israel, gives victory |
| Psa 68:1 | Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. | God's enemies are scattered |
| Psa 76:5-6 | The stouthearted are spoiled... At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. | God frustrates and immobilizes enemies |
| Psa 144:6 | Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. | God's use of elements to defeat |
| Isa 28:21 | For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon... | Prophecy recalling Gibeon victory |
| Isa 30:30-31 | And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard... for through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down... | God's voice as a weapon against foes |
| Isa 31:4-5 | For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion... So shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion... | The Lord as a fierce protector/fighter |
| Hab 3:11-12 | The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows... Thou didst march through the land in indignation... | God's march and use of creation (context: Josh 10) |
| Zech 14:13 | And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them... | God sends panic among enemies |
| Acts 7:45 | Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers... | God dispossessing nations for Israel's entry |
| Col 2:15 | And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. | Spiritual parallel: Christ's triumph over spiritual enemies |
| Rev 19:11 | And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. | Christ as ultimate warrior |
| Rev 19:21 | And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse... | Final decisive defeat of God's enemies |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's unwavering support for His people |
| Psa 9:16 | The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth... | God's justice displayed through judgment |
Joshua 10 verses
Joshua 10 10 Meaning
Joshua 10:10 describes the Lord's direct and decisive intervention in the battle against the five Amorite kings, who had attacked Gibeon. It details how God Himself routed, destroyed, and pursued Israel's enemies from the initial battlefield at Gibeon, down the strategic ascent of Beth-horon, and far into the Shephelah, reaching Azekah and Makkedah, signifying a complete and overwhelming divine victory. This verse emphasizes that the triumph was not achieved by Israel's might but by the sovereign power of the Almighty, who fought for His people.
Joshua 10 10 Context
Joshua chapter 10 recounts a pivotal moment in the Israelite conquest of Canaan. After the Gibeonites deceptively made a peace treaty with Israel (Joshua 9), five Amorite kings, led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, formed a confederacy to punish Gibeon for betraying them. Gibeon appealed to Joshua for help. Verses 6-9 detail Israel's swift night march from Gilgal to Gibeon to defend their allies. Joshua 10:10 immediately follows Israel's arrival, marking the point where the actual battle commenced with God's direct and supernatural intervention. This specific victory initiated the southern campaign of the conquest, breaking the power of the Amorite kings and demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant promises to deliver the land to Israel and judge the wicked inhabitants of Canaan. The historical context includes the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham (Gen 15:16) regarding the iniquity of the Amorites reaching its full measure, signaling the time for their judgment and dispossession.
Joshua 10 10 Word analysis
- And the LORD: (Hebrew: וַיהוָה - waiYhWāh) Emphasizes the immediate, active, and personal involvement of the covenant God of Israel (YHWH). It highlights divine agency as the primary force behind the victory, not merely Israel's military might. This phrase signals God's faithfulness to His promises and His protective hand over His people.
- confounded them: (Hebrew: וַיְהֻמֵּם - waiyhummêm from הָמַם - hāmām) To throw into confusion, rout, disturb, discomfit, make a tumultuous noise. This implies a divinely induced panic and disorder among the enemy forces. It is not a natural confusion but a supernatural disorientation that made them vulnerable. This exact verb is used elsewhere to describe God's confusion of the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Exod 14:24) and Sisera's army before Barak (Judg 4:15), indicating a powerful and specific act of divine warfare.
- before Israel: This phrase serves to underscore that Israel was a direct witness to God's actions. The victory was unmistakably attributable to the Lord, serving to build Israel's faith and show God's presence among them, not their own strength. It reinforces the idea that Israel was the instrument and beneficiary of God's war.
- and slew them: (Hebrew: וַיַּכֵּם - waiyakkēm from נָכָה - nāḵāh) To strike, smite, beat, wound, kill. This indicates a direct, powerful, and lethal blow. The repetition of this verb throughout the verse (slew, smote) conveys the extent and continuity of the divine destruction.
- with a great slaughter: (Hebrew: מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה - makkah gedôlāh) A very heavy blow or great defeat, a significant defeat in battle leading to a high casualty count. This emphasizes the thoroughness and devastating nature of the divinely orchestrated destruction of the enemy forces. It means more than just a battle, but a wholesale annihilation.
- at Gibeon: This is the starting point of the battle, the specific location where the divine intervention began and the great slaughter commenced. Gibeon was the immediate battlefield for the defending Gibeonites and the arriving Israelites against the Amorite confederation.
- and chased them: (Hebrew: וַיִּרְדְּפֵם - waiyirddəpêm from רָדַף - rāḏap) To pursue, follow, run after. This depicts the active pursuit of a fleeing, disorganized enemy. It indicates a rout, where the Amorite kings' armies turned and fled, and God (through Israel) ensured they had no respite.
- along the way that goes up to Beth-horon: This identifies the specific route of pursuit. The ascent (and subsequent descent, though not explicit in this part of the verse) of Beth-horon was a well-known, difficult, and strategic pass connecting the central highlands with the Shephelah (lowlands). The description highlights the geographic detail of the rapid pursuit.
- and smote them: (Hebrew: וַיַּכֵּם - waiyakkēm) Again, the verb nāḵāh, "to strike" or "smite," emphasizing the ongoing divine judgment and continued destruction during the chase. It shows the unrelenting nature of God's hand against His enemies.
- to Azekah, and to Makkedah: These are the farthest points of the pursuit mentioned in this verse. Azekah and Makkedah were key cities in the Shephelah. Their mention indicates the comprehensive nature of the defeat and pursuit, extending far beyond the initial battleground. This was not a localized victory but a widespread destruction of the enemy forces.
Joshua 10 10 Bonus section
The concept of God "confounding" (hāmām) His enemies points to a specific form of divine warfare often overlooked. It's not just about overpowering with physical might but breaking the enemy's will, morale, and strategic cohesion through a divinely induced panic or psychological disruption. This supernatural confusion meant the Amorite armies were defeated before they even faced the full force of Israel's direct assault, essentially collapsing from within their own ranks. This phenomenon precedes the later hailstones mentioned in the subsequent verse (Josh 10:11), indicating that the divine intervention was multifaceted, beginning with psychological defeat and escalating to elemental destruction. The detailed geographical references also underscore the historicity of the event, grounding the miraculous in specific, real-world locations that were well-known to the original audience. This further authenticates the claim of divine authorship for Israel's victory.
Joshua 10 10 Commentary
Joshua 10:10 provides a succinct yet profound account of God's direct warfare on behalf of Israel during the conquest of Canaan. The core message is divine sovereignty in battle. The verb "confounded" (hāmām) is critical, showing that God disoriented the enemy, not through conventional tactics, but by sowing panic and disarray. This enabled the "great slaughter," demonstrating the devastating effectiveness of God's intervention. The subsequent "chased them" and repeated "smote them" along a geographically detailed route—from Gibeon through Beth-horon to Azekah and Makkedah—illustrate a complete, relentless, and far-reaching rout. The victory was absolute, leaving no doubt that it was the Lord Himself who fought for Israel, fulfilling His promises and bringing judgment upon the Amorites. This passage is a powerful reminder that when God fights for His people, no enemy, regardless of their numbers or strength, can stand. It establishes a pattern for faith: true victory comes from relying on God's power, not human might.Example: Just as God confounded the Amorites, He can confuse and frustrate the plans of spiritual adversaries today, clearing the way for His people to advance in their calling.