Joshua 10:15 kjv
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
Joshua 10:15 nkjv
Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10:15 niv
Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10:15 esv
So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10:15 nlt
Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Josh 4:19 | The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day...and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. | Gilgal as the initial staging camp in Canaan. |
| Josh 5:9 | And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. | Gilgal's spiritual significance (circumcision, divine intervention). |
| Josh 5:12 | And the manna ceased...And the people of Israel ate of the produce of the land that day. | Gilgal marks transition to new provision in Canaan. |
| Josh 9:6 | They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him, "We have come from a distant country; please make a covenant with us." | Gilgal as the operational headquarters for diplomatic affairs. |
| Josh 10:9-11 | So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night...The Lord threw down large hailstones... | Immediate context: the great victory at Gibeon before returning. |
| Josh 10:43 | Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned to the camp at Gilgal. | Parallel verse, concluding the entire southern campaign. |
| Josh 14:6 | The people of Judah drew near to Joshua at Gilgal... | Gilgal as the site for land distribution discussions. |
| Judg 2:1-5 | Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim... | Gilgal continues to be a site of divine revelation or assembly. |
| 1 Sam 7:16 | He used to go on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. | Gilgal as an important judicial/religious center. |
| 1 Sam 11:14-15 | Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom." ...and there they made Saul king before the Lord. | Gilgal as a site of national assembly and king-making. |
| 1 Sam 13:8-14 | He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel...he offered the burnt offering... | Saul's disobedience at Gilgal, leading to rejection. |
| 1 Sam 15:20-23 | Saul said to Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the Lord...the Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day." | Saul's final rejection at Gilgal. |
| 2 Sam 19:15 | So the king returned...and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal... | Gilgal remains a strategic assembly point even later. |
| Hos 4:15 | Though you play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah be guilty...Do not go up to Beth-aven, or swear, "As the Lord lives." | Gilgal (likely included implicitly) as a site of idolatry in prophetic condemnation. |
| Hos 9:15 | Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. | Gilgal becoming a center for sin, contrasting its earlier holy status. |
| Amos 4:4 | "Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression..." | Gilgal explicitly identified as a place of apostasy later. |
| Deut 20:1 | "When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots..." | The return to base implies established military protocols. |
| Deut 20:5 | "What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house..." | Returning home/base as a recognized end of a mission. |
| Heb 4:9-11 | So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God...Let us therefore strive to enter that rest... | The concept of returning to a 'rest' after work, a type of entering God's promises, echoes here. |
| 1 Cor 14:40 | But all things should be done decently and in order. | The orderly return reflects principles of organization in divine operations. |
| Eph 6:11-13 | Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand...and having done all, to stand firm. | Returning to 'base' (rest/reflection) after spiritual battles. |
Joshua 10 verses
Joshua 10 15 Meaning
Joshua 10:15 states Joshua's action after a significant military campaign against the five Amorite kings in the southern part of Canaan. Following the miraculous day where the sun stood still and a massive victory, Joshua, along with all the Israelite forces, returned to their established central base camp at Gilgal. This verse signifies the completion of a specific, major phase of the conquest and a strategic repositioning before further operations. It emphasizes order, obedience, and the central role of Gilgal in Israel's early operations in Canaan.
Joshua 10 15 Context
Joshua chapter 10 recounts the momentous Battle of Gibeon. Following the deception of the Gibeonites in chapter 9, five Amorite kings formed a coalition to attack Gibeon for making peace with Israel. Gibeon appealed to Joshua for help. In response, Joshua launched a swift, all-night march from Gilgal to Gibeon, achieving a decisive victory with extraordinary divine intervention, including a miraculous hailstorm and the sun and moon standing still. This campaign consolidated Israel's control over the central highlands and opened the way for further conquest in the southern region. Verse 15 marks a temporary, tactical return to the Gilgal headquarters, signifying a moment of consolidation or a break, following the primary engagement against these kings and their forces. It comes after the direct pursuit and execution of the five Amorite kings in Makkedah.
Joshua 10 15 Word analysis
- Then (וַיָּ֤שָׁב, waw-yashav) - This initial Hebrew waw (consecutive conjunction) introduces a sequential action, emphasizing the immediate consequence or next step in the narrative flow following the battle and executions described previously. It points to a prompt return, reflecting efficiency and disciplined action.
- Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ, Yehoshua) - Meaning "The Lord is salvation" or "The Lord saves." He is the central human figure of the book, chosen by God to lead Israel in conquering the promised land (Deut 31:23, Josh 1:2-5). His name itself foreshadows the divine aid Israel receives.
- returned (יָשָׁב, yashav) - The Hebrew verb shuv implies going back to a place of origin or base. In military context, it signifies a retreat to a secure headquarters after a campaign. This indicates a disciplined, purposeful withdrawal rather than a chaotic flight. It signifies the successful completion of a phase of battle.
- and all Israel with him (וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עִמּ֖וֹ, ve'khol-Yisra'el 'immo) - "All Israel" denotes the collective, unified military force, representing the entire covenant people. This emphasizes unity and the corporate nature of the conquest under divine leading, ensuring no one lagged behind or was lost, reinforcing a complete and successful operation.
- to the camp (אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה, el ha-machaneh) - "The camp" (machaneh) refers to the military encampment, serving as Israel's primary strategic base and temporary home throughout the initial phases of the conquest. It signifies the established headquarters from which operations were launched and where safety and provision were found.
- at Gilgal (הַגִּלְגָּֽלָה, ha-Gilgala) - Gilgal (גִּלְגָּל) means "circle" or "rolling." It was the Israelites' first encampment after crossing the Jordan River (Josh 4:19). It held profound religious significance as the place where the reproach of Egypt was "rolled away" through circumcision (Josh 5:9), the Passover was celebrated, and the manna ceased. It was Israel's initial sacred and strategic center for the conquest, a place of divine presence and validation.
Words-Group analysis:
- "Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him": This phrase highlights Joshua's effective leadership and the unified action of the Israelite military. The army's complete return suggests successful completion of the current objective and an orderly disposition of forces. This reinforces the disciplined nature of God's people under His appointed leader.
- "to the camp at Gilgal": This indicates a return to the strategic and spiritual base. Gilgal was not just a military camp; it was the location where Israel consecrated themselves to the Lord (circumcision, Passover), where they received instructions, and where divine miracles (crossing Jordan, ceasing of manna) affirmed God's presence among them. The return there signals a temporary period of rest, re-grouping, and reaffirmation of their spiritual foundations before continuing the divine mandate.
Joshua 10 15 Bonus section
The seemingly duplicate nature of Joshua 10:15 and Joshua 10:43 often puzzles readers. The prevalent scholarly view is that Joshua 10:15 functions as an interim summary or an early concluding note concerning the battle with the five Amorite kings and the subsequent mop-up operation in Makkedah (vv. 6-14, 16-27). This particular segment focuses intensely on the fate of those specific kings. Joshua 10:43, however, concludes the broader southern campaign of conquest described from verse 28 onwards, which involved conquering Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. Thus, 10:15 denotes a return to base after an initial, focused thrust, while 10:43 marks the final end of all southern military engagements before Joshua turned north. This interpretative nuance emphasizes the detailed chronicling of the conquest phases and Israel's continuous return to their divinely appointed hub at Gilgal for counsel and direction.
Joshua 10 15 Commentary
Joshua 10:15, while appearing simple, serves a significant function in the narrative of the conquest. It highlights the strategic and operational efficiency of the Israelite army under Joshua, reinforced by divine blessing. The immediate return to Gilgal signifies the completion of a major phase of the southern campaign, which had witnessed an unprecedented series of victories culminating in miraculous divine intervention. Gilgal, Israel's sacred and practical headquarters, served as a fixed point of reference—a base for logistical support, strategic planning, and spiritual renewal. This return reinforces Israel's discipline and dependence on their divinely chosen base of operations. The repeated mention of "all Israel" emphasizes unity and the collective obedience of the entire nation in carrying out God's commands. While seemingly redundant with Joshua 10:43 (which also mentions a return to Gilgal), scholars interpret verse 15 as an earlier, perhaps editorial, insertion signifying a specific phase conclusion or a temporary tactical retreat for consolidation, prior to the wider sweep of the southern conquest completed by verse 43.