Joshua 10 20

Joshua 10:20 kjv

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, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.

Joshua 10:20 nkjv

Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities.

Joshua 10:20 niv

So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.

Joshua 10:20 esv

When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,

Joshua 10:20 nlt

So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and completely crushed the enemy. They totally wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified towns.

Joshua 10 verses

Joshua 10 20 Meaning

Joshua 10:20 describes the outcome of a significant battle, where the Israelite army, aided by God, inflicted an exceptionally massive defeat upon their Amorite adversaries. It states that after the initial great slaughter, nearly all of the enemy forces engaged in the open field were destroyed, with only the remaining few managing to flee and seek refuge in their fortified cities. This verse marks the conclusion of the immediate pursuit phase and highlights the thoroughness of the victory while setting the stage for subsequent military actions against the remaining strongholds.

Joshua 10 20 Context

Joshua 10:20 is situated within the narrative of Israel's conquest of Canaan under Joshua. Specifically, it follows the major military campaign initiated when five Amorite kings formed an alliance to attack Gibeon, which had made a treaty with Israel. This chapter is famous for divine intervention, including the miraculous hailstones and the sun and moon standing still, all to allow Israel to fully execute God's judgment and achieve an overwhelming victory. Verse 20 summarizes the direct engagement in the open field, confirming the massive scale of the slaughter before turning attention to the remaining enemies who fled to fortified strongholds. It portrays the intense and sustained pursuit of the enemy forces that commenced after the main battle and continued until only remnants remained. The existence of "fenced cities" introduces the next challenge for Israel, indicating that while the field battle was decisively won, the complete conquest of the land still required the reduction of fortified enemy centers. Historically, fortified cities were the primary defensive structures for city-states in the ancient Near East, serving as a last resort against invading armies.

Joshua 10 20 Word analysis

• And it came to pass, when they had made an end of slaying them: The phrase "And it came to pass" (וַיְהִי, vayhi) is a common narrative transition in Hebrew scripture, signifying the progression of events. "made an end of slaying them" (כְּכַלּוֹתָם לַהֲרֹג אֹתָם, kekhallotam laharog otam) implies the thorough completion of the act of killing. The verb "kalah" (כָלָה) means to finish, complete, or utterly consume, suggesting a sustained and devastating action on the part of the Israelites against their foes, ensuring that the work was carried out as comprehensively as possible in the open battle.
• with a very great slaughter: (מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, makkah g'dolâh m'od). The word "makkah" (מַכָּה) denotes a blow, wound, or slaughter, often referring to a defeat inflicted in battle. "Gedolah" (גְדוֹלָה) means "great," and "me'od" (מְאֹד) is an intensifier meaning "very" or "exceedingly." Combined, this phrase vividly emphasizes the overwhelming magnitude and devastating effectiveness of the Israelite victory, which was a direct result of divine intervention as described earlier in the chapter (Josh 10:10-14). This language highlights God's power manifested through Israel's army.
• till they were consumed: (עַד תֻּמָּם, 'ad tummam). The word "tammam" (תֻּמָּם) is derived from "tamam" (תָּמַם), meaning to be complete, finished, or at an end. This emphasizes that the slaughter was carried out to a point of near-total annihilation for those who remained in the open field pursuit. It underscores the decisive and comprehensive nature of God's judgment enacted through Israel, aiming for complete removal of the targeted forces.
• that the rest which remained of them: (וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים מֵהֶם, v'hannish'arim mehem). This phrase acknowledges that despite the "very great slaughter," some individuals survived. "Nish'arim" (נִשְׁאָרִים) comes from "sha'ar" (שָׁאַר), meaning "to remain" or "be left over." This shows the pragmatic reality of ancient warfare—total annihilation of every single individual in a large-scale field battle was exceedingly rare. It clarifies that the extensive slaughter referred to the bulk of the Amorite forces, not every last person, establishing a realistic transition to the next phase of the campaign. This concept of a 'remnant' also appears in prophetic literature regarding divine judgment and preservation.
• entered into fenced cities: (בָּאוּ הָעָרִים הַבְּצֻרוֹת, ba'u ha'arim habbetzurot). "Ba'u" (בָּאוּ) means "they came" or "they entered," indicating their movement into safe havens. "Fenced cities" is a translation of "arei mibtzar" (עָרֵי מִבְצָר) or, as here, "habbetzurot" (הַבְּצֻרוֹת), from "batzar" (בָּצַר), meaning to cut off, fortify, or make inaccessible. These were heavily fortified urban centers, designed to withstand sieges, providing a stark contrast to the open battlefield. Their retreat into these strongholds presented a new strategic challenge for Israel, shifting the mode of warfare from pursuit in open terrain to potential siege operations. This detail serves to logically transition the narrative to the subsequent capture of these very cities.

• "made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed": This extended phrase underscores the sheer ferocity and success of the pursuit and elimination of the Amorite forces. The combination of "making an end," "very great slaughter," and "consumed" paints a picture of comprehensive defeat, reflecting God's decisive intervention on behalf of Israel to fulfill His covenant promises and bring judgment upon the Canaanites. It emphasizes the extent of God's power to rout armies, leaving virtually none capable of further resistance in the open.
• "the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities": This part serves as a crucial narrative pivot. While emphasizing the vastness of the destruction, it provides a realistic assessment of military campaigns by noting the survival of a remnant. This remnant, however, could only find safety behind strong defensive walls, signifying their total rout and inability to engage in further direct combat. This also highlights the transition from pitched battle to the subsequent phase of conquest—the reduction of these very fortified cities, presenting Israel with new, yet conquerable, objectives.

Joshua 10 20 Bonus section

The concept of a "very great slaughter" serves as a direct polemic against any pagan belief that the gods of the Amorites or the local deities of specific places could protect their adherents or their land from a superior divine force. This unprecedented defeat demonstrates the supremacy of Yahweh over all other gods. The act of escaping to fortified cities acknowledges a strategic reality of ancient warfare where heavily defended cities were the final recourse against overwhelming military force. For the ancient audience, it would confirm both the power of God, who caused such a slaughter, and the reality that complete conquest was a phased process, moving from open battle to fortified strongholds.

Joshua 10 20 Commentary

Joshua 10:20 provides a vital summary and transition in the grand narrative of the Amorite campaign. It vividly depicts the conclusion of the immediate, open-field battle and pursuit, highlighting the devastating "very great slaughter" inflicted upon the Amorite coalition. This was not merely an Israelite military achievement but a divine victory, reflecting God's direct intervention (as described in the preceding verses) in judging the inhabitants of the land. The meticulous language emphasizes the thoroughness of the destruction "till they were consumed," which underscores the fulfilling of divine commands for judgment upon wicked nations.

However, the verse realistically acknowledges that complete, 100% annihilation of every single individual was not achieved in this specific engagement, as a "remnant" of survivors managed to escape. Their flight into "fenced cities" is significant; it signifies the enemy's complete loss of effective offensive power in the open field and their retreat into defensive strongholds, shifting the tactical challenge for Israel from pursuit to siege warfare. This serves to logically connect the epic battlefield victory with the subsequent narrative of Joshua's systematic reduction of the remaining Amorite cities, proving that even man-made defenses would ultimately be powerless against the God of Israel. It thus exemplifies God's faithful execution of His covenant promises to give Israel the land, while progressively dispossessing its current inhabitants.