Joshua 10:34 kjv
And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
Joshua 10:34 nkjv
From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it.
Joshua 10:34 niv
Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it.
Joshua 10:34 esv
Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon. And they laid siege to it and fought against it.
Joshua 10:34 nlt
Then Joshua and the Israelite army went on to Eglon and attacked it.
Joshua 10 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jos 10:29-30 | Then Joshua and all Israel with him went from Makkedah to Libnah, and fought... and he captured it... and its king. | Immediate preceding action: Conquest of Libnah. |
| Jos 10:31-32 | Then Joshua and all Israel with him went from Libnah to Lachish, and encamped... fought... captured it... its king. | Directly states the capture following this verse. |
| Jos 10:40-42 | So Joshua conquered the whole land: the hill country, the Negeb... from Kadesh-barnea even to Gaza... for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. | Summary of Southern campaign: God fought for them. |
| Dt 7:1-2 | When the Lord your God brings you into the land... and utterly destroy them... you shall make no covenant with them... | Divine command for complete destruction (herem) of Canaanites. |
| Dt 9:5 | Not because of your righteousness... but because of the wickedness of these nations... and that he may confirm the word... | God's judgment on Canaanite wickedness as the basis for conquest. |
| Num 33:53 | and you shall take possession of the land and dwell in it, for I have given the land to you... | God's gift of the land to Israel. |
| Gen 15:16 | And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. | Delay of judgment on Canaanites until their wickedness reaches its fullness. |
| Jos 1:3 | Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you... | God's promise of the land as they advance. |
| Jos 6:2 | See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. | God's prior declaration of giving cities into their hands. |
| Ps 44:3 | For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm give them victory, but your right hand and your arm and the light of your face... | Victory is God's work, not human might. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand. | God fights the battles of His people. |
| Dt 2:36 | From Aroer... there was not a city too strong for us. The Lord our God gave all into our hands. | Divine power overcoming formidable cities. |
| Judg 1:29-35 | Mentions continued Canaanite presence in various cities despite Israel's earlier conquests. | Shows challenges in complete conquest beyond Joshua's generation. |
| Neh 11:30 | Lachish and Azekah... | Mention of Lachish as a significant city in later periods. |
| Jer 34:7 | When the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, Lachish and Azekah... | Lachish's strategic importance historically as a fortified city. |
| Exod 17:15-16 | And Moses built an altar and called its name, “The Lord Is My Banner,” for he said, “A hand against the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” | Principle of God warring against evil and unrighteousness. |
| 2 Cor 10:4 | For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. | Spiritual warfare against spiritual strongholds (New Testament application). |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness... | The true nature of conflict beyond physical battles. |
| Rom 13:4 | for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's servant, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. | Governmental authority as God's instrument of judgment (broader principle). |
| Rev 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. | God (Jesus) as warrior for righteousness in the end times. |
Joshua 10 verses
Joshua 10 34 Meaning
Joshua chapter 10 verse 34 details the continued progression of the Israelite conquest under Joshua's leadership. After capturing Libnah, Joshua and the unified Israelite forces advanced to Lachish, encamped around it, and engaged in battle against this formidable Canaanite city as part of the divinely ordained campaign in the Southern territory.
Joshua 10 34 Context
Joshua 10:34 is situated within the broader narrative of Israel's southern campaign following the stunning victory against the Amorite coalition at Gibeon. The chapter begins with the league of five Amorite kings besieging Gibeon, which had recently made peace with Israel. In response to Gibeon's plea, Joshua launched a swift and decisive attack, aided miraculously by God with hailstones and the sun standing still. After this initial victory, Joshua pursued the kings to Makkedah, captured them, and executed them. This event then inaugurated a rapid series of conquests of major southern Canaanite cities, with Libnah being the immediate preceding conquest (Jos 10:29-30). Joshua 10:34 marks the transition to Lachish, a strategically vital and well-fortified city in the Shephelah (foothills) region of Judah, connecting the coastal plain to the central highlands. This systematic destruction was an act of divine judgment against the grievous wickedness of the Canaanite nations, as stipulated in God's command for herem (devotion to destruction) in Deuteronomy, and served to secure the Promised Land for Israel. The swiftness of these successive conquests highlights God's active involvement and fulfillment of His covenant promises.
Joshua 10 34 Word analysis
- And Joshua: "Yĕhoshuʿa" (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ). Means "Yahweh is salvation" or "The Lord saves." Joshua acts as the divinely appointed leader, directly obeying God's commands for the conquest, showcasing that God works through chosen human instruments.
- and all Israel with him: Emphasizes the unified action of the entire nation, not just Joshua alone. This collective participation signifies Israel's obedience to God and God's corporate covenant with His people, working through their obedience.
- passed: "ʿāvar" (עָבַר). Signifies movement, crossing over, or passing through. Here, it denotes the swift and decisive movement of the entire army from one captured city to the next target, indicative of a continuous and relentless campaign.
- from Libnah: A city recently captured by Joshua (Jos 10:29-30). Its capture prior to Lachish establishes a sequential progression of the conquest, demonstrating the systematic approach and God's guidance.
- to Lachish: "Lachish" (לָכִישׁ). A key fortified city in the Shephelah, known from archaeology and later biblical history (e.g., as one of the last cities to fall to the Assyrians in 701 BC). Its importance signifies the strategic and challenging nature of its conquest, reinforcing God's power in overthrowing a major stronghold.
- and encamped: "ḥānâh" (חָנָה). To encamp, to pitch tents, to lay siege. This word indicates the methodical military approach of establishing a camp around the city as a preliminary step to battle, signifying a siege or preparation for direct assault.
- against it: Directs the action towards the specific target, Lachish.
- and fought: "lācham" (לָחַם). To fight, to make war. This signifies the active military engagement that follows the encampment, indicating the direct confrontation and battle for the city.
- against it: Reinforces the direct opposition and military conflict.
Words-group analysis
- And Joshua and all Israel with him passed: This phrase highlights the unity of command and execution. Joshua's leadership is integral, but it is the entire Israelite army, acting as God's instrument, that carries out the divine directive. This underlines corporate responsibility and the fulfillment of the covenant mandate.
- from Libnah to Lachish: This sequence illustrates the strategic progression of the campaign. The Israelite forces were not stationary but moved systematically from one conquest to the next, covering ground and eliminating enemy strongholds according to God's plan.
- and encamped against it and fought against it: This two-part action describes the typical ancient siege warfare pattern: surrounding or investing the city, followed by direct military assault. This showcases the military effectiveness and determination of the Israelite forces, empowered by God, in prosecuting the herem commands. The direct repetition of "against it" emphasizes the targeted, relentless nature of the assault.
Joshua 10 34 Bonus section
The archaeological evidence from Tel Lachish provides substantial insights into the city's ancient fortifications and its ultimate destruction layers. These layers confirm that Lachish was indeed a powerful stronghold and was subjected to intense sieges, supporting the biblical narrative of a difficult but ultimately successful conquest. The sheer scale of the Israelite victories during this southern campaign, swiftly overcoming a series of fortified cities, is not easily explainable by mere military prowess. This strongly emphasizes the theological premise that "the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel" (Jos 10:42), affirming the miraculous and supernatural assistance that secured these conquests. The "holy war" commanded by God in this period (specifically herem) was unique in scope and purpose: it was a specific act of divine judgment against profoundly corrupt cultures that threatened the purity of Israel, and is not a general model for warfare in all times.
Joshua 10 34 Commentary
Joshua 10:34 encapsulates the relentless, divinely directed nature of the Israelite conquest. Following their extraordinary victory at Gibeon and the subsequent capture of Makkedah and Libnah, Joshua and the unified Israelite forces continued their systematic advance into the heart of Canaanite territory. Their movement from Libnah to Lachish underscores a disciplined campaign, moving from one stronghold to the next. Lachish, a city of considerable strategic and defensive importance, represented a significant target. The act of "encamping against it and fighting against it" portrays the typical warfare of the time – a methodical siege leading to a direct assault. This verse, though brief, points to God's faithfulness in enabling Israel to subdue formidable enemies, thus fulfilling His promises of the land. It also demonstrates Joshua's obedient leadership and the unity of the Israelite nation in executing the divine judgment against the wicked Canaanites.