Joshua 10:38 kjv
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
Joshua 10:38 nkjv
Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and they fought against it.
Joshua 10:38 niv
Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.
Joshua 10:38 esv
Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it
Joshua 10:38 nlt
Then Joshua and the Israelites turned back and attacked Debir.
Joshua 10 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's promise of the land to Abraham. |
| Num 21:34-35 | "The LORD said to Moses, 'Do not fear him, for I have given... Bashan...'" | Divine command and victory in warfare. |
| Deut 7:1-2 | "When the LORD your God brings you into the land... you shall devote them to destruction." | Command for herem (utter destruction). |
| Deut 9:5 | "Not because of your righteousness... but for the wickedness of these nations..." | God's judgment on Canaanite sin. |
| Josh 10:1-27 | Narrates the defeat of the southern coalition at Gibeon, then Makkedah. | Immediate context of the southern campaign. |
| Josh 10:28 | "Joshua attacked Makkedah... devoted to destruction... as he had done to Libnah." | Sets the pattern of total conquest. |
| Josh 10:31-32 | "Joshua passed from Libnah... fought against Lachish... took it." | Previous city taken in the same campaign. |
| Josh 10:34-35 | "From Lachish Joshua went to Eglon... took it that day." | Continuation of the conquest. |
| Josh 10:36-37 | "Then Joshua went up from Eglon... to Hebron and fought against it... destroyed." | Directly precedes the move to Debir. |
| Josh 11:21-22 | "Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country... from Debir..." | Confirms Debir's conquest, noting Anakim there. |
| Josh 14:13 | "Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb... as an inheritance." | Part of the eventual land distribution. |
| Josh 15:15-17 | "From there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly Kiriath-sepher)... Othniel captured it." | Detail regarding Caleb's family's action after general conquest. |
| Judg 1:11-13 | "From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir... Othniel captured it." | Reinforces Debir's later capture/securing by Caleb. |
| Neh 9:24 | "And you gave them the land of the people of Canaan..." | Recalls God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises. |
| Ps 44:3 | "For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them..." | Acknowledges God as the true deliverer. |
| Ps 105:42-45 | "For he remembered his holy promise... and brought out his people with joy..." | God's remembrance of covenant, giving land. |
| Is 60:11-12 | "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish..." | Principle of judgment on nations opposing God. |
| Zech 14:17-19 | "And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to worship the King, the LORD..." | Prophetic warning of judgment for rebellion. |
| 2 Cor 10:3-4 | "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." | Spiritual warfare, conquering spiritual strongholds. |
| Eph 6:12 | "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers... against the spiritual forces of evil..." | Nature of spiritual battles for believers. |
| Rev 19:11-15 | "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it... striking down the nations." | Christ as ultimate warrior in divine judgment. |
Joshua 10 verses
Joshua 10 38 Meaning
Joshua 10:38 describes a key movement in the Southern Campaign of the conquest of Canaan. After capturing several strategic cities, Joshua, leading all of Israel, purposefully turned towards Debir and engaged it in battle. This signifies the continued methodical fulfillment of God's command to possess the promised land and execute His judgment upon its inhabitants.
Joshua 10 38 Context
Joshua 10:38 is part of the extensive account of Israel's conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. Specifically, it concludes the Southern Campaign described in Joshua 10, following the miraculous victory at Gibeon where the sun stood still. This chapter showcases a swift and decisive military operation targeting five Amorite kings and their allied cities (Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and now Debir). The preceding verses emphasize the concept of herem (חרם), the total devotion to destruction of all living things, which was God's severe judgment against the pervasive wickedness, idolatry, and child sacrifice prevalent among the Canaanite inhabitants (Deut 9:5, Deut 18:9-12). Debir, also known as Kiriath-sepher ("city of the book"), suggests it may have been a significant cultural or religious center, thus its conquest had symbolic as well as strategic importance in dismantling Canaanite influence and establishing Yahweh's sole sovereignty. The systematic destruction highlights Israel's obedience and God's powerful hand in fulfilling His ancient promises to Abraham to give this land to his descendants.
Joshua 10 38 Word analysis
- Then Joshua: (וַיָּשָׁב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - vayyashav Yehoshua') - The use of "Then" (וַ - va- "and, then") indicates a direct continuation and logical progression from previous events. "Joshua" (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Yehoshua) means "The LORD is salvation." His actions are instrumental to Israel's victory, signifying divine leadership and power manifested through a human agent.
- and all Israel with him: (וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמּוֹ - v'chol-Yisrael 'immo) - Emphasizes corporate unity and participation. This was not a lone mission but the combined effort of the entire nation, signifying collective obedience and responsibility in executing God's will. "Israel" (יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yisra'el) means "God strives" or "prince of God."
- turned back: (וַיָּשָׁב - vayyashav) - From the root שׁוּב (shuv), "to return, turn back." This suggests a strategic repositioning. Having conquered Hebron, a key city in the southern highlands, Debir was geographically located such that Israel had to "turn back" (or change direction) to assault it, completing the campaign in that general region.
- to Debir: (דְּבִרָה - Dvirah) - A specific geographical target, crucial for fully controlling the southern highlands. It was a well-fortified city, also known as Kiriath-sepher (Judg 1:11), potentially meaning "city of books" or "city of scribes," suggesting it held cultural or intellectual significance to the Canaanites, possibly containing records or religious texts. Its conquest was therefore a potent symbolic act of overturning the foundational elements of Canaanite society.
- and fought against it: (וַיִּלָּחֶם עָלֶיהָ - vayyilachem 'aleiha) - From the root לָחַם (lacham), "to fight, wage war." This indicates direct military engagement. The persistent "fighting against" reflects the reality that the conquest, while divinely assisted, also required Israel's active participation and obedience in battle.
Joshua 10 38 Bonus section
The detailed accounts of cities taken in Joshua 10, including Debir, sometimes lead to questions when later passages, like Joshua 15:15-17 and Judges 1:11-15, describe Caleb's relative Othniel capturing Debir (Kiriath-sepher). This is understood by many scholars not as a contradiction, but as a multi-stage process of conquest and consolidation. Joshua 10 provides a general overview of the initial, overwhelming campaign led by Joshua, signifying that the major strongholds were broken and effective resistance ceased, thus "taking" the city in a military sense. However, full control and permanent settlement, requiring a complete mop-up operation, including eliminating remnant resistance or reclaiming after brief reoccupation, was then left to individual tribes as their inheritance. Caleb's family likely secured or re-secured Debir for definitive Israelite possession within the broader context of land distribution. This reinforces the understanding that the "conquest" was not a single, instantaneous event but a complex, divinely guided process involving both miraculous divine action and sustained human effort.
Joshua 10 38 Commentary
Joshua 10:38 marks the final specified target of the intensive southern campaign in Joshua 10, culminating the series of rapid conquests. The phrase "Then Joshua and all Israel with him" highlights the unity of purpose and corporate obedience that characterized this phase of the conquest, distinct from individual tribal initiatives later on. The decision to "turn back to Debir" underscores a methodical approach to completing the objective, leaving no significant strongholds unaddressed in the area. Debir's fall was particularly significant, possibly serving as a center of Canaanite learning or religious practice ("city of books"), meaning its capture not only removed a military threat but also struck a blow against the cultural and spiritual core of pagan worship. This relentless campaign demonstrates God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises to grant Israel the land, alongside His righteous judgment against the entrenched wickedness of the Canaanite nations. The meticulous account of city by city destruction emphasizes the comprehensive nature of this divinely ordained mission, preparing the land for Israel's settlement as a holy people dedicated to Yahweh.