Joshua 10 41

Joshua 10:41 kjv

And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

Joshua 10:41 nkjv

And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon.

Joshua 10:41 niv

Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon.

Joshua 10:41 esv

And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.

Joshua 10:41 nlt

Joshua slaughtered them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from the region around the town of Goshen up to Gibeon.

Joshua 10 verses

Joshua 10 41 Meaning

Joshua 10:41 summarizes the broad scope of Joshua's southern military campaign, stating that he conquered a vast region from the wilderness area of Kadesh-barnea in the south to the Philistine coastal city of Gaza in the west, and from the region of Goshen in the south to the central highlands near Gibeon in the east. This verse highlights the comprehensive nature of the Israelite conquest under divine enablement, showcasing the fulfillment of God's promise to give His people the land and demonstrating His judgment upon the Canaanite nations. It serves as a concluding statement to the detailed accounts of specific city conquests within the southern campaign.

Joshua 10 41 Context

Joshua 10:41 appears as the concluding summary of Joshua's extensive Southern Campaign against a coalition of five Amorite kings and their allies (Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon). This campaign commenced in response to the Gibeonites' treaty with Israel and the subsequent attack on Gibeon by the Amorite kings. Chapter 10 recounts the miraculous intervention of God, including the hailstones and the sun standing still, which granted Israel a decisive victory. Following this initial success at Gibeon and Beth-horon, Joshua pursued the kings and systematically conquered a series of southern cities—Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir—as detailed in verses 28-40. Verse 41 provides a high-level geographical summary, illustrating the impressive reach and thoroughness of these conquests, showcasing that the Lord had delivered the entire southern region into Israel's hand as part of His covenant promise.

Joshua 10 41 Word analysis

• And Joshua struck them:
  • And Joshua: (וַיַּךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, vayyakh Yehoshuaʿ). "Joshua" (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) means "The LORD is salvation" or "The LORD saves." His name prefigures his divinely appointed role as the instrument through whom God brought salvation and inheritance to Israel by dispossessing the nations of Canaan.
  • struck them: (וַיַּךְ, vayyakh) comes from the Hiphil imperfect of the verb נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike down, to smite, to destroy, to defeat decisively." This implies a forceful and decisive action, leading to complete subjugation or annihilation, aligning with the concept of cherem (devotion to destruction) for the inhabitants of Canaan as a divine judgment. It emphasizes the effectiveness of Joshua's military action, empowered by God.
• from Kadesh-barnea: (מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ, miq-qadhesh Barneʿa). Kadesh-barnea was a significant location in the Negev, far to the south, associated with Israel's wilderness wandering and their initial failure to enter the land (Numbers 13-14). Here, it marks the southernmost boundary of Joshua's successful military operations, signifying the completion of the conquest reaching the very threshold they once failed to cross. "Kadesh" means "holy."
• even to Gaza: (וְעַד עַזָּה, veʿadh ʿAzzah). Gaza was a major Philistine city on the southwestern coast of Canaan, marking the westernmost extent of this southern campaign. This indicates that Joshua's conquests reached from the eastern border to the Mediterranean coast in this region, demonstrating the breadth of the military success. While some Philistine strongholds remained (Josh 13:2-3), this statement indicates initial and significant control of key areas.
• and all the country of Goshen: (וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הַגֹּשֶׁן, veʾet kol-ʾeretz haGoshen).
  • all the country of: (כָּל־אֶרֶץ, kol-ʾeretz) emphasizes the comprehensiveness and totality of the area brought under Israelite control.
  • Goshen: This refers not to the Goshen in Egypt where Israel dwelt before the Exodus, but to a region in the southern part of Judah mentioned in Joshua 15:51 as containing cities in the hill country. It was an area generally south of Hebron and Debir, part of the Shephelah (foothills) or Negev. Its inclusion signifies the conquest extending deep into the heart of southern Canaan, covering varied terrain.
• even to Gibeon: (וְעַד גִּבְעוֹן, veʿadh Gibeon). Gibeon was a central city in the highlands where the southern campaign effectively began with the Gibeonite treaty and the subsequent battle. Its mention here marks the northern/eastern extent of the sweep, establishing a vast north-south, east-west swath of conquered territory, forming a clear geographical arc of success.

Joshua 10 41 Bonus section

The summary in Joshua 10:41, along with other "summary statements" in the book (e.g., Josh 11:23; 21:43-45), points to the ideal and divinely intended outcome of the conquest. It highlights that God fulfilled His promise to bring Israel into the land and empower them to conquer it. The failure to completely dispossess all the inhabitants in later periods (as seen in Judges) rests not with God's power or faithfulness, but with Israel's wavering obedience. The strategically diverse locations mentioned – Kadesh-barnea (wilderness boundary), Gaza (coastal plain), Goshen (foothills/south), and Gibeon (central highlands) – reflect a campaign that skillfully secured different topographical and tactical regions, effectively controlling major routes and strongholds in southern Canaan. This broad sweep effectively fragmented and dismantled the southern Canaanite resistance, paving the way for tribal inheritance and later, less unified skirmishes.

Joshua 10 41 Commentary

Joshua 10:41 serves as a grand summary, emphasizing the thoroughness and wide geographical scope of the southern campaign. It encapsulates a period of intensive military activity and highlights the miraculous intervention and sustained enablement of God. The victory was not merely over scattered groups but covered significant strategic points across varied terrain – from desert fringes to coastal plains and central highlands. This concise verse underlines the covenant faithfulness of God in delivering the promised land to Israel and executing His righteous judgment upon the inhabitants. While later passages in Joshua and Judges reveal that not every single inch of territory was immediately settled or every hostile group eliminated by this period, verse 41 speaks to the decisive and effective nature of Joshua's initial military conquests, securing strategic control over the region. It is a powerful affirmation of the divine partnership in Israel's conquest.