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Please choose a passage in Joshua 10
Joshua 10:1-5 describes how the king of Jerusalem organizes a league with four other Amorite kings to attack Gibeon for allying with Israel.
Joshua 10:6-11 records how the Gibeonites implored Joshua to rescue them from a coalition of Amorite armies. The LORD confounds the Amorites, allowing Israel to slaughter many of them. Then, He casts large stones from heaven on the retreating hosts, killing more than Israel killed with the sword.
Joshua 10:12-15 records Joshua's prayer to God to cause the sun and the moon to stay put so the Israelites can finish the battle against the Amorites. God grants him the request. The Israelites defeat the enemy and return to the camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10:16-21 depicts Joshua commanding his soldiers to seal the cave where the five Amorite kings hid themselves. Then, he urges them to press on to kill the enemy soldiers. The Israelites slaughter many, but a few escape to their towns. God's people return safely to their camp. Nobody dares to criticize them.
Joshua 10:22-27 shows how Joshua dispatched the five Amorite leaders. After executing them, he hangs them on five trees until evening. At sunset, he removes their corpses from the trees and buries them in the cave where they had hid themselves when they fled from the Israelite army.
Joshua 10:28 records how the Israelites destroy the city of Makkedah, including all its inhabitants and its king.
Joshua 10:29-30 records how the LORD allows the Israelites to conquer Libnah, a city in the allotment of Judah. They destroy all its inhabitants, including its king.
Joshua 10:31-33 shows how the LORD allowed the Israelites to conquer the city of Lachish, about 30 miles southwest of Jerusalem. They destroy all its inhabitants, including the king of Gezer (Horam) and his army, who came to the aid of the people of Lachish.
Joshua 10:34-35 describes how the LORD allowed the Israelites to conquer the city of Eglon, about 35 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Joshua 10:36-37 records how the LORD allowed the Israelites to conquer the city of Hebron, about 20 miles south of Jerusalem. They destroy all its inhabitants.
Joshua 10:38-39 depicts the LORD helping the Israelites to conquer the city of Debir. They destroy all its inhabitants, including its king.
Joshua 10:40-43 concludes the Israelites' conquest of all the regions in southern Canaan; their victories are because the LORD fought for them. Once the battle ends, they return safely to their camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 10 describes the Israelite conquest of the southern part of Canaan. It begins with the defeat of a coalition of five Amorite armies attacking Gibeon for allying with Israel. During the battle, Joshua petitions God to alter the earth’s rotation (to make the sun and the moon stand still), giving him more time to fight. God grants the request, and the Israelites slaughter the enemy. Moreover, they kill the five kings and hang them on five trees to shame them. At sunset, the Israelites bring the kings down from the trees and bury them in the cave where they hid themselves when fleeing from the Israelite army. The conquest ends with Israel’s victory over six other Canaanite towns: Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. The author of highlights the success of God’s people with a description of the regions they occupy and their boundaries. The chapter’s outline is as follows:
- The king of Jerusalem organizes a league with four other Amorite kings to attack Gibeon for allying with Israel (vv. 1-5).
- The Gibeonites implored Joshua to rescue them because a coalition of Amorite armies attacked them. The LORD confounds the Amorites, allowing Israel to slaughter many of them. Then, He casts large hailstones from heaven on the fugitives, killing more than Israel killed with the sword (vv. 6-11).
- Joshua prays that God will cause the sun and the moon to stay put so the Israelites can finish the battle against the Amorites. God grants him the request. The Israelites defeat the enemy and return to the camp at Gilgal (vv. 12-15).
- Joshua commands his soldiers to seal the cave where the five Amorite kings hid themselves. Then, he urges them to press on to kill the enemy soldiers. The Israelites slaughter many, but a few escape to their towns. God’s people return safely to their camp. Nobody dares to criticize them (vv. 16-21).
- Joshua dispatches the five Amorite leaders and hangs them on five trees until evening. At sunset, he buries them in the cave where they hid themselves when they fled from the Israelite army (vv. 22-27).
- The Israelites conquer Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. They destroy these cities and their inhabitants (vv. 28-39).
- The Israelites conquered all the regions in southern Canaan because the LORD fought for them. Once the battle ends, they return safely to their camp at Gilgal (vv. 30-43).
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