Joshua 10:19 But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand."

◄ Joshua 10:19 ►

New International Version
But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

New Living Translation
The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don’t give them a chance to get back to their towns, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them.”

English Standard Version
but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

Berean Standard Bible
But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

King James Bible
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.

New King James Version
And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

New American Standard Bible
but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has handed them over to you.”

NASB 1995
but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

NASB 1977
but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

Legacy Standard Bible
but as for you, do not stand there; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for Yahweh your God has given them into your hand.”

Amplified Bible
but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

Christian Standard Bible
But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has handed them over to you.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has handed them over to you.”

American Standard Version
but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for Jehovah your God hath delivered them into your hand.

Contemporary English Version
But you and everyone else must keep going after the enemy troops, because they will be safe if they reach their walled towns. Don't let them get away! The LORD our God is helping us get rid of them."

English Revised Version
but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But don't stop. Chase your enemies! Cut off their rear guard. Don't let them get back into their own cities, because the LORD your God has handed them over to you."

Good News Translation
but don't stay there yourselves. Keep on after the enemy and attack them from the rear; don't let them get to their cities! The LORD your God has given you victory over them."

International Standard Version
but don't stay there yourselves. Instead, pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don't allow them to enter their cities, because the LORD your God has delivered them into your control."

Majority Standard Bible
But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

NET Bible
But don't you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! Don't allow them to retreat to their cities, for the LORD your God is handing them over to you."

New Heart English Bible
but do not stay. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Do not allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand."

Webster's Bible Translation
And stay you not, but pursue your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.

World English Bible
but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and you, do not stand, pursue after your enemies, and you have struck them from the rear; do not permit them to go into their cities, for your God YHWH has given them into your hand.”

Young's Literal Translation
and ye, stand not, pursue after your enemies, and ye have smitten the hindmost of them; suffer them not to go in unto their cities, for Jehovah your God hath given them into your hand.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye shall not stand; pursue after your enemies; cut off the rear of them; ye shall not give them to come in to their cities, for Jehovah your God gave them into your hand.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies, and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands to shelter themselves in their cities.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But as for you, do not stay here; instead, pursue the enemies, and cut down the lattermost of those who are fleeing. You shall not permit those whom the Lord God has delivered into your hands to enter into the protection of their cities.”

New American Bible
But do not remain there yourselves. Pursue your enemies, and harry them in the rear. Do not allow them to reach their cities, for the LORD, your God, has delivered them into your power.”

New Revised Standard Version
but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Do not let them enter their towns, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Do not stay yourselves, but pursue your enemies and overtake them; and do not let them enter the city; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hands.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But you shall not stay, but chase after your enemies and overtake them and you shall not allow them to enter the city, so that LORD JEHOVAH your God will deliver them into your hands

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But do not ye stand, but pursue after your enemies, and attack the rear of them, and do not suffer them to enter into their cities; for the Lord our God has delivered them into our hands.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Victory at Makkedah
…18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. 19But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” 20So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Deuteronomy 7:2
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

Deuteronomy 20:16-17
However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. / For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,

Exodus 23:32-33
You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. / They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Numbers 33:52-53
you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places. / You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.

Judges 1:24-25
and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.” / So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family.

1 Samuel 15:3
Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

1 Kings 20:30
The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

2 Kings 10:25
When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

Psalm 18:37-38
I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were consumed. / I crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

Isaiah 41:11-12
Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish. / You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing.

Jeremiah 50:26-27
Come against her from the farthest border. Break open her granaries; pile her up like mounds of grain. Devote her to destruction; leave her no survivors. / Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come—the time of their punishment.

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 22:7
The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Luke 19:27
And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”

John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

Treasury of Scripture

And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.

stay ye

Psalm 18:37-41
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed…

Jeremiah 48:10
Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

smite [heb] cut off the tail

Isaiah 9:14,15
Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day…

suffer them

Joshua 10:20
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.

2 Samuel 17:13
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

2 Samuel 20:6
And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

Jump to Previous

Allow Army Attack Attacking Cities Delivered Enemies Enter Hand Hands Hindmost Pursue Rear Smite Smitten Stand Stop Suffer Towns Waiting Yourselves

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Allow Army Attack Attacking Cities Delivered Enemies Enter Hand Hands Hindmost Pursue Rear Smite Smitten Stand Stop Suffer Towns Waiting Yourselves

Joshua 10

1. Five kings war against Gibeon
6. Joshua rescues it
10. God fights against them with hailstones
12. The sun and moon stand still at the word of Joshua
16. The five kings are murdered in a cave
22. They are brought forth
24. scornfully used
26. and hanged
28. Seven kings more are conquered
43. Joshua returns to Gilgal

Berean Study Bible

But do not stay there yourselves
This phrase is a direct command from Joshua to the Israelites, emphasizing the urgency and importance of their mission. The Hebrew root for "stay" is "amad," which often implies standing still or remaining in place. In the context of battle, this command underscores the need for proactive engagement rather than passivity. Historically, this reflects the strategic military mindset of the Israelites under Joshua's leadership, who understood the necessity of momentum in warfare.

Pursue your enemies
The word "pursue" comes from the Hebrew "radaph," which means to chase or follow with the intent to overtake. This is not merely a physical pursuit but also a spiritual one, symbolizing the relentless pursuit of righteousness and the eradication of evil. The Israelites were called to actively engage in God's mission, reflecting the broader biblical theme of God's people being called to pursue holiness and justice.

Attack them from the rear
This tactical instruction highlights the strategic acumen of Joshua. The phrase suggests a surprise attack, which would have been a common military strategy in ancient warfare. The Hebrew word for "attack" is "naga," meaning to strike or touch. This reflects the need for decisive action in the face of opposition, a principle that resonates with the Christian call to confront sin and evil with courage and determination.

Do not let them enter their cities
Preventing the enemies from reaching their fortified cities was crucial, as it would deny them the opportunity to regroup and fortify themselves. The Hebrew word for "enter" is "bo," which means to come in or go into. This command underscores the importance of cutting off the enemy's retreat and ensuring a complete victory. Spiritually, it can be seen as a metaphor for not allowing sin to find refuge in our lives.

for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand
This phrase is a powerful reminder of divine intervention and assurance. The Hebrew word for "delivered" is "nathan," meaning to give or hand over. It emphasizes that the victory is not by human strength alone but by God's providence. This assurance of God's sovereignty and faithfulness is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, encouraging believers to trust in God's promises and His ultimate control over all circumstances.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Smite the hindmost of them.--See Deuteronomy 25:18, the only other place where the same Hebrew verb occurs.

For the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.--It is worth while to observe that the command given to Israel to exterminate the Canaanites, though perfectly general, is notwithstanding limited as to time and circumstances by this very condition, in Deuteronomy 7, Joshua 10:1-2, "when the Lord thy God shall bring thee in, . . . and hath cast out . . . before thee . . . seven nations, and when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them." Again, Joshua 10:16, "Thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee," and Joshua 10:22, "The Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little; thou mayest not consume them at once." The extermination of each particular army or nation was to be determined (as to time and circumstances) by the mandate of Jehovah, whose guidance Israel must follow on all occasions. The present occasion was one for pursuit and slaughter without respite or delay. But though the army, as an army, was annihilated, a remnant of fugitives escaped into fortified places (Joshua 10:20). . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - And stay ye not. The original is stronger, and as for you, stand not still. The active general was not to be diverted from his purpose of annihilating the enemy by the important news that the heads of the confederacy were in his hands. He takes immediate measures to secure their persons, but for the present throws his whole strength, as well as that of his army, into the task of following up the advantage he has gained. And smite the hindmost of them. Literally, "and tail them," a verb denominative from זנב tail. The LXX. renders καταλαβετε τὴν οὐραγίαν. The word is of rare occurrence in the Hebrew, but its obvious meaning is as the text. Comp. also the Vulgate, extremos quosque fugientium coedite.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But you,
וְאַתֶּם֙ (wə·’at·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

do not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

stop there.
תַּעֲמֹ֔דוּ (ta·‘ă·mō·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

Pursue
רִדְפוּ֙ (riḏ·p̄ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

your enemies
אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֔ם (’ō·yə·ḇê·ḵem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

and attack them from behind.
וְזִנַּבְתֶּ֖ם (wə·zin·naḇ·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2179: To curtail, cut off the rear

Do not
אַֽל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

let them
תִּתְּנ֗וּם (tit·tə·nūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

reach
לָבוֹא֙ (lā·ḇō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

their cities,
עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם (‘ā·rê·hem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

for
כִּ֧י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

has delivered them
נְתָנָ֛ם (nə·ṯā·nām)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

into your hand.”
בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃ (bə·yeḏ·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 3027: A hand

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OT History: Joshua 10:19 But don't stay (Josh. Jos)