What is the meaning of Joshua 10:10? And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel “ ‘And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel’ ” (Joshua 10:10). • God Himself initiates the battle, mirroring earlier moments when He promised, “I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter” (Exodus 23:27). • The verb stresses a divine act; Israel’s victory begins with the Lord, not military ingenuity. Compare Judges 4:15, where “the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and army into confusion.” • This scene reminds us that believers fight from victory, not for victory (Romans 8:31). …who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon “ ‘…who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon’ ” (Joshua 10:10). • Israel’s human responsibility follows God’s intervention: divine cooperation, not passivity (Philippians 2:13). • Gibeon, once spared through treaty (Joshua 9:15), becomes the battleground where God vindicates His covenant people. • The scale echoes earlier vows: “No man will be able to stand against you” (Joshua 1:5). • Similar decisive victories: 1 Samuel 17:52; 2 Samuel 5:20. …pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon • The battle flows westward up steep terrain. Israel’s endurance matches God’s empowerment (Isaiah 40:31). • Beth-horon later witnesses God’s hailstorm falling on the fleeing armies (Joshua 10:11), underscoring divine follow-through. • Persistent pursuit pictures faith that refuses to stop halfway (Hebrews 10:39). …and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah • Azekah and Makkedah mark roughly twenty miles of enemy retreat—evidence of a rout, not a skirmish. • These cities resurface when Jeremiah names Azekah as one of Judah’s last fortified towns (Jeremiah 34:7), highlighting its strategic weight. • Joshua’s later summary confirms the total victory: “Joshua captured Makkedah…and he put the king of Makkedah to death” (Joshua 10:28). • Every mile fulfills God’s earlier pledge, “Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours” (Deuteronomy 11:24). summary Joshua 10:10 pictures a seamless partnership: God confuses, Israel obeys; God initiates, Israel follows through. From Gibeon to Azekah and Makkedah, the text showcases the Lord’s faithfulness to fight for His people and His expectation that they press the advantage He provides. Our confidence today rests in the same God who leads, empowers, and ensures that His promises are carried to completion. |
    |