What is the meaning of Joshua 10:26? After this - The phrase points back to God's miraculous intervention with hailstones and a lengthened day (Joshua 10:11-14). - It signals a continuation of the same divinely directed campaign, underscoring that every step follows the LORD’s command (Joshua 10:8). - Much like Israel crossing the Jordan “after” the ark moved (Joshua 3:14-17), the timing stresses orderly obedience rather than impulsive violence. Joshua struck down and killed the kings - These five Amorite rulers (Joshua 10:5) had unified against Gibeon and, by extension, against Israel’s covenant God. Their defeat fulfills the promise, “Not one of them shall stand before you” (Joshua 10:8). - Deuteronomy 7:1-2 had already mandated the complete destruction of such kings; Joshua’s action is a direct application of that charge. - The swift execution echoes earlier victories over Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35), reminding Israel of God’s unbroken pattern of triumph when His people walk in faith. - Spiritually, the scene foreshadows Christ’s ultimate conquest of every enemy power (Colossians 2:15), accomplished not by compromise but decisive victory. and he hung their bodies on five trees - Public display served as an unmistakable sign that the LORD had judged these leaders (Deuteronomy 21:22). - It warned surrounding Canaanite cities, similar to how Rahab recognized Jericho’s doom (Joshua 2:9-11). - The five trees mirror the five rulers, emphasizing complete justice—no king left unaccounted. - The visual severity also reminds Israel of what disobedience would earn them; covenant blessing or curse hinged on their allegiance (Deuteronomy 28:25-26). - New-covenant readers see a shadow: Christ “became a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). The kings bear the curse they deserve; Jesus would later bear ours. and left them there until evening - Joshua observes Deuteronomy 21:23, which requires removal of a hanged body the same day so the land is not defiled. - He balances public justice with reverence for God’s law, demonstrating that zeal never excuses lawlessness. - Sunset marks closure: the day’s light showcases God’s victory; nightfall allows burial, reflecting both justice and mercy. - The detail connects to earlier patterns—Israel marched around Jericho for “seven days,” then walls fell “at the time of the evening sacrifice” (Joshua 6:15-20; Ezra 9:4-5 parallels the timing of repentance). Evening thus often signals completion of a divine act. summary Joshua 10:26 records a literal, God-directed act of judgment in Israel’s conquest. Each phrase highlights orderly obedience: the timing (“After this”), the decisive execution of condemned leaders, the public display that magnifies God’s victory, and the respectful removal before nightfall. Together they show that God’s people must carry out His commands thoroughly and reverently, trusting His promises and acknowledging that ultimate triumph—and ultimate curse-bearing—finds its fulfillment in Christ. |
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