So Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. So Joshua saidThis phrase indicates the authoritative command of Joshua, the leader of Israel. Joshua, whose name means "Yahweh is salvation," is acting under divine guidance. His leadership is a continuation of Moses' mission, and his words carry the weight of God's directive. In the Hebrew context, the role of a leader was not just to command but to ensure the fulfillment of God's promises to His people. Roll large stones
The act of rolling stones is significant in ancient warfare and burial practices. Stones were often used to seal tombs or caves, as seen in the New Testament with Jesus' tomb. Here, the stones serve a strategic military purpose, preventing the escape of the enemy kings. The Hebrew word for "roll" (גָּלַל, galal) implies a deliberate and forceful action, symbolizing the decisive nature of Joshua's command. against the mouth of the cave
Caves in the ancient Near East were natural fortresses and places of refuge. The "mouth" of the cave is the entrance, which is crucial for both defense and entrapment. By sealing the cave, Joshua ensures that the enemy is contained. This action reflects a tactical understanding of warfare, using the natural landscape to Israel's advantage. and post men there to guard them
The posting of guards signifies vigilance and the importance of maintaining control over the captured kings. In the Hebrew military context, guards were essential for both protection and the prevention of escape. This phrase underscores the need for diligence in executing God's plans. The act of guarding is not just physical but also spiritual, as it represents the safeguarding of God's promises and the fulfillment of His justice. Persons / Places / Events 1. JoshuaThe leader of the Israelites, successor to Moses, and a central figure in the conquest of Canaan. Known for his faithfulness and obedience to God. 2. The CaveA hiding place for the five Amorite kings who fled from the battle against Israel. It becomes a temporary prison for them. 3. The Amorite KingsFive kings who formed an alliance against Israel. Their defeat is a significant event in the conquest of Canaan. 4. The IsraelitesThe people of God, led by Joshua, who are in the process of taking possession of the Promised Land. 5. The Battle of GibeonA significant military engagement where God intervenes on behalf of Israel, leading to a miraculous victory. Teaching Points Obedience to God's CommandsJoshua's actions demonstrate the importance of following God's instructions precisely. Obedience leads to victory and fulfillment of God's promises. Strategic LeadershipJoshua's decision to seal the cave shows wisdom and strategic thinking. Effective leadership often requires making tough decisions to ensure long-term success. Divine InterventionThe context of this verse highlights God's active role in the battles of His people. Believers can trust in God's power and presence in their struggles. Guarding Against SinJust as the cave was guarded to prevent escape, believers must guard their hearts against sin and temptation, ensuring that they do not allow sin to take root. Faith in ActionJoshua's faith is demonstrated through his decisive actions. Faith is not passive but requires active steps in alignment with God's will. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Joshua's leadership in this passage reflect his obedience to God's commands, and how can we apply this in our own lives? 2. In what ways does the sealing of the cave symbolize the need to guard against sin and temptation in our spiritual journey? 3. How does the account of the Amorite kings relate to God's promises to Abraham in Genesis 15, and what does this teach us about God's faithfulness? 4. What can we learn from Joshua's strategic decision-making in this passage about the importance of wisdom and discernment in leadership? 5. How does the divine intervention in the battle of Gibeon encourage us to trust in God's power and presence in our own battles? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 15God's promise to Abraham about the land of Canaan, which is being fulfilled through Joshua's conquests. Exodus 23God's assurance to Israel of victory over their enemies if they remain obedient, which is exemplified in Joshua's leadership. Psalm 18A psalm of David that speaks of God as a deliverer and protector, reflecting the divine assistance Israel receives in battle. Hebrews 11The faith chapter, which includes references to the faith of those like Joshua who trusted in God's promises. People Adonizedec, Amorites, Debir, Eglon, Gibeon, Hoham, Horam, Israelites, Japhia, Jasher, Joshua, PiramPlaces Ai, Azekah, Beth-horon, Debir, Eglon, Gaza, Gezer, Gibeon, Gilgal, Hebron, Jarmuth, Jericho, Jerusalem, Kadesh-barnea, Lachish, Libnah, Makkedah, Negeb, Valley of AijalonTopics Appoint, Assign, Cave, Guard, Hole, Joshua, Large, Mouth, Post, Rocks, Roll, Rolled, Stones, WatchDictionary of Bible Themes Joshua 10:18 5167 mouth Joshua 10:16-18 4218 cave Joshua 10:17-18 4354 rock Library Five Kings in a Cave
TEXT: "And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."--Joshua 10:24-25. The history of the …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas IscariotPraying Saints of the Old Testaments
The Holy Spirit will give to the praying saint the brightness of an immortal hope, the music of a deathless song, in His baptism and communion with the heart, He will give sweeter and more enlarged visions of heaven until the taste for other things will pall, and other visions will grow dim and distant. He will put notes of other worlds in human hearts until all earth's music is discord and songless.--Rev. E. M. Bounds Old Testament history is filled with accounts of praying saints. The leaders of …
Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men Gibeon. Josh 10:06
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John Newton—Olney Hymns The Northern Coast of Judea. Beth-Horon.
This coast is marked out Joshua 18:12; where, at verse 14, are very many versions to be corrected, which render the sea; such are, the Syriac, the Seventy, the Vulgar, the Italian, ours, &c.: whence ariseth a sense of insuperable difficulty to a chorographical eye: when it should, indeed, be rendered of the west, as the Chaldee, Arabic, R. Solomon, &c. rightly do. We read of a double Beth-horon in the Old Testament, but one only under the second Temple... At that place that great Canaanitish army …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
If a faithful picture of society in ancient Greece or Rome were to be presented to view, it is not easy to believe that even they who now most oppose the Bible could wish their aims success. For this, at any rate, may be asserted, without fear of gainsaying, that no other religion than that of the Bible has proved competent to control an advanced, or even an advancing, state of civilisation. Every other bound has been successively passed and submerged by the rising tide; how deep only the student …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6 Meditations of the True Manner of Practising Piety on the Sabbath-Day.
Almighty God will have himself worshipped, not only in a private manner by private persons and families, but also in a more public sort, of all the godly joined together in a visible church; that by this means he may be known not only to be the God and Lord of every Singular person, but also of the creatures of the whole universal world. Question--But why do not we Christians under the New, keep the Sabbath on the same seventh day on which it was kept under the Old Testament? I answer--Because our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Divine Support and Protection
[What shall we say then to these things?] If God be for us, who can be against us? T he passions of joy or grief, of admiration or gratitude, are moderate when we are able to find words which fully describe their emotions. When they rise very high, language is too faint to express them; and the person is either lost in silence, or feels something which, after his most laboured efforts, is too big for utterance. We may often observe the Apostle Paul under this difficulty, when attempting to excite …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Joshua 10:18 NIVJoshua 10:18 NLTJoshua 10:18 ESVJoshua 10:18 NASBJoshua 10:18 KJV
Joshua 10:18 Commentaries
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