1A, ka rongo a Aronitereke, te kingi o Hiruharama, kua horo a Hai i a Hohua, a kua whakangaromia hoki e ia; a ko tana i mea ai ki Heriko, ki tona kingi, ko tana hoki tera i mea ai ki Hai, ki tona kingi; a kua houhia e nga tangata o Kipeono te rong o ki a Iharaira, kua noho hoki ki waenganui i a ratou; 2Na tino wehi ana ratou; no te mea he pa nui a Kipeono, pera me tetahi o nga pa rangatira, he nui atu hoki i Hai, a ko ona tangata katoa he toa. 3Na ka tono tangata a Aronitereke kingi o Hiruharama ki a Hohama kingi o Heperona, ki a Pirama kingi o Iaramuta, ki a Tapia kingi o Rakihi, ratou ko Repiri kingi o Ekerona, ka mea, 4Haere mai ki ahau, hei awhina moku, kia patua ai e tatou a Kipeono, mo ratou i hohou i te rongo ki a Hohua ratou ko nga tama a Iharaira. 5Na huihui ana, haere mai ana nga kingi tokorima o nga Amori, te kingi o Hiruharama, te kingi o Heperona, te kingi o Iaramuta, te kingi o Rakihi, te kingi o Ekerona, ratou ko a ratou taua katoa, a whakapae ana i Kipeono, tatau ana i reira. 6Na ka tono tangata nga tangata o Kipeono ki a Hohua ki te puni, ki Kirikara, ka mea, Kei puhoi mai tou ringa ki au pononga; hohoro te haere mai ki a matou, ki te whakaora i a matou, awhinatia mai hoki matou; no te mea kua rupeke mai nga kingi kat oa o nga Amori e noho ana i nga maunga ki a matou. 7Na haere atu ana a Hohua i Kirikara, ratou tahi ko te hunga hapai patu katoa, me nga tangata maia katoa. 8Na ka mea a Ihowa ki a Hohua, Kaua e wehi i a ratou: kua hoatu hoki ratou e ahau ki tou ringa, a e kore tetahi tangata o ratou e tu ki tou aroaro. 9Na huakina tatatia ana ratou e Hohua; i haere ake hoki ia i Kirikara i te po. 10Na meinga ana ratou e Ihowa kia pororaru i mua i a Iharaira, a patua ana ratou e ia ki Kipeono, he nui te parekura, a whaia ana ratou e ia i te huarahi e haere ana ki runga ki Petehorono, na tukitukia ana ratou a tae noa ki Ateka, a Makera atu a na. 11A, i a ratou e rere ana i te aroaro o Iharaira, i te hekenga iho ki Petehorono, na ka maka iho e Ihowa he kohatu nunui i te rangi ki runga ki a ratou a tae noa ki Ateka, na mate ana ratou: hira ake nga tangata i mate i nga nganga kohatu i nga me a i patua e nga tama a Iharaira ki te hoari. 12Katahi ka korero a Hohua ki a Ihowa i te ra i homai ai e Ihowa nga Amori ki te aroaro o nga tama a Iharaira, ka mea hoki i te tirohanga mai o Iharaira, Kati mai koe, e te ra, i runga i Kipeono; me koe hoki, e te marama, ki te raorao o Atarono. 13Na mau tonu mai te ra, tu tonu mai hoki te marama, a whiwhi noa te iwi ki te utu i o ratou hoariri. Kahore ianei tenei mea i tuhituhia ki te pukapuka a Tahera? Tu ana tera te komaru i waenganui o te rangi, kahore ano hoki i hohoro te heke a rite noa tetahi ra tuturu. 14Na kahore he rite mo taua ra i mua atu, i muri mai ranei, i rongo ai a Ihowa ki te reo tangata: i whawhai hoki a Ihowa mo Iharaira. 15Na hoki ana a Hohua ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa ki te puni, ki Kirikara. 16Ko aua kingi tokorima ia i rere, a piri ana ki roto ki tetahi ana i Makera. 17A ka korerotia ki a Hohua, i meatia, Kua kitea nga kingi tokorima, kei te ana i Makera e piri ana. 18Na ka mea a Hohua, Hurihia atu etahi kohatu nunui ki te kuwaha o te ana, whakanohoia hoki etahi tangata ki reira hei tiaki i a ratou. 19Ko koutou ia kaua hei tu; whaia o koutou hoariri, patua te hiku o ratou; kaua hoki ratou e tukua kia tapoko ki roto ki o ratou pa: he mea hoki kua homai ratou e Ihowa, e to koutou Atua, ki to koutou ringa. 20A, no ka mutu i a Hohua ratou ko nga tama a Iharaira te patu i a ratou, he nui rawa te parekura a poto noa ratou, ko nga morehu o ratou i toe i riro ki roto ki nga pa whai taiepa, 21Na hoki marie ana te iwi katoa ki a Hohua, ki te puni, ki Makera: kihai rawa hoki i oraora te arero o tetahi tangata ki tetahi o nga tama a Iharaira. 22Katahi ka mea a Hohua, Uakina te kuwaha o te ana, whakaputaina mai hoki ki ahau i te ana nga kingi tokorima na. 23Na peratia ana e ratou, whakaputaina mai ana e ratou ki a ia i te ana aua kingi tokorima, te kingi o Hiruharama, te kingi o Heperona, te kingi o Iaramuta, te kingi o Rakihi, me te kingi o Ekerona. 24A, ka oti aua kingi te whakaputa mai e ratou ki a Hohua, ka karanga a Hohua ki nga tangata katoa o Iharaira, a ka mea ki nga rangatira o nga tangata hapai patu i haere tahi me ia, Whakatata mai, e tu o koutou waewae ki runga ki nga kaki o enei k ingi. Na whakatata ana mai ratou, tu ana o ratou waewae ki runga ki o ratou kaki. 25I mea ano a Hohua ki a ratou, Kaua koutou e wehi, kaua hoki e pawera, kia kaha, kia toa: no te mea ka peneitia e Ihowa o koutou hoariri katoa e whawhai nei koutou ki a ratou. 26A muri iho ka patua ratou e Hohua, ka whakamatea, a whakairihia ake ratou ki runga ki nga rakau e rima: na iri ana ratou i runga i nga rakau a ahiahi noa. 27Na i te wa o te tonga o te ra ka whakahaua e Hohua kia tangohia ki raro o nga rakau, kia maka hoki ki roto ki te ana i piri ai ratou, kia whakatakotoria hoki etahi kohatu nunui ki te kuwaha o te ana; e takoto mai nei a taea noatia tenei ra. 28A horo ana i a Hohua a Makera i taua rangi ano, patua iho ana hoki e ia ki te mata o te hoari, me tona kingi ano; i whakangaromia rawatia ratou e ia me nga wairua katoa i roto, kahore he morehu i mahue i a ia: a peratia ana e ia te kingi o Maker a me tana i mea ai ki te kingi o Heriko. 29Na haere atu ana a Hohua ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa i Makera ki Ripina, a tauria ana e ia a Ripina: 30A i homai ano e Ihowa a reira, me tona kingi, ki te ringa o Iharaira; na patua iho e ia a reira ki te mata o te hoari, me nga tangata katoa i roto; kihai i mahue i a ia tetahi morehu i reira; heoi peratia ana e ia te kingi o reira me tana i mea ai ki te kingi o Heriko. 31Na haere atu ana a Hohua i Ripina, ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa, ki Rakihi, a whakapaea ana a reira, tauria ana e ia: 32A i homai e Ihowa a Rakihi ki te ringa o Iharaira, a horo ana a reira i a ia i te rua o nga ra; patua iho hoki ki te mata o te hoari, me nga tangata katoa i roto; i rite tonu ki nga mea katoa i mea ai ia ki Ripina. 33I reira ano ka haere mai a Horama kingi o Ketere hei awhina mo Rakihi; a patua iho ia me tona iwi e Hohua, a kahore rawa tetahi morehu ona i toe. 34Na ka haere atu a Hohua ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa i Rakihi ki Ekerona; a whakapaea ana a reira e ratou, tauria ana: 35Na horo ana a reira i a ratou i taua rangi ano, patua ana hoki ki te mata o te hoari, ko nga tangata katoa i roto huna iho e ia i taua rangi ano, rite tonu ki nga mea katoa i mea ai ia ki Rakihi. 36Na haere atu ana a Hohua i Ekerona, me Iharaira katoa ano hoki ki Heperona, a tauria ana a reira e ia. 37A horo ana i a ratou a reira, patua iho hoki ki te mata o te hoari, me tona kingi, me ona pa katoa, me nga tangata katoa i roto; kahore tetahi morehu i mahue i a ia, rite tonu ki nga mea katoa i mea ai ia ki Ekerona; na huna iho e ia a reira, me nga tangata katoa i roto. 38Katahi ka hoki a Hohua ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa ki Repiri; ka tatau hoki ki reira. 39A riro ana i a ia a reira me tona kingi, me ona pa katoa; a patua iho e ratou ki te mata o te hoari, whakangaromia katoatia ana hoki nga tangata i roto; kahore tetahi morehu i mahue i a ia: ko tana i mea ai ki Heperona i meatia ano e ia ki Repir i, ki tona kingi; i pera ano me tana i mea ai ki Ripina, ki tona kingi. 40Na patua ana e Hohua te whenua katoa, te whenua pukepuke, te tonga, te mania me nga pukenga wai, me nga kingi katoa hoki o reira; kahore i waiho e ia tetahi morehu: engari i huna katoatia e ia nga mea whai manawa, i rite tonu ki ta Ihowa, ki ta te Atua o Iharaira, i whakahau ai. 41Na patua ana ratou e Hohua i Kareheparenea a tae noa ki Kaha, me te whenua katoa hoki o Kohena a tae noa ki Kipeono. 42Ko enei kingi katoa me to ratou oneone i riro i a Hohua i te whakaekenga kotahi, no te mea i roto i a Iharaira a Ihowa e whawhai atu ana. 43Na hoki ana a Hohua ratou tahi ko Iharaira katoa ki te puni, ki Kirikara.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 FIVE KINGS WAR AGAINST GIBEON. (
Josh 10:1-
Josh 10:5)
Adoni-zedek--"lord of righteousness"--nearly synonymous with Melchizedek, "king of righteousness." These names were common titles of the Jebusite kings.
Jerusalem--The original name, "Salem" (
Gen 14:18;
Ps 76:2), was superseded by that here given, which signifies "a peaceful possession," or "a vision of peace," in allusion, as some think, to the strikingly symbolic scene (
Gen 22:14) represented on the mount whereon that city was afterwards built.
inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them--that is, the Israelites; had made an alliance with that people, and acknowledging their supremacy, were living on terms of friendly intercourse with them.
2 they feared greatly--The dread inspired by the rapid conquests of the Israelites had been immensely increased by the fact of a state so populous and so strong as Gibeon having found it expedient to submit to the power and the terms of the invaders.
as one of the royal cities--Although itself a republic (
Josh 9:3), it was large and well-fortified, like those places in which the chiefs of the country usually established their residence.
3 Wherefore Adoni-zedek . . . sent, . . . saying, Come up unto me, and help me--A combined attack was meditated on Gibeon, with a view not only to punish its people for their desertion of the native cause, but by its overthrow to interpose a barrier to the farther inroads of the Israelites. This confederacy among the mountaineers of Southern Palestine was formed and headed by the king of Jerusalem, because his territory was most exposed to danger, Gibeon being only six miles distant, and because he evidently possessed some degree of pre-eminence over his royal neighbors.
5 the five kings of the Amorites--The settlement of this powerful and warlike tribe lay within the confines of Moab; but having also acquired extensive possessions on the southwest of the Jordan, their name, as the ruling power, seems to have been given to the region generally (
2Sam 21:2), although Hebron was inhabited by Hittites or Hivites (
Josh 11:19), and Jerusalem by Jebusites (
Josh 15:63).
6 JOSHUA RESCUES IT. (
Josh 10:6-
Josh 10:9)
the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua--Their appeal was urgent and their claim to protection irresistible, on the ground, not only of kindness and sympathy, but of justice. In attacking the Canaanites, Joshua had received from God a general assurance of success (
Josh 1:5). But the intelligence of so formidable a combination among the native princes seems to have depressed his mind with the anxious and dispiriting idea that it was a chastisement for the hasty and inconsiderate alliance entered into with the Gibeonites. It was evidently to be a struggle of life and death, not only to Gibeon, but to the Israelites. And in this view the divine communication that was made to him was seasonable and animating. He seems to have asked the counsel of God and received an answer, before setting out on the expedition.
9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly--This is explained in the following clause, where he is described as having accomplished, by a forced march of picked men, in one night, a distance of twenty-six miles, which, according to the slow pace of Eastern armies and caravans, had formerly been a three days' journey (
Josh 9:17).
10 GOD FIGHTS AGAINST THEM WITH HAILSTONES. (
Josh 10:10-
Josh 10:11)
the Lord discomfited them--Hebrew, "terrified," confounded the Amorite allies, probably by a fearful storm of lightning and thunder. So the word is usually employed (
1Sam 7:10;
Ps 18:13;
Ps 144:6).
and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon--This refers to the attack of the Israelites upon the besiegers. It is evident that there had been much hard fighting around the heights of Gibeon, for the day was far spent before the enemy took to flight.
chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon--that is, "the House of Caves," of which there are still traces existing. There were two contiguous villages of that name, upper and nether. Upper Beth-horon was nearest Gibeon--about ten miles distant, and approached by a gradual ascent through a long and precipitous ravine. This was the first stage of the flight. The fugitives had crossed the high ridge of Upper Beth-horon, and were in full flight down the descent to Beth-horon the Nether. The road between the two places is so rocky and rugged that there is a path made by means of steps cut in the rock [ROBINSON]. Down this pass Joshua continued his victorious rout. Here it was that the Lord interposed, assisting His people by means of a storm, which, having been probably gathering all day, burst with such irresistible fury, that "they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword." The Oriental hailstorm is a terrific agent; the hailstones are masses of ice, large as walnuts, and sometimes as two fists; their prodigious size, and the violence with which they fall, make them always very injurious to property, and often fatal to life. The miraculous feature of this tempest, which fell on the Amorite army, was the entire preservation of the Israelites from its destructive ravages.
12 THE SUN AND MOON STAND STILL AT THE WORD OF JOSHUA. (
Josh 10:12-
Josh 10:15)
Then spake Joshua to the Lord . . . and . . . he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still . . . and thou, Moon--The inspired author here breaks off the thread of his history of this miraculous victory to introduce a quotation from an ancient poem, in which the mighty acts of that day were commemorated. The passage, which is parenthetical, contains a poetical description of the victory which was miraculously gained by the help of God, and forms an extract from "the book of Jasher," that is, "the upright"--an anthology, or collection of national songs, in honor of renowned and eminently pious heroes. The language of a poem is not to be literally interpreted; and therefore, when the sun and moon are personified, addressed as intelligent beings, and represented as standing still, the explanation is that the light of the sun and moon was supernaturally prolonged by the same laws of refraction and reflection that ordinarily cause the sun to appear above the horizon, when it is in reality below it [KEIL, BUSH]. Gibeon ("a hill") was now at the back of the Israelites, and the height would soon have intercepted the rays of the setting sun. The valley of Ajalon ("stags") was before them, and so near that it was sometimes called "the valley of Gibeon" (
Isa 28:21). It would seem, from
Josh 10:14, that the command of Joshua was in reality a prayer to God for the performance of this miracle; and that, although the prayers of eminently good men like Moses often prevailed with God, never was there on any other occasion so astonishing a display of divine power made in behalf of His people, as in answer to the prayer of Joshua.
Josh 10:15 is the end of the quotation from Jasher; and it is necessary to notice this, as the fact described in it is recorded in due course, and the same words, by the sacred historian (
Josh 10:43).
16 THE FIVE KINGS HANGED. (
Josh 10:16-
Josh 10:27)
these five kings . . . hid themselves in a cave--Hebrew, "the cave."
at Makkedah--The pursuit was continued, without interruption, to Makkedah at the foot of the western mountains, where Joshua seems to have halted with the main body of his troops while a detachment was sent forward to scour the country in pursuit of the remaining stragglers, a few of whom succeeded in reaching the neighboring cities. The last act, probably the next day, was the disposal of the prisoners, among whom the five kings were consigned to the infamous doom of being slain (
Deut 20:16-
Deut 20:17); and then their corpses were suspended on five trees till the evening.
24 put your feet upon the necks of these kings--not as a barbarous insult, but a symbolical action, expressive of a complete victory (
Deut 33:29;
Ps 110:5;
Mal 4:3).
28 SEVEN MORE KINGS CONQUERED. (
Josh 10:28-
Josh 10:42)
that day Joshua took Makkedah--In this and the following verses is described the rapid succession of victory and extermination which swept the whole of southern Palestine into the hands of Israel. "All these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal."