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Joshua 10:16-18

These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Joshua 10:16-18 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them; 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.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

    Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

    Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;

  • KJV King James Version

    But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

    And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.

    And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

    And it was told Joshua, saying: 'The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.'

    And Joshua said: 'Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them;

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Cross-references (18)

  • Matthew 27:66 (v18) So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
  • Joshua 10:22 (v18) Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”
  • Judges 6:2 (v16) The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the…
  • 1 Samuel 13:6 (v16) When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in…
  • 1 Samuel 24:3 (v16) He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in…
Show all 18 cross-references
  • 1 Samuel 24:8 (v16) David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David…
  • Job 21:30 (v18) that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led out to the day of wrath?
  • Psalms 48:4-6 (v16) For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together. They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried…
  • Psalms 139:7-10 (v16) Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in…
  • Isaiah 2:10-12 (v16) Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man will…
  • Isaiah 2:19-22 (v16) Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his…
  • Isaiah 24:21-22 (v16) It will happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth. They will be…
  • Amos 5:19 (v18) As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a snake bit him.
  • Amos 9:1 (v18) I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, “Strike the tops of the pillars, that the thresholds may shake; and break them in…
  • Amos 9:2 (v16) Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, there I will bring them down.
  • Micah 7:17 (v16) They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with…
  • Revelation 6:15 (v16) The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the…
  • Judges 9:46-49 (v18) When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. Abimelech was told that…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On v18 18. And Joshua said, Roll, etc The enemy having…

18. And Joshua said, Roll, etc The enemy having been completely routed, Joshua is now free, and, as it were, at leisure, to inflict punishment on the kings. In considering this, the divine command must always be kept in view. But for this it would argue boundless arrogance and barbarous atrocity to trample on the necks of kings, and hang up their dead bodies on gibbets. It is certain that they had lately been raised by divine agency to a sacred dignity, and placed on a royal throne. It would therefore have been contrary to the feelings of humanity to exult in their ignominy, had not God so ordered it. But as such was his pleasure, it behooves us to acquiesce in his decision, without presuming to inquire why he was so severe.

At the same time, we must recollect, as I formerly hinted, first, that all from the least even to the greatest were deserving of death, because their iniquity had reached the highest pitch, and the kings, as more criminal than the others, deserved severer punishment; and secondly, that it was expedient to give an example of inexorable rigor in the person of the kings, whom the people, from a perverse affectation of clemency, might have been too much disposed to pardon. It was the will of God that all should be destroyed, and he had imposed the execution of this sentence on his people. Had he not stimulated them strongly to the performance of it, they might have found specious pretexts for giving pardon. But a mercy which impairs the authority of God at the will of man, is detestable. Now, however, when regal honor is not spared, all handle for humanity to the plebeians and common vulgar is cut off.

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By this instance, the Lord shows us the great interest he takes in his elect people; for it was an instance of rare condescension to place kings under their feet, and allow them to insult over their dignity, as if they had been petty robbers; as it is said in the Psalm, A two-edged sword is in their hand to execute vengeance on the nations, to bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with chains of iron; to execute the judgment written: this honor have all the saints. (Psalm 149:6-9) That fearful sight had at the same time the effect of striking terror, so as to prevent the Israelites from imitating the manners of nations whose crimes they had seen so severely punished. Accordingly, we repeatedly meet in the books of Moses with this warning, You have seen how God took vengeance on the nations who were in the land of Canaan before you. Beware, therefore, of provoking the wrath of your God by their perverse doings. In one word, that God might be worshipped with greater sanctity, he ordered the land to be purged of all pollutions, and as the inhabitants had been excessively wicked, he willed that his curse should rest upon them in a new and unwonted manner.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv16–18 Jos 10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v16 five kings named above, Jos 10:3.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv16–18 And it was told Joshua,.... Either by some of…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v16 A cave - A place of the greatest secrecy;…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v16 Verse 16. Hid themselves in a cave] It is…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v16 Jos 10:16. These five kings — hid themselves in…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v16 The thread of the narrative, broken by the four…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v17 City, or territory. (Calmet) --- The kings had sought…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v16 THE FIVE KINGS HANGED. (Jos 10:16-27)
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16, 18 THE PURSUIT AND SLAUGHTER OF THE AMORITES, Jos_10:16-21.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv16–18 16–27. Flight and Execution of the Five Kings
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v16 (16) In a cave.—Literally, in the cave in Makkedah,…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v16 In a cave. "In the cave" according to the…
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v16 Jos_10:21. None moved his tongue] A proverbial phrase, intimating…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v18 into your hand
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 18 10:16 The five kings had led the southern coalition…
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