John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:19
And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies ,.... That is, do not stay at this cave, but having placed a sufficient guard there, go in pursuit of the enemy, with as much celerity as possible: and smite the hindmost of them ; their rear; or "tail" them F15 אב־תאם "caudam eorum caedite", Pagninus, Vatablus, Masius, Drusius; "et decaudetis eos", Montanus; "decaudabitis eos", Munster. , as the word is, cut off the tail of them: suffer them not to enter their cities ; where... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:18
And Joshua said, roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave ,.... To keep the kings in, that they might not make their escape, until he had convenient time to have them brought before him, and be treated by him as they deserved; and no doubt there were plenty of stones about the hill or mountain, in which this cave was, fit for this purpose: and set men by it for to keep them ; as a guard upon them, to prevent their escape. read more