Joshua 10:16 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 10:15-27

It was a brave appearance, no doubt, which the five kings made when they took the field for the reducing of Gibeon, and a brave army they had following them; but they were all routed, put into disorder first, and then brought to destruction by the hail-stones. And now Joshua thought, his work being done, he might go with his army into quarters of refreshment. Accordingly it was resolved, perhaps in a council of war, that they should presently return to the camp at Gilgal (Josh. 10:15), till... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:16

But these five kings fled ,.... They were not killed by hailstones, nor slain by the sword of the Israelites, but made their escape, being reserved by the providence of God for a more shameful end: and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah ; not in the city of Makkedah, which as yet was not in the hands of Israel, whereas this cave was, as appears by what follows; but it was in some hill, or mountain, near it; in the border of it, as Kimchi expresses it, and where a hill is shown to this... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 10:16

Hid themselves in a cave - It is very likely that this cave was a fortified place among some rocks; for there were many such places in different parts of Palestine. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 10:1-43

The great victory and its results. Many of the considerations which this passage suggests have been already anticipated. Thus the celerity of Joshua's march (verse 9) suggests the same set of ideas as Joshua 4:10 . The destruction of the cities teaches the same lessons as the destruction of Jericho; while the miraculous interposition in the battle of Beth-horon is hardly to be distinguished, as a source of spiritual instruction, from the destruction of Jericho. Again, the confederacy... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 10:16

In a cave. "In the cave" according to the Masoretic pointing. So the LXX ; τὸ σπήλαιον . Dr. Maclear remarks on the number of caves in Palestine (see Genesis 19:30 ; 20:47 ), as well as the well-known caves of Adullam and Engedi ( 1 Samuel 22:1 , 1 Samuel 24:3 ), and the cave in which a hundred prophets were concealed by Obadiah ( 1 Kings 18:4 ). Also see note on Joshua 2:22 . But Lieut. Conder believes that in this particular neighbourhood there were few caves. See... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 10:16

The thread of the narrative, broken by the four intermediate verses, Joshua 10:12-15, is now resumed from Joshua 10:11. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 10:16

Joshua 10:16. These five kings hid themselves in a cave A place of the greatest secrecy; but there is no escaping the eye or hand of God, who here brought them into a net of their own making. At Hebrew, in, Makkedah Not in the city, for that was not yet taken; but in the territory of it. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:1-43

Victory in southern Canaan (10:1-43)The five kings who between them controlled much of southern Canaan saw Joshua’s control of Gibeon as a threat to their security. They decided to conquer Gibeon and so stop any further move south by Israel (10:1-5).Joshua faced his biggest battle thus far. He knew that it would be a life-or-death struggle, but God encouraged him with the assurance of victory (6-8). God then helped make victory possible by causing some unusual changes in the weather that were... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Joshua 10:16

"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 to the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them, but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for Jehovah your God hath delivered them into your hand. And it came to pass when Joshua and the children of Israel had made... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Joshua 10:16

Ver. 16. But these five kings fled— That is, the kings mentioned above, in ver. 3. And hid themselves, &c. escaped from the sword of the conqueror; they had eluded the pursuit and the hail, by taking a different road from that of their main army: perhaps too they had prepared, for any event, beasts to carry them off with all dispatch. Be that as it may, they retired into a cavern near Makkedah, (for so the Hebrew particle should be rendered here and in ver. 10.) and there concluded... read more