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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 10:1-6

Joshua and the hosts of Israel had now been a good while in the land of Canaan, and no great matters were effected; they were made masters of Jericho by a miracle, of Ai by stratagem, and of Gibeon by surrender, and that was all; hitherto the progress of their victories had not seemed proportionable to the magnificence of their entry and the glory of their beginnings. Those among them that were impatient of delays, it is probable, complained of Joshua's slowness, and asked why they did not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:1

Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem ,.... So called, perhaps by anticipation, Jerusalem, since it seems to have had this name given it by the Israelites, when they had got possession of it: and Jerusalem signifies "the possession of Salem" F23 Reland, p. 833. , and in memory of this its ancient name, the Jews say F24 Gloss. in T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 16. 1. , they do not put "jod" in Jerusalem between "lamed" and "mem"; though some make the signification of it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:2

That they feared greatly ,.... The king of Jerusalem and his people, lest they should fall into the hands of the Israelites, and be used as Jericho and Ai, and the kings and inhabitants of them were, and that they would be the next that should fall a sacrifice to them; for Gibeon was fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, as Josephus says F1 De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 19. sect. 1. ; and in another place he says F2 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 11. sect. 7. but forty, which were but five miles; and if... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:3

Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron ,.... Which, according to Jerom F4 De loc. Heb. fol. 87. E. was twenty two miles from Jerusalem; it was an ancient city built seven years before Zoan in Egypt; See Gill on Genesis 13:18 and See Gill on Numbers 13:22 , and unto Piram king of Jarmuth ; a city which fell to the lot of Judah, as did Hebron, Joshua 15:35 ; according to Jerom F5 lb. fol. 92. H. , it was four miles distant from Eleutheropolis;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:4

Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon ,.... For which he thought himself not a match, not only because it was a great city, and full of mighty men, and had other cities subject to it, but because he might reasonably judge that Joshua would come to their assistance if possible, being in league with him; he sends to these kings in an authoritative manner, as if they were in some respects subject to him; and he proposes Jerusalem as the place of their rendezvous, and which it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:5

Therefore the five kings of the Amorites ,.... For though they were chiefly Hittites that dwelt in Hebron, and Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; yet as the Amorites were the most powerful people in the land, and had dispersed themselves in the several parts of it, and seem to have the greatest authority in it, they were all called Amorites, and perhaps the kings of those cities were of them, and set over them by them; so we find that the Gibeonites, who were Hivites, are said to be of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 10:1

Adoni - zedec - This name signifies the Lord of justice or righteousness; and it has been conjectured that the Canaanitish kings assumed this name in imitation of that of the ancient patriarchal king of this city, Melchizedek, whose name signifies king of righteousness, or my righteous king: a supposition that is not improbable, when the celebrity of Melchizedek is considered. Jerusalem - ירושלם Yerushalam . This word has been variously explained; if it be compounded of שלם ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 10:2

As one of the royal cities - Not a regal city, but great, well inhabited and well fortified, as those cities which served for the royal residence generally were. It does not appear that the Gibeonites had any king - they seem to have been a small but powerful republic, all the men thereof were mighty, merely governed by their elders: for in their address to Joshua, Joshua 9:11 , they mention no king, but simply state that they were sent by their elders and the inhabitants of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 10:3

Hoham king of Hebron - This city was situated in the mountains, southward of Jerusalem, from which it was about thirty miles distant. It fell to the tribe of Judah. Piram king of Jarmuth - There were two cities of this name; one belonged to the tribe of Issachar, see Joshua 21:29 ; that mentioned here fell to the tribe of Judah, see Joshua 15:35 ; it is supposed to have been about eighteen miles distant from Jerusalem. Japhia king of Lachish - This city is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 10:5

The five kings of the Amorites - This is a general name for the inhabitants of Canaan, otherwise called Canaanites; and it is very likely that they had this appellation because the Amorites were the most powerful tribe or nation in that country. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were Jebusites, Joshua 15:63 ; those of Hebron were Hittites, Genesis 23:2 , Genesis 23:3 ; Genesis 25:9 , Genesis 25:10 ; and the Gibeonites were Hivites, Joshua 9:7 ; and yet all these are called... read more

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