Verse 16
16. Makkedah See Joshua 10:10.
Beth-el See Joshua 7:2. [Whether the kings of Beth-el and Makkedah here mentioned were slain at the taking of Ai (compare Joshua 8:17, note) and the battle of Beth-horon (Joshua 10:28) is somewhat doubtful. It is expressly said that Joshua took Makkedah and destroyed its king in connexion with the great battle of Beth-horon, and it is also said that the men of Beth-el fought against Israel with the men of Ai. But the order of this list would seem to indicate that these kings fell after Joshua had conquered Southern Palestine and was returning northward. It is possible, however, that Beth-el and Makkedah may have recovered somewhat from their fall while Joshua was in the far south, and when he returned northward gave him battle again.
The same may be said of Libnah in the preceding verse compared with Joshua 10:30. But on the whole it seems more probable that this list does not mean to chronicle the names of the cities in the exact order of their conquest.]
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