The Lord Gives The Victory

Topic: Warfare
Passage: Joshua 10:29–43

December 6, 2020

Commentary

In a series of quick raids Joshua attacked and conquered the key cities of southern Canaan. These included Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir (vv. 29-39). Joshua and his army went from city to city, destroying each one and slaying its king and inhabitants “as the Lord God of Israel commanded” (v. 40). However, all the towns of the land were not taken during the campaign. Apparently, it was not a military necessity that every town be destroyed. Jerusalem, one of the five in the alliance was also bypassed. A geographical summary of the land conquered in this southern campaign is given in verses 40-43. It included all the hill country south of Jerusalem between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean and from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza. Now Joshua could look with confidence to the unfinished task of conquering the north land. “The Lord God of Israel fought for Israel” (v.42). And praise God He is still fighting battles for His own today.

The very last verse in this chapter (v. 43) states “And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp of Gilgal.” This is the fifth time Gilgal is mentioned. It’s the place Israel started the attack from and the place they return to. Throughout the conquest of Canaan, Israel returns over and over to this very significant place. There they find encouragement, rest, motivation, and strategy for continued warfare. We as Christians need a Gilgal that we can return to, a place of rest and renewal. Gilgal has great community significance. It’s a place where God’s people gather to hear His Word. We need to remember that our warfare is not fought in isolation. Like Gilgal, our getting together at church, in homes and wherever we gather as the body of Christ ought to be times of rest, worship, spiritual encouragement and empowerment for a life of warfare.

Application

In every Israelite victory, the text gives the credit to the Lord. When I am successful, the temptation is to take all the credit as if I did it by myself. It is God and God alone who gives me any victories I may achieve, and I must be careful to give Him the praise.

Joshua 10:29– 43 (NET)

29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it. 30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel put the sword to all who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops and fought against it. 32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and they captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down, as well as his army, until no survivors remained.

34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops and fought against it. 35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they annihilated it just as they had done to Lachish.

36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they left no survivors. As they had done at Eglon, they annihilated it and all who lived there.

38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 39 They captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king what they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured in one campaign all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.