Joshua 10:16-27 · Bible study
Joshua 10:16-27 Commentary: The Cave and God's Victory
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua captures five kings hiding in a cave, executes them with symbolic foot-on-neck ceremony, and seals the cave as a memorial of God's complete deliverance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The capture, symbolic foot-on-neck act, and execution of the five kings show God’s complete victory over Israel’s enemies, fulfilling His promise of deliverance.
- Key words: Cave (מְעָרָה, me‘arah), hiding pace turned prison and grave; Feet/necks, symbol of complete subjugation; Hanged, public display of divine judgment limited by law.
- Main debate: Whether the executions occurred the same day as the battle or the next (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown favour the next day); whether the foot-on-neck act is mere ceremony or a form of humiliation with judicial weight.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty in battle; divine judgment on sin; the certainty that God will do the same to all enemies (v.25); typology of Christ’s victory over spiritual powers (Ellicott, Col 2:15).
- Best use: Preaching on God’s faithfulness in the midst of conflict, spiritual warfare, and the assurance that no enemy can withstand God’s purposes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
17And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them.
19But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”
20So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities.
21The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
25“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.”
26After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening.
27At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day.
WEB World English Bible 2000
16These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
18Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;
19but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand.”
20When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
21all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”
23They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.
25Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for Yahweh will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
26Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.
27At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
KJV King James Version 1769
16But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
18And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
19And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.
20And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.
21And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
23And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
25And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
26And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
16And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
18And Joshua said, Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them:
19but 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.
20And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
21that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth those five kings unto me out of the cave.
23And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
24And it came to pass, when they brought forth those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the chiefs of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
25And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage: for thus shall Jehovah do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
26And afterward Joshua smote them, and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, unto this very day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
16And these five kings flee, and are hidden in a cave at Makkedah,
17and it is declared to Joshua, saying, `The five kings have been found hidden in a cave at Makkedah.'
18And Joshua saith, `Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and appoint over it men to watch them;
19and ye, stand not, pursue after your enemies, and ye have smitten the hindmost of them; suffer them not to go in unto their cities, for Jehovah your God hath given them into your hand.'
20And it cometh to pass, when Joshua and the sons of Israel finish to smite them--a very great smiting, till they are consumed, and the remnant who have remained of them go in unto the fenced cities,
21that all the people turn back to the camp, unto Joshua, at Makkedah, in peace; none moved sharply his tongue against the sons of Israel.
22And Joshua saith, `Open ye the mouth of the cave, and bring out unto me these five kings from the cave;'
23and they do so, and bring out unto him these five kings from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
24And it cometh to pass, when they bring out these kings unto Joshua, that Joshua calleth unto every man of Israel, and saith unto the captains of the men of war, who have gone with him, `Draw near, set your feet on the necks of these kings;' and they draw near, and set their feet on their necks.
25And Joshua saith unto them, `Fear not, nor be affrighted; be strong and courageous; for thus doth Jehovah do to all your enemies with whom ye are fighting;'
26and Joshua smiteth them afterwards, and putteth them to death, and hangeth them on five trees; and they are hanging on the trees till the evening.
27And it cometh to pass, at the time of the going in of the sun, Joshua hath commanded, and they take them down from off the trees, and cast them unto the cave where they had been hid, and put great stones on the mouth of the cave till this very day.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
16And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings have been found, hid in the cave at Makkedah.
18And Joshua said, Roll great stones before the mouth of the cave, and set men before it to keep them.
19And ye, stay not, pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities; for Jehovah your God has given them into your hand.
20And it came to pass when Joshua and the children of Israel had ended smiting them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, that the remnant which remained of them entered into fortified cities;
21and all the people returned to the camp to Joshua, at Makkedah, in peace; none moved his tongue against the children of Israel.
22And Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me those five kings out of the cave.
23And they did so, and brought forth to him those five kings out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
24And it came to pass when they had brought forth those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called to all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, Come forward, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came forward and put their feet on their necks.
25And Joshua said to them, Fear not, neither be dismayed; be strong and courageous, for thus will Jehovah do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
26And afterwards Joshua smote them, and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hid, and laid great stones before the cave's mouth, [which remain] to this very day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
16For the five kings were fled, and had hid themselves in a cave of the city of Maceda.
17And it was told Joshua, that the five kings were found hid in a cave of the city of Maceda.
18And he commanded them that were with him, saying: Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men to keep them shut up:
19And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies, and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands, to shelter themselves in their cities.
20So the enemies being slain with a great slaughter, and almost utterly consumed, they that were able to escape from Israel, entered into fenced cities.
21And all the army returned to Joshua, in Maceda, where the camp then was, in good health, and without the loss of any one: and no man durst move his tongue against the children of Israel.
22And Joshua gave orders, saying: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me the five kings that lie hid therein.
23And the ministers did as they were commanded: and they brought out to him the five kings out of the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jerimoth, the king of Lachis, the king of Eglon.
24And when they were brought out to him, he called all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the army that were with him: Go, and set your feet on the necks of these kings. And when they had gone, and put their feet upon the necks of them lying under them,
25He said again to them: Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage, and be strong: for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.
26And Joshua struck, and slew them, and hanged them upon five gibbets; and they hung until the evening.
27And when the sun was down, he commanded the soldiers to take them down from the gibbets. And after they were taken down, they cast them into the cave, where they had lain hid, and put great stones at the mouth thereof, which remain until this day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 10:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage delivers the decisive conclusion to the battle of Gibeon. The five kings' flight to a cave (v.16) does not thwart God's plan, but becomes the setting for a public display of judgment. Barnes resumes the narrative thread broken by the miracle in vv.12-15, and Cambridge notes the Hebrew article on the cave suggests a known landmark. Joshua's first action (v.18) is to seal the entrance: Keil & Delitzsch interpret this as securing the kings until the army has finished pursuing the routed enemy. The return to camp 'in peace' with no one moving his tongue (v.21) signals total victory without losses, Clarke calls it evidence of divine direction.
The foot-on-neck act (v.24) is read by all as symbolic of complete subjugation. Clarke calls it 'a token of approaching triumph over all their adversaries,' and Cambridge points to Assyrian and Egyptian monuments where the same gesture appears. Calvin insists the executions rest on a direct divine command, without which the act would be barbaric; the kings' guilt and the need for an example justify it. The hanging until sunset (vv.26-27) follows Deuteronomy 21:23, preventing defilement of the land, and the burial in the same cave turns the hiding place into a royal tomb and a lasting memorial (which remain to this very day). The shared conviction is that God used this dramatic sequence to assure Israel that no enemy can withstand His purpose.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God delivered the five kings into Israel’s hand, and Joshua’s actions—sealing the cave, the foot-on-neck ceremony, execution, and burial—demonstrate a complete victory that fulfills the promise of Deuteronomy and assures Israel of future triumphs.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Timing of the executions | The executions occurred after the battle at Makkedah, following the return of the army. | Some commentators (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) place them on the day after the battle; others assume they happened the same evening, though the narrative may telescope events. |
| Symbolism of foot on neck | All interpreters read the act as a sign of complete subjugation and victory. | Clarke calls it a 'token of approaching triumph over all their adversaries'; Calvin sees it as a judicial punishment for rebellion against God. Some see it primarily as prophetic, others as punitive. |
| The cave as shelter turned grave | The cave serves as an ironic setting: the kings’ intended refuge becomes their prison and tomb. | No significant debate; the device is widely noted as a dramatic marker of divine justice. |
| Application of Deuteronomy 21:23 | The removal of the bodies at sunset follows the law and shows adherence to God’s commands. | Cambridge and others note this was to avoid defiling the land; the public display until evening served as an example without compromising holiness. |
| Joshua as a type of Christ | The narrative foreshadows Christ’s victory over enemies; Ellicott explicitly connects v.26 to Colossians 2:15. | Some interpreters caution against over-allegorizing the details, preferring to read the passage as straightforward historical narrative. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The limestone hills and valleys south of Beth-horon are riddled with caves, many used for refuge throughout the biblical period. Proverbs 28:10 and stories from Judges (6:2) to the wilderness of En-gedi (1 Sam 24:3) show caves as natural strongholds. The cave at Makkedah was probably large enough to conceal five kings and their attendants; the definite article in Hebrew (ha-me‘arah) suggests it was a well-recognised landmark near the city (Cambridge).
Ancient Near Eastern warfare routinely included the humiliation of captured rulers. Placing feet on the necks of defeated kings appears on Assyrian reliefs and Egyptian temple carvings, symbolising total subjugation. Joshua's command to the army commanders echoes that iconography but gives it theological weight: Yahweh, not human might, delivers the enemy into Israel's hand. The act is not mere brutality; it is a prophetic sign of what God will do to all future enemies (v.25).
The phrase 'none moved his tongue' (v.21) recalls Exodus 11:7, where no dog barked at the Exodus. Here it expresses a peace so complete that even hostile speech is silenced, the nations are awestruck, not defiant. The execution of the kings follows the law of war given in Deuteronomy 20:16-17, and their bodies are removed before nightfall (Deut 21:23) to avoid defiling the land. The stones laid at the cave's mouth become a permanent monument, still visible when the book of Joshua was compiled, a witness to the generation that God keeps His promises.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary sources do not note any significant textual variants for Joshua 10:16-27. The Hebrew text appears stable across manuscript traditions.
Reception History
This passage has been read through church history as a vivid example of God’s judgment on His enemies and a foreshadowing of Christ’s triumph. The Septuagint translators rendered the cave as a known location, and early Christian writers saw Joshua as a type of Jesus. Ellicott’s note on v.26 applies Colossians 2:15: Christ made a show of principalities and powers, triumphing over them in the cross. In Reformation exegesis, Calvin emphasised the divine command behind the severe judgment, arguing that without it the act would be barbaric. Later commentators, including Clarke and Cambridge, focused on the symbolic foot-on-neck gesture as a sermon of assurance. The memorial stones at the cave’s mouth (v.27) have been referenced in hymns and sermons as a call to remember God’s faithfulness in times of conflict.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Hiding and Discovery (vv.16-17): What was concealed is brought to light. The kings’ attempt to escape God’s judgment only sets the stage for a more public defeat.
- The Pursuit and the Secure Victory (vv.18-21): Joshua does not stop at the cave. He seals it, presses the attack, and the army returns whole and unmolested. God’s victory is both complete and safe.
- The Judgment and the Memorial (vv.22-27): The kings are executed with a symbolic act that declares future victories, and their burial in the cave turns a place of fear into a place of faith-resource.
Five-point outline
- The Kings’ Futile Escape (vv.16-17): They hide, but are found. Human wisdom cannot outrun divine sovereignty.
- Joshua’s Strategic Wisdom (vv.18-19): He secures the prisoners and presses the advantage. Application: deal with present enemies thoroughly before celebrating.
- The Complete Victory (vv.20-21): The slaughter is total; not a man is lost. The phrase 'none moved his tongue' signals the awe of surrounding nations.
- The Symbolic Act of Domination (vv.22-25): Feet on necks is not a cruel taunt but a prophetic sermon. The same God who gave this victory will give every future one.
- The Final Judgment and Burial (vv.26-27): The kings are hanged, taken down at sunset, and buried under great stones. Obedience to the law doubles as a visible sermon.
Illustration hooks
- A child hides a broken dish under the bed, thinking it will never be found, until the parents come home. The thing sought to hide becomes the focus of the conversation.
- A sports team secures a lead but does not let up; they keep scoring until the final whistle. The symbolic victory lap afterward echoes the foot-on-neck gesture.
- A community erects a plaque at the site of a hard-won legal settlement. The stones at the cave mouth functioned the same way: a permanent story for the next generation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Joshua put his feet on the necks of the kings? Isn't that cruel?
- Did all this happen on the same day as the miracle of the sun standing still?
- How does this violent story connect to Jesus and the New Testament?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows God’s complete deliverance of Israel at a crucial turning point. The five kings thought they could hide; Joshua turned their hiding place into a courtroom and a monument. As you read the passage aloud together, pay attention to the repeated details: the cave, the stones, the feet on necks, and the ritual of taking down the bodies at sunset. What do these details tell you about the character of God?
Discussion questions
- Why do the kings flee to a cave? What does their choice suggest about their understanding of God’s power?
- Joshua seals the cave but does not immediately execute the kings. Why does he wait? What does his strategy (v.18-19) teach about priorities in spiritual warfare?
- The people return ‘in peace’ and no one moves a tongue against them. How does that line (v.21) function as a summary of the entire battle?
- The foot-on-neck ceremony is the centrepiece. What does it communicate to the Israelite soldiers about the future? What does it communicate to the conquered?
- Joshua’s words in v.25 echo the commission God gave him in chapter 1. How does publicly remembering God’s promise help a community stay courageous?
- Why is it important that the bodies are taken down at sunset and buried under great stones? What does this care for the law (Deut 21:22-23) say about God’s character?
- How might this story shape the way you pray when you face an overwhelming challenge or a hidden threat?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 6:2 | The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds. |
| I Samuel 13:6 | When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits. |
| I Samuel 24:3 | He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave. |
| I Samuel 24:8 | David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect. |
| Psalms 48:4 | For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together. |
| Psalms 48:6 | Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail. |
| Psalms 139:7 | Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? |
| Psalms 139:10 | even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that putting feet on the necks of defeated kings was a symbolic act foreshadowing complete triumph over all enemies, not mere humiliation. He also clarifies that Hebrew execution involved killing first, then hanging the body for public example, never overnight, to avoid extending punishment beyond justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the command to put feet on the kings' necks was a visible symbol of complete subjugation. He also points out that the execution of the kings and the capture of Makkedah likely took place the day after the battle, not on the same day as the pursuit.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that without God's direct command, trampling on defeated kings would be pure arrogance and savagery. But because God ordered this public humiliation, it becomes a just display of divine judgment, turning regal splendor into utter disgrace. Mercy that overrides God's authority is itself detestable.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary highlights the cave as a well-known limestone cavern, drawing parallels to other biblical caves used for refuge. The foot-on-neck gesture is explained as an ancient symbol of total conquest, depicted on Egyptian and Assyrian monuments. Joshua personally executed the kings, hung their bodies until sunset according to Deuteronomy, and sealed them in the same cave that had hidden them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that these five kings were not killed in battle but preserved by God's providence for a more shameful end. He emphasizes that Joshua's command to put feet on their necks was a symbolic act of complete subjection, fulfilling God's promise and serving as a terror to future enemies.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that Joshua's command to place feet on the captured kings' necks was not a cruel insult but a deliberate symbolic act. It represented complete victory and fulfilled God's promise that Israel would trample their enemies underfoot.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the sun standing still as Hebrew war poetry from the Book of Jasher, not a literal astronomical event. He compares it to the stars fighting against Sisera: poetic language that celebrates Joshua's bold faith and God's decisive help, not a mechanical suspension of the cosmos.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights Joshua's wisdom in trapping the kings without pausing the pursuit, showing that victory must be finished before celebrating. The symbolic act of placing feet on the necks of the kings was not cruelty but a public assurance that God would subdue every enemy they feared.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the unexpected reversal: the cave that was chosen for the greatest secrecy becomes first a prison and then a grave. He notes that God's power silences the very enemies who once insulted Israel, and the command to put feet on their necks is not pride but a just punishment for rebellion and a token that God subdues the proud.