Justin Houtz

Joshua 9-11; 1 Corinthians 6

DateVersionReading Plan
March 21, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

Joshua 9-11

Observation & Interpretation

Chapters 9 through 11 largely entail the Israelite conquest of the promised land by leadership of Joshua. Chapter 9 opens with how the kings beyond the Jordan heard of what happened to Ai and that they banded together against the Israelites. However, the Gibeonites employed a different strategy: a ruse to deceive the men of Israel so that they would think the Gibeonites came from a distant country. Without consulting the LORD, Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites to let them live. At the end of three days after the covenant was made, Israel discovered that the Gibeonites were their neighbors. The decision was made to let the Gibeonites live because of the oath that had been sworn to them. Joshua questioned the Gibeonites as to why they sought to deceive the Israelites and the Gibeonites responded by saying it was because they were told that, with certainty, the LORD had given Israel the land and that its inhabitants would be destroyed.

Coming into chapter 10, Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, had heard of the Israelite defeat of Ai and how they had made peace with Gibeon. Fearing greatly because Gibeon was a great city, Adoni-zedek formed a coalition with the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon to strike Gibeon. The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua and pleaded his help in defense against the kings of the Amorites. Joshua and all the might men of valor went up from Gilgal for war and the LORD told Joshua that He had given them in their hands. “Assured of victory by the Lord, Joshua engaged the enemy’s forces at Gibeon, causing them to flee. Two miracles occurred in the destruction of the enemy. First there was a tremendous hailstorm, which killed more men than the Israelites had slain. But note that they were discriminating hailstones—they killed only the enemies.” (BBC) Joshua then spoke to the LORD in the day that the Amorites were given over to the sons of Israel and told the sun to stand still, “prolonging the hours that the Israelites could continue to pursue and destroy the foe before they could escape to the security of their walled cities.” (BBC) Despite attempts to relegate this to metaphorical speech or a natural occurrence, this should be understood that “it was a miracle which resulted in an extended day for fighting.” (BBC) The five Amorite kings fled to the cave at Makkedah where they were discovered, hanged until evening, their bodies thrown into the cave where they had hidden and larges stones set against the mouth of the cave. The remainder of chapters 10 and 11 describe the conquering of the Southern and Northern Canaanite lands, devoting them to destruction.

Application

So much of God’s faithfulness is seen in these chapters in the fulfillment of His promise to give the people the people the land. Moreover, we also see Joshua’s faithfulness to the LORD in response, devoting all things to destruction as he had been commanded by Moses. What else are we to do as children of God than to live in like faithfulness to Him as He has been for us. We do this imperfectly, yes, but praise our Lord that by His Spirit we are enabled and bestowed with desire to proceed in obedience to His Word in such a way that honors Him and magnifies His glory.

Resources