We have in this chapter an account of the conquest of the kings and kingdoms of the southern part of the land of Canaan, as, in the next chapter, of the reduction of the northern parts, which together completed the glorious successes of the wars of Canaan. In this chapter we have an account, I. Of the routing of their forces in the field, in which observe, 1. Their confederacy against the Gibeonites, ver. 1-5. 2. The Gibeonites' request to Joshua to assist them, ver. 6. 3. Joshua's speeds march under divine encouragement for their relief, ver. 7-9. 4. The defeat of the armies of these confederate kings, ver. 10, 11. 5. The miraculous prolonging of the day by the standing still of the sun in favour of the conquerors, ver. 12-14. II. Of the execution of the kings that escaped out of the battle, ver. 15-27. III. Of the taking of the particular cities, and the total destruction of all that were found in them. Makkedah, ver. 28. Libnah, ver. 29, 30. Lachish, ver. 31, 32, and the king of Gezer that attempted its rescue, ver. 33. Eglon, ver. 34, 35. Hebron, ver. 36, 37. Debir, ver. 38, 39. And the bringing of all that country into the hands of Israel, ver. 40-42. And, lastly, the return of the army to the head-quarters, ver. 43.
The Combination Against Gibeon. (b. c. 1450.)