Joshua 10:11
And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is that the text highlights the source of the destruction, emphasizing it wasn't just a random hailstorm. God specifically hurled these "great stones from heaven," showing direct divine intervention that claimed more lives than Israel's swords and declared that victory belonged to Him, not just human might.
Five kings of the Amorites, led by the king of Jerusalem, have joined forces to attack the Gibeonites because they made peace with Joshua. Joshua, alerted by the Gibeonites, marches with his army to defend them. As the enemy army flees from Joshua's pursuing forces down the slopes of Beth-horon, God intervenes dramatically.
The battle wasn't just won by swords and spears; something extraordinary fell from the sky. Notice how the text describes this divine intervention.
The text in Joshua 10:11 makes it clear that God himself intervened directly in the battle. It wasn't just a natural storm; it was a divine act:
The Lord Cast Down Stones
"The LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them..." (Joshua 10:11). The emphasis here is on the LORD (Yahweh) as the active agent. This wasn't a passive event; God actively brought down the stones.
More Died by Hail Than Sword
"There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword." This highlights the overwhelming power of this divine act. The hail was so destructive that it surpassed the effectiveness of the Israelite army's weaponry. This event served as a powerful sign to both Israel and their enemies, demonstrating that the victory was not due to human might alone, but to the direct power of God fighting for His people.
The enemies were fleeing, and you might expect the pursuit to be the main threat. But God's judgment was specific, falling precisely where it was needed most.
This miraculous hailstorm wasn't indiscriminate. It was a targeted act of judgment against those who opposed God's people:
Fleeing into Judgment
The enemies were in the "going down to Beth-horon," a strategic location that became their downfall. Instead of escaping, their flight led them directly into the path of God's judgment. The text emphasizes that they died as they fled, meaning their attempt to escape was precisely when God's judgment caught them.
A Divine Retribution
Commentaries note that these enemies had worshipped the 'host of heaven.' Now, the very elements they worshipped were turned against them in judgment. This wasn't random; it was a divine statement. God, the Creator of all heaven and earth, demonstrated His supreme power over the created 'hosts' they idolized. Their attempted escape in various directions (Beth-horon, Azekah, Makkedah) was met with a pursuing hail, showing there was 'no fleeing out of the hands of God.'
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His covenant faithfulness and His identity as the self-existent Creator.
shalak · Hebrew Verb
A term often used in military or judicial contexts for the exertion of force or power; in this context, it represents divine intervention through catastrophic atmospheric phenomena.
chereb · Hebrew Noun
A weapon of war symbolizing human conflict and judgment; frequently used in the Old Testament to describe the means of military conquest or divine retribution.
This battle wasn't just about human strategy; it was a divine intervention where God Himself unleashed the elements, turning a desperate flight into a catastrophic defeat for the Canaanite kings and a stunning display of His power for Israel.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Conquer Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin their conquest of the Promised Land, taking cities like Jericho and Ai.
c. 1400 BC
Gibeonites Make a Pact
The Gibeonites deceive Joshua into making a peace treaty with them, which the Israelites later discover was based on a lie about their distant origin.
c. 1400 BC
Alliance of Five Amorite Kings
Upon hearing of Israel's successes and the Gibeonites' alliance, five Amorite kings form a coalition to attack Gibeon and reassert their dominance.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua Marches to Gibeon
Joshua leads the Israelite army on a forced march from Gilgal to relieve Gibeon, surprising the allied kings.
c. 1400 BC
This passage describes a devastating hail storm that God sent upon Egypt, similar to the 'great stones from heaven' that fell on the Canaanite kings in Joshua 10:11, highlighting God's power to use natural phenomena as instruments of judgment.
1 Samuel 7:10Here, God sends thunder and hail against the Philistines during a battle, mirroring the supernatural intervention of 'great stones from heaven' in Joshua 10:11, underscoring God's active role in fighting for His people.
Psalm 105:16This verse alludes to God sending a 'devouring fire' and 'hail' upon Egypt, which parallels the hail in Joshua 10:11, reinforcing the theme of God's judgment upon those who oppose Him and His people.
This non-canonical text specifically references the event in Joshua 10:11, calling it a divine intervention where God sent 'great stones from above,' further emphasizing the miraculous nature of the hailstorm.
This passage speaks of the sun and moon standing still in the heavens, which directly relates to the greater miracle that occurred on this same day in Joshua 10:12, showing the amplified divine power displayed during this campaign.
calvinJoshua 10:1-14: "Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;"
- Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and h…
bensonJoshua 10:11: "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."
Joshua 10:11 . The Lord cast down great stones — That is, hail-stones of an extraordinary greatness, cast down with that certainty as to hit the Canaanites, and not their pursuers the Israelites. Jose…
What's easy to miss here is that the text highlights the source of the destruction, emphasizing it wasn't just a random hailstorm. God specifically hurled these "great stones from heaven," showing direct divine intervention that claimed more lives than Israel's swords and declared that victory belonged to Him, not just human might.
Five kings of the Amorites, led by the king of Jerusalem, have joined forces to attack the Gibeonites because they made peace with Joshua. Joshua, alerted by the Gibeonites, marches with his army to defend them. As the enemy army flees from Joshua's pursuing forces down the slopes of Beth-horon, God intervenes dramatically.
Five kings of the Amorites, led by the king of Jerusalem, have joined forces to attack the Gibeonites because they made peace with Joshua. Joshua, alerted by the Gibeonites, marches with his army to defend them. As the enemy army flees from Joshua's pursuing forces down the slopes of Beth-horon, God intervenes dramatically.
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Divine Intervention at Beth-horon
As the Amorite kings flee down the ascent of Beth-horon, God unleashes a devastating hailstorm, killing more of the enemy than the Israelite sword.
c. 1400 BC
Sun and Moon Stand Still
At Joshua's command, the sun and moon miraculously stop their movement, extending the daylight to allow the Israelites to complete their victory.
c. 1400 BC
Pursuit and Destruction of Kings
The Israelites pursue and capture the five kings, executing them in a cave at Makkedah to decisively end the immediate threat.
"And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of…" — What's easy to miss here is that the text highlights the source of the destruction, emphasizing it wasn't just a random hailstorm. God specifically hurled these "great stones from heaven," showing…
