then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's remarkable here is the phrase "Not a man moved his tongue," which isn't just about silence, but about a profound, paralyzing terror. It signifies that the enemy was so utterly defeated and awestruck by God's power through Israel that they didn't even dare to curse or insult their conquerors, unlike previous battles where they might have taunted them. This complete silencing underscores the overwhelming victory and the deep impact it had on their enemies.
then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a decisive, divinely aided victory where the sun stood still to allow Joshua's army to completely rout their enemies, the Israelite soldiers return safely to their camp. Not only were they physically unharmed, but the defeated enemies were so thoroughly overcome with fear and awe that they dared not utter a word of insult or defiance against any Israelite.
Imagine returning from a fierce battle completely unscathed. Not a single soldier lost, not even a scratch. This wasn't just good luck; it was a profound statement of God's protection.
The verse states, 'Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.' This phrase signifies more than just silence; it points to a complete and utter discomfiture of the enemy. They were so overwhelmed by God's power displayed through Israel that they couldn't even muster a curse or a challenge.
A Miraculous Preservation
This wasn't just about military prowess. The commentators highlight that this was a 'bloodless victory,' meaning Israel suffered no losses. Think about the sheer scale of the battle – the sun standing still, the hail, the pursuit. For every Israelite soldier to return safe and sound, without so much as a word of defiance from their enemies, is a testament to God's direct intervention. It shows His power to preserve His people even in the fiercest conflict.
What happens when God's judgment falls? It doesn't just defeat enemies; it silences them, leaving them in awe and terror.
The profound silence of the enemy wasn't just about their military defeat; it was a direct result of the terror God had struck into their hearts.
Silenced by Awe and Fear
Commentators point out that the defeated kings and their people were so utterly confounded and terrified by the display of God's power that they 'durst no more provoke the Israelites.' This wasn't a strategic retreat; it was a psychological collapse. Their pride was shattered, their defiance extinguished, and their tongues were stilled by an overwhelming sense of dread.
Ask a follow-up
A Warning and a Witness
This striking silence also served as a powerful witness. It declared to all who witnessed it that Israel’s God was truly with them and that His judgment was swift and absolute against those who opposed Him and His people. The defeated enemies couldn't even voice their insults or curses, so complete was their subjugation under God's hand.
Understand the original words
shalom · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the state of being free from danger, harm, or loss; in a biblical context, it often signifies divine protection and the successful completion of a mission.
The phrase 'Not a man moved his tongue' highlights the complete and utter discomfiture of the enemy. It signifies not just their military defeat, but their psychological collapse, leaving them utterly silenced and terrorized by God's power displayed on Israel's behalf.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Enter Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt and 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, begin their conquest of the promised land of Canaan.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Battle of Gibeon
A coalition of Canaanite kings, led by the king of Jerusalem, attacks Gibeon, an ally of Israel. God intervenes with a great hailstorm and miraculously lengthens the day, allowing Joshua to achieve a decisive victory.
c. 1400 BC
Capture of Makkedah
After the victory at Gibeon, Joshua and the Israelites pursue the fleeing enemy kings to Makkedah, where they are captured and hidden in a cave. The city of Makkedah itself is also captured.
c. 1400 BC
Execution of the Five Kings
Joshua has the five defeated kings brought out of the cave and executed, symbolizing the utter destruction of the Canaanite opposition. Their bodies are then hung as a public display.
c. 1400 BC
Consolidation of Southern Canaan
Following this major campaign, Joshua continues to subdue the southern regions of Canaan, systematically defeating the local kings and peoples.
This passage describes the silence of the Egyptians' animals during the plagues, paralleling the utter silence and inability of the defeated Canaanites to utter even a word against Israel in Joshua 10:21, highlighting God's complete control and the oppressive fear He instilled.
Deuteronomy 7:1-2These verses outline God's command to utterly destroy the nations in Canaan, providing the divine mandate for the severe actions Joshua took against the kings and cities, ensuring that such complete victory and silencing of opposition was God's will.
Psalm 149:6-9This psalm speaks of God's people executing vengeance on the nations and binding their kings, echoing the imagery and divine backing for Joshua's actions, including the public humiliation and defeat of the five kings, reinforcing the idea of God's judgment through His people.
2 Samuel 5:17-25When the Philistines came to attack David, he inquired of the Lord and was told to attack them, routing them decisively and as loudly as the sound of a great army, then attacking them again after the Lord had gone out before him. This passage shows a similar pattern of divine instruction leading to decisive military victories and complete routs of enemies, reinforcing the theme of God's direct intervention in Israel's battles.
calvinJoshua 10:15-28: "And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal."
And 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.
Quum autem finem fecisset Josue, et filii Israel percutiendi plaga magna valde, donec consumerentur, et superstites qui evaserant ex ipsis ingressi essent urbes munitas.
And all the pe…
pooleJoshua 10:21: "And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel."
To the camp; to the body of the army which were encamped there with Joshua to besiege that place. None moved his tongue; not so much as a dog, as it is expressed, Exodus 11:7 . Not only their men of war could not find their hands, but they were all so confounded, that they could not move their tongues in way of insultation and reproach, as doubtles…
What's remarkable here is the phrase "Not a man moved his tongue," which isn't just about silence, but about a profound, paralyzing terror. It signifies that the enemy was so utterly defeated and awestruck by God's power through Israel that they didn't even dare to curse or insult their conquerors, unlike previous battles where they might have taunted them. This complete silencing underscores the overwhelming victory and the deep impact it had on their enemies.
After a decisive, divinely aided victory where the sun stood still to allow Joshua's army to completely rout their enemies, the Israelite soldiers return safely to their camp. Not only were they physically unharmed, but the defeated enemies were so thoroughly overcome with fear and awe that they dared not utter a word of insult or defiance against any Israelite.
After a decisive, divinely aided victory where the sun stood still to allow Joshua's army to completely rout their enemies, the Israelite soldiers return safely to their camp. Not only were they physically unharmed, but the defeated enemies were so thoroughly overcome with fear and awe that they dared not utter a word of insult or defiance against any Israelite.
"then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel." — What's remarkable here is the phrase "Not a man moved his tongue," which isn't just about silence, but about a profound, paralyzing terror. It signifies that the enemy was so utterly defeated and awe…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026