Joshua 10:38-39
Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. Just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Joshua didn't conquer Debir on his initial sweep south; instead, he deliberately returned to it after taking other cities. This strategic backtracking shows that even after significant victories, there were no shortcuts or overlooked enemies in God's command for conquest.
After a decisive victory in the valley, Joshua and all of Israel systematically conquered five more cities and their kings in rapid succession. Verse 38 marks Joshua's return to Debir, a city he had previously bypassed, to complete the conquest of southern Canaan before heading back to their camp.
Sometimes the path to victory isn't a straight line. Discover why Joshua's army 'turned back' to capture Debir.
Joshua 10:38 tells us Joshua and all Israel 'turned back' to Debir to fight against it. This might seem odd at first glance, as if they were retracing their steps. However, understanding the military strategy and the broader narrative reveals a powerful truth:
A Godly Strategy
The commentators suggest Joshua had advanced as far south and west as Gaza. Instead of continuing in that direction, he purposefully turned back towards Debir, which was likely on his return route toward the camp at Gilgal. This wasn't a detour; it was a strategic maneuver.
Completing the Conquest
Debir was a significant city, also known as Kirjathsepher ('city of books') or Kirjathsannah. By returning to conquer it, Joshua was ensuring that no pockets of resistance remained in the territory they had already entered or passed by. It was about securing the gains and completing the mission God had given them.
God's Timing and Order
This shows that God's plan unfolds with divine order and precision. Even when it looks like a 'return,' it's often a necessary step towards a greater, divinely orchestrated outcome. God's timing isn't always our perceived linear progression; it's about faithful obedience in each step.
The conquest of Debir, like other cities, involved utter destruction. What does this reveal about God's character and His judgment?
The taking of Debir, just like the cities before it, was marked by complete destruction, leaving 'none remaining.' This aspect of the conquest is challenging but crucial to understand.
Divine Mandate, Not Human Cruelty
The biblical text is clear: this was not Joshua's initiative acting out of personal malice. Commentators emphasize that this action was commanded by God. Joshua was obediently executing a divine judgment against the Canaanites, whose sin and idolatry had reached a point of severe corruption.
This verse captures a moment within a whirlwind military campaign. After a series of swift victories in southern Canaan, Joshua and the Israelite army turn back to conquer Debir, demonstrating the relentless and comprehensive nature of their invasion.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Conquest of Southern Canaan
Joshua leads the Israelites in a rapid campaign, conquering numerous cities in the southern part of Canaan following the miraculous victory at Gibeon.
c. 1400 BC
Fall of Makkedah and Libnah
Joshua conquers Makkedah and Libnah, utterly destroying their inhabitants and kings as part of his southern campaign.
c. 1400 BC
Fall of Lachish and Gezer
Lachish is conquered after a brief siege, and its inhabitants are destroyed. The king of Gezer is also defeated when he attempts to aid Lachish.
c. 1400 BC
Fall of Eglon and Hebron
Joshua continues his swift conquest, taking and destroying the cities of Eglon and Hebron, leaving none alive.
This passage provides the divine command for Israel to utterly destroy the nations in the land, setting the theological context for Joshua's actions described in this chapter.
Joshua 11:19-20It echoes the theme of God hardening hearts, explaining why some nations did not make peace with Israel, thus necessitating further conquest like the one at Debir.
Judges 1:9-15This passage shows the tribe of Judah taking Debir (Kirjath-sepher) and gives further details about Caleb giving his daughter Achsah in marriage to the one who would capture it, adding human interest to the conquest.
1 Samuel 15:3This verse recalls God's command to Saul to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites, highlighting the consistent divine mandate for complete eradication of certain peoples for their wickedness, a principle at play in Joshua's campaigns.
calvinJoshua 10:29-43: "Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:"
And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
Tradiditque Jehova illam etiam in manum Israel, et regem ejus, et percussit eam acie gladii, omnemque animam quae erat i…
gillJoshua 10:38: "And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:"
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir,.... A city, according to Kimchi, which he passed by when he went to Hebron, and did not fight against it; but, when he had taken Hebron, returned and took it; and which Bunting (h) says was but a mile from it, and twenty two miles from Jerusalem, towards the south; it is the same with Kirjathsepher and Kirjathsannah, Joshua 15:15 ; the city of a…
The verse highlights that Joshua didn't conquer Debir on his initial sweep south; instead, he deliberately returned to it after taking other cities. This strategic backtracking shows that even after significant victories, there were no shortcuts or overlooked enemies in God's command for conquest.
After a decisive victory in the valley, Joshua and all of Israel systematically conquered five more cities and their kings in rapid succession. Verse 38 marks Joshua's return to Debir, a city he had previously bypassed, to complete the conquest of southern Canaan before heading back to their camp.
After a decisive victory in the valley, Joshua and all of Israel systematically conquered five more cities and their kings in rapid succession. Verse 38 marks Joshua's return to Debir, a city he had previously bypassed, to complete the conquest of southern Canaan before heading back to their camp.
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A Picture of Future Judgment
This complete destruction served as a stark warning and a symbolic representation of God's ultimate judgment against sin. It foreshadows the final judgment where all enemies of God will be utterly dealt with. While painful to read, it underscores God's absolute holiness and His commitment to justice.
God's Patience and Warning
It's also important to remember that this judgment was not sudden or without prior warning. The Canaanites had generations of opportunity to repent. Their continued defiance and deep-seated sin led to this decreed destruction, illustrating that God is both patient and just in His judgments.
c. 1400 BC
Victory over Kings of Southern Palestine
Joshua defeats the combined forces of five Amorite kings and conquers their territories from Kadeshbarnea to Gaza.
c. 1400 BC
Return to Gilgal Camp
After the extensive southern campaign, Joshua and the Israelite army return to their base camp at Gilgal.
"Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none…" — The verse highlights that Joshua didn't conquer Debir on his initial sweep south; instead, he deliberately returned to it after taking other cities. This strategic backtracking shows that even after…
