Joshua 10:16-28
Five Kings in the Cave
16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
17And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them.
19But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”
20So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities.
21The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
25“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.”
26After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening.
27At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day.
28On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Berean Standard Bible
The five kings flee and hide in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua is told where they are and orders the cave sealed with large stones while the army continues pursuing the enemy. The kings are not allowed to turn the battle into a rescue mission that abandons the larger assignment.
When the fighting is finished, Joshua brings the kings out. He calls the commanders of the army and tells them to put their feet on the kings' necks. The action is a public sign of victory in the ancient setting, followed by Joshua's command not to be afraid because the LORD will do the same to all their enemies.
Joshua then executes the kings and hangs their bodies until evening, after which they are placed back in the cave. This is a difficult account of judgment. It must be read as the book's description of God's particular judgment on Canaanite kings, not as a model for personal vengeance or a permission slip for religious violence.
The scene gives the leaders a warning about the use of power. Joshua's words promise courage, but they do not make Israel the source of justice. The people are accountable to the command they have received and cannot turn an ancient battle narrative into a license for cruelty.
How We Know
The evidence here is cumulative rather than dependent on one isolated line. Joshua records Israel's entry, settlement, and covenant life in continuity with Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch. Later books such as Judges and 1 Chronicles assume the people, land allotments, and places named here. Those internal cross-checks do not settle every archaeological question, but they show that Joshua 10:16-28 is part of a sustained historical and covenant record.
Questions
1 Where do the five kings hide?
AnswerThey hide in a cave at Makkedah while Joshua's army continues pursuing the enemy forces.
2 What does Joshua do with the cave?
AnswerHe orders the cave sealed with large stones until the battle is complete and the army can return.
3 What message does Joshua give the commanders?
AnswerHe tells them not to be afraid because the LORD will give Israel victory over its enemies.
4 How should we understand this judgment account?
AnswerIt belongs to Israel's particular conquest narrative and cannot be used to justify private revenge, cruelty, or religious violence.
What This Means for Us
The Bible's hard judgment scenes deserve honest reading, not casual imitation. We can acknowledge the severity of the account while refusing to use it as cover for hatred or the punishment of people God has not commanded us to punish.
When anger makes you want someone beneath your feet, stop and surrender the desire for revenge. In ordinary life, justice requires lawful protection, truthful testimony, and restraint rather than a household declaring itself judge and executioner.
Prayer
God of righteous judgment, keep us from using Scripture to bless our anger. Give us courage to resist evil, restraint when we are hurt, and wisdom to pursue justice without cruelty or revenge. Amen.