Joshua 10:33

Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

Then Horam {H2036} king {H4428} of Gezer {H1507} came up {H5927} to help {H5826} Lachish {H3923}; and Joshua {H3091} smote {H5221} him and his people {H5971}, until he had left {H7604} him none remaining {H8300}.

But then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lakhish; so Y'hoshua attacked him and his people, until he had no one left with him.

At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.

Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

Commentary

Joshua 10:33 recounts a significant event during the Israelite conquest of Canaan, specifically within Joshua's rapid and decisive southern campaign. This verse details the swift defeat of King Horam of Gezer and his forces who attempted to intervene and aid the city of Lachish, which was under siege by the Israelites. It underscores the overwhelming power and divine backing of Joshua's army as they executed God's judgment upon the Canaanite nations.

Context

This verse is situated amidst the intense southern campaign led by Joshua. Following the miraculous victory over the five Amorite kings at Gibeon and the subsequent pursuit and destruction of their cities, the Israelite army systematically moved to conquer key Canaanite strongholds. Lachish was a formidable fortress city, crucial for controlling the southern plains. King Horam of Gezer, a neighboring Canaanite city-state, came to assist Lachish, demonstrating the desperate, though ultimately futile, attempts of the Canaanite kings to resist. This entire campaign was a direct fulfillment of God's command to dispossess and utterly destroy the inhabitants of the land.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Israel's Success: The complete victory over Horam and his people highlights that Israel's triumphs were not merely by their own strength but by God's active intervention. The text implies a divine empowerment that ensured Israel's success in fulfilling their mission.
  • Total Dispossession and Judgment: The phrase "until he had left him none remaining" signifies the policy of utter destruction commanded by God for the Canaanite nations. This was a severe judgment against the deep-seated idolatry, moral depravity, and wickedness prevalent among these peoples.
  • Futility of Resistance: Horam's attempt to aid Lachish illustrates the solidarity among Canaanite kings, yet their combined efforts were incapable of standing against the divinely-empowered Israelite army. Their resistance was ultimately futile against God's determined will for the land.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "until he had left him none remaining" strongly conveys the completeness of the destruction. This reflects the Hebrew concept of cherem (חרם), often translated as "devoted thing" or "utterly destroy." In the context of holy war against the Canaanites, it meant setting apart everything, including people, for God by complete annihilation, preventing any contamination of Israel by their pagan practices and ensuring the purity of the land for God's chosen people.

Practical Application

While the historical context of warfare is unique, Joshua 10:33 offers timeless spiritual lessons. It serves as a powerful reminder of the certainty of God's purposes and the futility of resisting His sovereign will. For believers, it can symbolize the need for decisive action against sin in our lives, rooting out those things that hinder our relationship with God, leaving "none remaining." It also reinforces the truth that when God calls us to a task, He provides the necessary strength and means for its complete accomplishment, much like Joshua's assurance that the Lord was with him wherever he went.

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Cross-References

  • Joshua 16:10

    And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

  • Judges 1:29

    Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

  • Joshua 16:3

    And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.

  • 1 Kings 9:15

    ΒΆ And this [is] the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

  • 1 Kings 9:17

    And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,

  • Joshua 21:21

    For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

  • Joshua 12:12

    The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
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