Joshua 10:41

And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

And Joshua {H3091} smote {H5221} them from Kadeshbarnea {H6947} even unto Gaza {H5804}, and all the country {H776} of Goshen {H1657}, even unto Gibeon {H1391}.

Y'hoshua attacked them from Kadesh-Barnea to 'Azah and all the land of Goshen, as far as Giv'on.

Joshua conquered the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far as Gibeon.

And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

Commentary

Joshua 10:41 KJV summarizes the extensive and decisive victory of the Israelites under Joshua's leadership over the southern kings of Canaan. It highlights the vast geographical scope of their conquests, underscoring the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.

Context

This verse concludes the narrative of a major military campaign initiated in Joshua 10:1. Following the Gibeonites' cunning treaty with Israel, five Amorite kings formed a coalition to attack Gibeon. Joshua, honoring the covenant, came to Gibeon's aid, leading to a miraculous victory where the Lord fought for Israel, even causing the sun and moon to stand still (Joshua 10:13). After defeating these kings, Joshua systematically conquered their cities and surrounding territories. Verse 41 serves as a sweeping summary of the immense success of this southern campaign, showing how far Israel's dominion extended.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Fulfillment of Promise: The comprehensive victory described here is a powerful demonstration of God keeping His covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) and Moses (Deuteronomy 11:24) to give Israel the land of Canaan. The conquest was not merely human effort but a divine undertaking.
  • God's Active Presence in Battle: The phrase "Joshua smote them" is understood in light of Joshua 10:42, which explicitly states, "for the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel." This emphasizes that the victories were ultimately God's work, with Joshua as His chosen instrument.
  • Thoroughness of Conquest: The specific geographical markers—Kadeshbarnea, Gaza, Goshen, and Gibeon—illustrate the vast reach and completeness of the southern campaign, leaving no major pockets of resistance in the specified regions.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew verb translated "smote" is nakah (נָכָה), which broadly means to strike, defeat, or slay. In the context of warfare, it signifies a decisive and thorough victory, often involving great destruction or death. It underscores the complete subjugation of the enemy forces and their cities.

Geographical Significance

The locations mentioned outline the impressive breadth of Joshua's conquests:

  • Kadeshbarnea: Located in the southern Negev, this was a significant landmark from Israel's wilderness wanderings (Numbers 13:26), marking the extreme southern extent of the campaign.
  • Gaza: A major Philistine city on the Mediterranean coast, signifying the western boundary of the conquered territory.
  • Country of Goshen: This refers to a region in Judah, distinct from the Goshen in Egypt, likely in the southern part of Judah. It is later mentioned as part of Judah's inheritance (Joshua 15:51), indicating an eastern or central southern extent.
  • Gibeon: A prominent Hivite city in the central highlands, north of Jerusalem, whose inhabitants had previously tricked Israel into a covenant (Joshua 9:3-15). Its inclusion here marks the northernmost point of this specific southern campaign's influence, highlighting the area from which the conflict originated.

Practical Application

Joshua 10:41 reminds believers today that God is faithful to His promises. Just as He empowered Joshua to overcome formidable foes and inherit the land, so too does He equip and enable His people to face challenges and fulfill His purposes. It encourages us to trust in God's power and presence, knowing that when we walk in obedience, He fights our battles and brings about His intended outcomes. The thoroughness of Joshua's conquest also speaks to the need for believers to fully commit to God's will, leaving no area of their lives unconquered by His transforming power.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Joshua 11:16

    So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;

  • Joshua 15:51

    And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:

  • Genesis 10:19

    And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

  • Deuteronomy 9:23

    Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice.

  • Joshua 10:2

    That they feared greatly, because Gibeon [was] a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it [was] greater than Ai, and all the men thereof [were] mighty.

  • Numbers 34:4

    And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon:

  • Joshua 14:6

    ¶ Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
← Back