Joshua 10:6

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

And the men {H582} of Gibeon {H1391} sent {H7971} unto Joshua {H3091} to the camp {H4264} to Gilgal {H1537}, saying {H559}, Slack {H7503} not thy hand {H3027} from thy servants {H5650}; come up {H5927} to us quickly {H4120}, and save {H3467} us, and help {H5826} us: for all the kings {H4428} of the Amorites {H567} that dwell {H3427} in the mountains {H2022} are gathered together {H6908} against us.

The people of Giv'on sent a message to Y'hoshua at their camp in Gilgal that said, "Don't ignore your servants! Come up to us quickly, and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Emori living in the hills have gotten together to fight us."

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: โ€œDo not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.โ€

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill-country are gathered together against us.

Commentary

Joshua 10:6 records a desperate plea from the Gibeonites to Joshua, highlighting a pivotal moment in Israel's conquest of Canaan. Having made a covenant with Israel through deceit, the Gibeonites now face a formidable alliance of Amorite kings who have gathered to punish them for making peace with Joshua.

Context

This verse immediately follows the account of the Gibeonites' cunning deception, where they tricked Joshua and the leaders of Israel into making a peace treaty. Despite realizing the deception after three days, Israel honored their oath, a testament to the sanctity of covenants in ancient Near Eastern culture and under Mosaic Law. The Amorite kings, led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, viewed the Gibeonites' peace with Israel as a betrayal and a threat to their collective resistance against the Israelites. Thus, they formed an alliance to attack Gibeon. Joshua's camp at Gilgal served as Israel's primary base of operations during the initial stages of the conquest, from which they launched their campaigns.

Key Themes

  • Honoring Covenants: Despite the Gibeonites' trickery, Joshua and Israel felt bound by their oath. This verse shows the immediate consequence of that covenant: a responsibility to protect those with whom they had made a treaty.
  • Desperate Appeal: The Gibeonites' cry, "Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us," conveys extreme urgency and vulnerability. It's a plea for swift divine intervention through Joshua's leadership.
  • United Opposition: The gathering of "all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains" signifies a major coalition against Israel and its new allies. This sets the stage for one of the most significant battles in the book of Joshua.
  • Divine Providence: While not explicit in this verse, the subsequent narrative reveals how God uses this situation to bring about a decisive victory for Israel, fulfilling His promise to give them the land (Joshua 1:5).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Slack not thy hand" is an idiom in Hebrew (ื—ึถืจึถืฃ ื™ึธื“ึฐืšึธ - แธฅerep yadka), meaning "do not withdraw your help," "do not abandon," or "do not hold back." It conveys the urgency of the Gibeonites' request and their fear that Joshua might hesitate or refuse to intervene due to their past deception.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us of the importance of honoring commitments, even when circumstances become difficult or inconvenient. For believers, it highlights the faithfulness of God, who always keeps His promises, even when His people falter. Furthermore, it illustrates the necessity of calling out for help in times of distress, trusting that assistance will come, whether from God directly or through those He appoints. Just as the Gibeonites sought Joshua's protection, we are encouraged to seek divine help and support from our community in moments of crisis, knowing that God often works through His people to deliver others (Philippians 4:6).

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

Cross-References

  • Joshua 9:6

    And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

  • Joshua 5:10

    ยถ And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

  • Deuteronomy 1:15

    So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

  • Isaiah 33:22

    For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king; he will save us.

  • Psalms 125:2

    As the mountains [are] round about Jerusalem, so the LORD [is] round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

  • Luke 1:39

    ยถ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

  • Joshua 9:24

    And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
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