Joshua 10:3

10:1-6 When sinners leave the service of Satan and the friendship of the world, that they make peace with God and join Israel, they must not marvel if the world hate them, if their former friends become foes. By such methods Satan discourages many who are convinced of their danger, and almost persuaded to be Christians, but fear the cross. These things should quicken us to apply to God for protection, help, and deliverance.

3 . king of Hebron ] Situated amongst the mountains, 20 Roman miles, about 7 hours, south of Jerusalem; one of the most ancient cities in the world, rivalling even Damascus, being a well-known town even when Abraham first entered Canaan ( Genesis 13:18 ). Its original name was Kirjath-Arba ( Jdg 1:10 ), “the city of Arba,” the father of Anak, and progenitor of the giant Anakims ( Joshua 21:11 ; Joshua 15:13-14 ). Hoham denotes “Jehovah of the multitude.” Piram king of Jarmuth ] the present Yarmûk , about 1½ miles from Beit-Netif , on the left of the road to Jerusalem. Near it is an eminence called Tell-Ermûd . It was visited by Robinson. Japhia king of Lachish ] Lachish has been identified with (1) Um-Lâkis , (2) Zukkarijeh , 2½ hours south-west of Beit-Jibîrn . It was afterwards fortified by Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 11:9 ). Here Amaziah died ( 2 Kings 14:19 ). It was besieged by Sennacherib, who moved thence to Libnah ( Isaiah 36:2 ; Isaiah 37:8 ). Debir king of Eglon ] Lachish and Eglon are mentioned in several other passages ( Joshua 12:11-12 ; Joshua 15:39 ), in such a way as shews they were not far apart. Eglon has been identified with ’Ajlan . 3. When Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem, he fought against all “the cities of Judah that were left , against Lachish , and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah ,” i.e. they had strength to stand out, when the others had fallen ( Jeremiah 34:7 ).

Wherefore {a} Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, (a) That is, Lord of justice, so tyrants take for themselves glorious names, when indeed they are the very enemies of God and all justice.

3, 4. Wherefore Adoni-zedek … sent, … saying, Come up unto me, and help me—A combined attack was meditated on Gibeon, with a view not only to punish its people for their desertion of the native cause, but by its overthrow to interpose a barrier to the farther inroads of the Israelites. This confederacy among the mountaineers of Southern Palestine was formed and headed by the king of Jerusalem, because his territory was most exposed to danger, Gibeon being only six miles distant, and because he evidently possessed some degree of pre-eminence over his royal neighbors.

For Hebron, see Genesis 13:18 . Jarmuth, afterward one of the cities of Judah Joshua 15:35 , is probably identified with the modern Yarmuk. Lachish was also a city of Judah Joshua 15:39 , and, like Jarmuth, occupied by Jews after the captivity, Nehemiah 11:39 . It was fortified by Rehoboam after the revolt of the Ten tribes 2 Chronicles 11:9 , and seems to have been regarded as one of the safest places of refuge 2 Kings 14:19 . Through Lachish the idolatry of Israel was imported into Judah Micah 1:13 , and of this sin the capture of the city by Sennacherib was the punishment 2 Kings 18:14-17 ; 2 Kings 19:8 . Lachish is by most authorities identified with Um Lakis, lying some twenty miles west of Eleutheropolis, on the road to Gaza (and by Conder with El Hesy). Eglon is the modern Ajlan.

Verse 3. - Hoham king of Hebron. It was a powerful confederacy which the Phoenician tribes in their desperation formed against Joshua. At its head stood the king of Jerusalem, which, from its central situation and its almost impregnable position (see notes on Joshua 15:63), might naturally stand at the head of such a league. Next came Hebron, which, from its importance from an early period ( Genesis 23:2 ; Genesis 35:27 ), and the gigantic stature of its inhabitants ( Numbers 13:33 ; Deuteronomy 1:28 ; Deuteronomy 2:10, 11 ; Deuteronomy 9:2 ), as well as its daughter cities (ver. 37), would prove a formidable addition to the strength of the confederates. Colossal blocks of stone, testifying to the presence there of the primeval races of Palestine, are still to be found in the neighbourhood. Hebron stands in "the hill country of Judaea." Its situation has been much admired, standing as it does nearly 3,000 feet above the level of the Mediterranean, and commanding the most extensive views of the Holy Land. This is one of the most interesting in its reminiscences of all the cities in Palestine. Here Abraham pitched his tent, near the "oak of Mature." Here was the burying place of Abraham and Sarah, which has been kept in memory by an unwavering tradition even to this very day; and, sacred ground though it be to the Mohammedans, was opened to the Prince of Wales and his companions in 1862.

This was the inheritance of Caleb, and here, where the affections of every Israelite would most closely centre, David fixed his capital until compelled to change it by reasons to which we have already referred. Hebron seems to have been successively occupied by various members of the Phoenician confederation. It was first founded, we learn, seven years before Zoan in Egypt ( Numbers 13:22 ). When we first hear of it, it is in the possession of Mature the Amorite ( Genesis 13:18 ; Genesis 14:13 ). In Genesis 28 , it has clearly passed into the possession of the Hittites, and the mention of the children of Heth is too express for us to suppose that the term Hittite is used generally for the inhabitants of the land. At a much later period the Canaanites, or lowlanders, had, strangely enough, obtained possession ( Judges 1:10 ), and here again the accurate acquaintance of the historian with the names of the tribes (see Judges 1:4, 21, 26, 35 ) forbids us to suppose that he is speaking loosely. Piram king of Jarmuth. Jarmuth is mentioned in Joshua 15:35 , and in Nehemiah 11:29 . It has been identified with Yarmuk (see Robinson, II. sec. 11, with whom Vandevelde and Conder agree), where there are the remains of very ancient walls and cisterns. Of its size and importance in the time of Joshua we know nothing. Japhia king of Lachish.