During the battle the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah.
Parallel translations
- WEB These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
- KJV But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
- BSB Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
- NKJV But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
- NASB Now these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The five defeated kings flee and hide in a cave at Makkedah. Their attempt to escape only delays their judgment.
Overview
The leaders of the coalition seek refuge in a cave, but no hiding place shields them from the judgment they provoked. Their flight underscores the futility of resisting the God who has determined to give Canaan to Israel. The scene anticipates the day when no one can hide from the King to whom every knee will bow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Sam 13:6When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits.
- Mic 7:17They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
- Judg 6:2The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
- Ps 139:7–10Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
- Isa 2:10–12Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty.
- Isa 24:21–22It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
- Amos 9:2Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, there I will bring them down.
- Isa 2:19–22Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
- Rev 6:15The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
- Ps 48:4–6For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.
- 1 Sam 24:8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
- 1 Sam 24:3He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave.
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 10:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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