After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.
- KJV Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
- NKJV Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.
- NASB So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.
- NLT Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise.
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
Joshua attacks suddenly after an all-night march from Gilgal. His swift, surprise approach catches the enemy unprepared.
Overview
Covering the steep distance from Gilgal through the night, Joshua reaches the coalition by surprise at dawn. His diligent obedience and strategic boldness become the human means through which God's promised victory unfolds. Faith in God's assurance did not make Joshua passive; rather, it energized urgent, costly effort to obey.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 24:11–12Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
- 2 Tim 2:3Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
- Eccl 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- Prov 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
- 1 Sam 11:9–11So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
- 2 Tim 4:2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 10:9 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.