OET interlinear JOS 10:10

10:10a

And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel: The clause threw them into confusion indicates that Yahweh caused the Amorite armies to be confused and afraid, so that they could not fight the Israelites.

10:10b

who defeated them in a great slaughter: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as defeated them in a great slaughter is more literally “hit them with a great hit.” This Hebrew idiom means that the Israelite army killed many Amorite soldiers.

There is an interpretation issue in this clause. The verb defeated (or “hit”) is marked as masculine singular and there is no nominal subject. English versions interpret the subject of the verb in three ways:

1. The subject of the verb is the Israelite army. For example:

   and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon (NLT) (BSB, NIV, RSV, ESV, NET, NLT, NAB, GNT, NCV, CEV)

2. The subject of the verb is Joshua. For example:

   Joshua utterly defeated them at Gibeon (REB) (REB, NEB, NJPS)

3. The subject of the verb is Yahweh. For example:

   and He struck them down with a great defeat at Gibeon (NASB) (NASB, NJB, GW, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Verses 8 and 11 make it clear that the Israelites defeated the Amorites only with Yahweh’s help, but verse 11 also makes it clear that the Israelites had a part in the defeat.

at Gibeon: The phrase at Gibeon refers to the town of Gibeon, where the battle took place.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

(Israel) defeated them with a great victory at Gibeon (NIV)

Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon (NET)

10:10c

pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon: The phrase along the ascent to Beth-horon indicates that the Israelite army pursued the Amorite armies uphill to Beth-horon.

Beth-horon: There were two towns named Beth-horon. Upper Beth-horon was 66 meters higher in altitude than Gibeon. Lower Beth-horon is referred to in verse 11. The road from Gibeon goes first uphill to Upper Beth-horon, and then down to Lower Beth-horon.10:10 Woudstra, p. 172, footnote 19. Upper Beth-horon was the highest town in that area. It dominated an important mountain pass that led to the lower hills and the plain to the west.10:10 Hess, p. 195.

The English versions spell the name Beth-horon in various ways:

Beth-horon (BSB, RSV, ESV, NLT, NABRE, NJPS, NASB, KJV)

Beth Horon (NET, NIV, GNT, GW)

Beth-Horon (CEV)

10:10d

and struck them down: The Hebrew idiom that the BSB translates as struck them down is more literally “hit them.” This idiom indicates that the Israelite army killed many of the Amorite fighters.

as far as Azekah and Makkedah: The phrase as far as Azekah and Makkedah indicates that the Israelite army continued to pursue the Amorite armies all the way to the towns of Azekah and Makkedah. Azekah was about 30 kilometers south of Beth-horon and is considerably lower downhill. Makkedah was in the southern part of Canaan, about 14 kilometers west of Hebron.10:10 Rasmussen, p. 244.