Bible Strands
Joshua 10:22
Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua speaks to his troops at Makkedah immediately after the Israelite army returns safely from battle. He issues a direct command to retrieve the five captured kings from their hiding place.
The words — The imperative פִּתְח֖וּ (pit.Chu) literally means "open," directing the soldiers to expose the cave. The verb וְ/הוֹצִ֣יאוּ (ve./ho.Tzi.'u) translates "and bring out," specifying the physical extraction of the rulers.
The thread — The text notes the command in Joshua 10:22 and records its fulfillment in Joshua 10:23. This pattern of retrieving a captured king for accountability appears in 1 Samuel 15:32.
Why it lands — The text states that Joshua orders the cave opened and the kings brought out. It asks the reader to recognize that concealed rebellion must be exposed and confronted with direct, unambiguous action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 15:32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”