The Meaning of Joshua 10:16 Explained

Joshua 10:16

KJV: But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

YLT: And these five kings flee, and are hidden in a cave at Makkedah,

Darby: And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

ASV: And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But these five  kings  fled,  and hid  themselves in a cave  at Makkedah. 

What does Joshua 10:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 10:15-27 - 40-43, Joshua's Victories Over Israel's Foes
The cave of Makkedah was a perpetual reminder of this wonderful victory which God gave His people. The details as to the placing of the princes' feet on the necks of their foes are related with this precision to indicate the completeness of the conquest. So at the end of this age; see 1 Corinthians 15:25. We may therefore appropriate Joshua's words about the enemies of the Church and ourselves. See Joshua 10:25.
Joshua's career was one of unbroken success, because the Lord went before him, delivering kings and armies, cities and peoples, into his hands. It was a war of utter extermination; but God's justice had waited long, Genesis 15:16, and this was the only way of stamping out the infection. The lesson for us is that no quarter can be given in the inner war. All our thoughts must be brought into captivity, 2 Corinthians 10:5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 10

1  Five kings war against Gibeon
6  Joshua rescues it
10  God fights against them with hailstones
12  The sun and moon stand still at the word of Joshua
16  The five kings are murdered in a cave
22  They are brought forth
24  scornfully used
26  and hanged
28  Seven kings more are conquered
43  Joshua returns to Gilgal

What do the individual words in Joshua 10:16 mean?

But had fled five kings these and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah
וַיָּנֻ֕סוּ חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּחָבְא֥וּ בַמְּעָרָ֖ה בְּמַקֵּדָֽה

וַיָּנֻ֕סוּ  But  had  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת  five 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
הַמְּלָכִ֣ים  kings 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וַיֵּחָבְא֥וּ  and  hidden  themselves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָבָא  
Sense: to withdraw, hide.
בַמְּעָרָ֖ה  in  a  cave 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְעָרָה  
Sense: cave, den, hole.
בְּמַקֵּדָֽה  at  Makkedah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַקֵּדָה  
Sense: the location of a cave in Judah where Joshua captured and executed five Canaanite kings during the conquest; located near Bethhoron and Libnah.