Joshua 10:9
in Joshua 10After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal all the night.
KJV
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
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This verse in Joshua 10
Commentary
3 notes on this verseJoshua therefore came unto them suddenly,.... Which no doubt threw them into consternation and confusion: and went up from Gilgal all night; he chose the night for secrecy and surprise, and that he might be the sooner with the enemy, and to the assistance and relief of Gibeon; and as it was about nine or ten miles from Gilgal to Gibeon, it was easily performed in a night's march; See Gill on Jos 9:6.
This site's exposition
delivered them into thine hand
on Joshua 10:8-9
Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thine hand, is close to the word Moses received about Og at Deuteronomy 3:2, and Joshua had the same before Ai at 8:1. The promise comes before the march, so the night climb of verse 9 carries out a settled outcome. Gilgal lies near the Jordan and Gibeon stands in the hills, so the army covers roughly twenty miles uphill in the dark and arrives suddenly, which is the word the verse uses.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Joshua - came unto them suddenly - This he did by a forced march during the night, for he went up from Gilgal all night; from Gilgal to Gibeon was about eighteen or twenty miles; and, having fallen so unexpectedly on these confederate kings, they were immediately thrown into confusion.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹ֧א | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| פִּתְאֹ֑ם | pitom | suddenly | H6597 → | |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַלַּ֕יְלָה | halaylah | the night | H3915 → | 233 times |
| עָלָ֖ה | ʾalah | he had gone up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃ | hagilgal | <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | 41 times |
וַיָּבֹ֧אand he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
אֲלֵיהֶ֛םto them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
פִּתְאֹ֑םsuddenly
pitomH6597 →
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַלַּ֕יְלָהthe night
halaylahH3915 →233 times
עָלָ֖הhe had gone up
ʾalahH5927 →890 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃<the> Gilgal
hagilgalH1537 →41 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ecclesiastes 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.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
- Ephesians 5:16
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
- Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- Psalms 6:5
For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
- Ecclesiastes 11:6
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
- Colossians 3:23
Through
2 Timothy 2:3Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:2–3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand…
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Hebrews 12:2–3
Through
Proverbs 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.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:28
Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.
- 1 Kings 11:28
About Joshua

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonConquestJoshuaMoses' minister and successor, one of the two faithful spies; he led Israel across Jordan, around Jericho, and through the conques…
- PlaceJordan valley near JerichoGilgalIsrael's first Canaan camp where the stones were set and the reproach rolled away (Josh 4-5); later a corrupted shrine the prophet…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth.
