King James Version

What Does Joshua 10:19 Mean?

Joshua 10:19 in the King James Version says “And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their citi...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. smite: Heb. cut off the tail”

Joshua 10:19 · KJV

Salvation

Context

17

And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.

18

And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:

19

And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. smite: Heb. cut off the tail

20

And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.

21

And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.

The emphatic negative "stay ye not" (אַל־תַּעֲמֹדוּ, al-ta'amodu) commands immediate action without pause. Joshua refused to let his troops rest after securing the kings, recognizing that momentum in battle must be exploited. The verb "pursue" (רִדְפוּ, ridfu) indicates aggressive chase rather than passive waiting. Military history confirms that most casualties occur during pursuit when defeated armies flee in disorder—exactly what Israel experienced (v. 10).

The command to "smite the hindmost of them" (זַנְּבוּ אֹתָם, zannevu otam, literally "tail them" or "strike their rear") targets the stragglers and rearguard. Ancient armies fleeing in panic stretched out over miles, with slower troops falling behind. These isolated groups were vulnerable to attack and couldn't support one another. The tactical objective was preventing reorganization: "suffer them not to enter into their cities" would eliminate fortified refuges where defeated forces could regroup.

The theological foundation comes in the final clause: "for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand" (כִּי־נְתָנָם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּיֶדְכֶם, ki-netanam YHWH Eloheichem beyedchem). The verb נָתַן (natan, "delivered/given") uses the perfect tense, indicating completed action—divine victory was already accomplished, requiring human appropriation through pursuit. Faith isn't passive; it vigorously seizes what God has promised.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient military doctrine emphasized pursuit as the decisive phase of battle. Alexander the Great's victories often came through relentless pursuit that prevented enemy forces from regrouping. Roman military manuals stressed converting tactical victory (winning the battle) into strategic victory (destroying the enemy's ability to continue war) through aggressive pursuit. Joshua understood these principles, as did later biblical commanders (Judges 8:4; 1 Samuel 14:31; 2 Samuel 18:16).

The emphasis on preventing enemies from reaching their cities reflected the realities of siege warfare. Fortified Canaanite cities with walls 20-30 feet high and 10-15 feet thick could withstand months of siege, requiring enormous resources to capture. The Beth Shean stele and archaeological evidence from sites like Lachish demonstrate the strength of Late Bronze Age fortifications. Catching enemy forces in the open field, where Israel's numerical superiority and divine assistance proved decisive, was far preferable to costly sieges.

The tactical situation required split-second decision-making. Joshua had to balance securing the five kings, pursuing the routed armies, and maintaining his own force's cohesion. His decision to seal the cave with minimal guards while deploying maximum force in pursuit showed brilliant battlefield judgment. This single day's pursuit (continued through verse 20) broke the back of southern Canaanite resistance.

Reflection Questions

  1. What spiritual battles has God given you victory in that you're failing to consolidate by not 'pursuing to the end'—allowing old sins or patterns to regroup rather than pressing for complete transformation?
  2. How does the command to 'stay ye not' challenge the tendency toward spiritual complacency after initial victories?
  3. What does Joshua's balance between divine promise ('the LORD hath delivered them') and human effort ('pursue... smite... suffer them not') teach about cooperation between grace and works?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
וְאַתֶּם֙1 of 18
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

אַֽל2 of 18
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תַּעֲמֹ֔דוּ3 of 18

“And stay”

H5975

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

רִדְפוּ֙4 of 18

“ye not but pursue”

H7291

to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively [of time] gone by)

אַֽחֲרֵ֣י5 of 18

“after”

H310

properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֔ם6 of 18

“your enemies”

H341

hating; an adversary

וְזִנַּבְתֶּ֖ם7 of 18

“and smite the hindmost”

H2179

to curtail, i.e., cut off the rear

אוֹתָ֑ם8 of 18
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אַֽל9 of 18
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

נְתָנָ֛ם10 of 18

“hath delivered”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָבוֹא֙11 of 18

“them not to enter”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶל12 of 18
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם13 of 18

“into their cities”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

כִּ֧י14 of 18
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

נְתָנָ֛ם15 of 18

“hath delivered”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

יְהוָ֥ה16 of 18

“for the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם17 of 18

“your God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃18 of 18

“them into your hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 10:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 10:19 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 18:37-41Jeremiah 8:14Jeremiah 48:10Joshua 10:202 Samuel 17:132 Samuel 20:6

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