King James Version

What Does Joshua 10:22 Mean?

Joshua 10:22 in the King James Version says “Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.”

Joshua 10:22 · KJV

Context

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.

22

Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

23

And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

24

And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.

Read Joshua 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

The timing indicator "then" (אָז, az) connects this command to the previous verse's peaceful assembly. With the battlefield secured and forces regrouped, Joshua turned to the imprisoned kings. The deliberate pace—fighting the battle, pursuing enemies, reassembling forces, then dealing with the kings—demonstrates strategic discipline. Joshua didn't allow thirst for vengeance to distract from tactical priorities; he secured military victory before executing judicial sentence.

The command "open the mouth of the cave" (פִּתְחוּ אֶת־פִּי הַמְּעָרָה, pitechu et-pi hame'arah) reverses the earlier sealing (v. 18). The anthropomorphic imagery of the cave's "mouth" (פֶּה, peh) suggests a throat that had swallowed the kings, now commanded to disgorge them for judgment. The cave that seemed a refuge became a holding cell, demonstrating that no hiding place exists from God's justice (Psalm 139:7-12; Amos 9:2-3; Hebrews 4:13).

The phrase "bring out those five kings unto me" emphasizes Joshua's judicial authority as God's appointed leader. The Hebrew לִפְנֵי (lifnei, "before me") indicates not mere physical presence but appearance before authority for judgment. This foreshadows the final judgment when all who have hidden from God will be brought forth to stand before Christ's throne (Revelation 20:11-15). There is no escape; every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10-11).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The execution of captured kings followed ancient Near Eastern warfare patterns but with distinctively Israelite theological dimensions. In typical ancient warfare, kings might be paraded in triumph, enslaved, executed, or incorporated into vassal relationships depending on political calculations. Egyptian reliefs show Pharaohs smiting captive foreign rulers; Assyrian annals describe torturing and executing rebellious kings as public examples.

Israel's treatment of these five kings, however, stemmed from herem warfare theology rather than political pragmatism. Deuteronomy 7:1-5 and 20:16-18 commanded total destruction of Canaanite populations to prevent religious syncretism. This wasn't ethnic genocide but covenantal judgment—any Canaanite who aligned with Israel (Rahab, Gibeonites) received protection. The command targeted religious-cultural systems, not races. Modern readers struggle with such accounts, but they must be understood within the framework of: (1) unique, non-repeatable, divinely commanded holy war; (2) temporal judgment prefiguring eternal judgment; (3) surgical removal of cancer threatening Israel's covenant faithfulness.

The public nature of the coming execution (v. 24) served pedagogical purposes—teaching Israel that God judges covenant-breaking kings and demonstrating to surrounding nations the futility of resisting Israel's God. Archaeological evidence shows conquest-era destruction layers at many sites in this region, though interpretation remains contested.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Joshua's patient, strategic approach—securing victory before executing judgment—model the balance between zeal for justice and wisdom in pursuing it?
  2. What does the image of kings dragged from their cave hiding place teach about the impossibility of escaping God's final judgment?
  3. How should Christians understand Old Testament accounts of divinely commanded warfare in light of Christ's command to love enemies, recognizing both continuity (God's justice) and discontinuity (the Church's mission versus ancient Israel's role)?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר1 of 14

“Then said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ2 of 14

“Joshua”

H3091

jehoshua (i.e., joshua), the jewish leader

פִּתְח֖וּ3 of 14

“Open”

H6605

to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

אֶת4 of 14
H853

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

פִּ֣י5 of 14

“the mouth”

H6310

the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos

הַמְּעָרָֽה׃6 of 14

“of the cave”

H4631

a cavern (as dark)

וְהוֹצִ֣יאוּ7 of 14

“and bring out”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

אֵלַ֗י8 of 14
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אֶת9 of 14
H853

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

חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת10 of 14

“those five”

H2568

five

הַמְּלָכִ֥ים11 of 14

“kings”

H4428

a king

הָאֵ֖לֶּה12 of 14
H428

these or those

מִן13 of 14
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

הַמְּעָרָֽה׃14 of 14

“of the cave”

H4631

a cavern (as dark)

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 10:22 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 10:22 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 15:32

Test Your Knowledge

Joshua 10 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterJoshua Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Joshua 10 with CommentaryAll Joshua ChaptersComplete Joshua QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes