King James Version

What Does Joshua 10:8 Mean?

Joshua 10:8 in the King James Version says “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them s...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.”

Joshua 10:8 · KJV

Fear & CourageSalvation

Context

6

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

7

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

8

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

9

Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

10

And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

Read Joshua 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

God's encouragement to Joshua echoes His earlier reassurances (1:9; 8:1), demonstrating the ongoing need for divine strengthening even as victories multiply. The command "Fear them not" (al-tira mehem, אַל־תִּירָא מֵהֶם) addresses the natural human response to overwhelming odds—five united armies attacking simultaneously. The prophetic perfect tense "I have delivered" (netatiym, נְתַתִּים) again presents future victory as accomplished fact from God's eternal perspective, providing faith's basis for present confidence.

The promise "there shall not a man of them stand before thee" (lo-ya'amod ish mip'aneyka, לֹא־יַעֲמֹד אִישׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ) guarantees complete victory, using terminology identical to the promise in 1:5. The verb amad ("stand") implies not merely physical presence but maintained position or resistance—no enemy would successfully resist Joshua's divinely empowered assault. This promise finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ, before whom every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10) and against whom no weapon formed shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

The theological significance extends beyond military history: God's promises provide the foundation for faith-filled action. Joshua was commanded to make a forced march through the night (verse 9), attacking superior numbers with exhausted troops—humanly foolish, yet divinely wise. Reformed theology emphasizes that true faith acts on God's word despite contrary circumstances, trusting divine promises over empirical probabilities. God's "fear not" transforms human calculation into faith-filled obedience.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The military situation was dire: five kings with combined armies attacked Gibeon, while Joshua's forces were based at Gilgal in the Jordan valley. The distance from Gilgal to Gibeon is approximately 20 miles with 3,300 feet elevation gain, requiring an all-night forced march through difficult terrain. Ancient armies typically avoided night marches due to coordination difficulties and vulnerability to ambush, making Joshua's night approach strategically brilliant—it achieved complete tactical surprise.

The coalition's focus on punishing Gibeon before engaging Israel proper reveals ancient Near Eastern warfare priorities. Cities that betrayed alliances or submitted to enemies faced exemplary punishment to deter similar defections. By attacking Gibeon, the coalition sent a message to other Canaanite cities: resistance to Israel, not accommodation, was the required response. However, this decision forced the coalition into premature engagement with Israel on ground of Joshua's choosing.

The battle would demonstrate the fulfillment of Rahab's confession that God "hath given you the land" and that "all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you" (2:9). The coalition's fear-driven aggression against Gibeon, rather than calculated defensive strategy, indicates psychological dislocation—leaders making tactical errors due to panic rather than maintaining strategic discipline. Fear of the Lord, which is wisdom's beginning (Proverbs 9:10), was absent; natural fear, which clouds judgment, dominated Canaanite decision-making.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's repeated reassurance to Joshua ("fear not") encourage us when facing multiple challenges simultaneously?
  2. What does Joshua's night march based on divine promise teach about acting in faith despite humanly unfavorable circumstances?
  3. In what areas of life do you need to trust God's prophetic perfect tense promises ("I have delivered") rather than present circumstances?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר1 of 15

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֤ה2 of 15

“And the LORD”

H3068

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

אֶל3 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙4 of 15

“unto Joshua”

H3091

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

אַל5 of 15
H408

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

תִּירָ֣א6 of 15

“Fear”

H3372

to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten

מֵהֶ֔ם7 of 15
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

כִּ֥י8 of 15
H3588

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

בְיָֽדְךָ֖9 of 15

“them into thine 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

נְתַתִּ֑ים10 of 15

“them not for I have delivered”

H5414

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

לֹֽא11 of 15
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יַעֲמֹ֥ד12 of 15

“of them stand”

H5975

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

אִ֛ישׁ13 of 15

“there shall not a man”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

מֵהֶ֖ם14 of 15
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

בְּפָנֶֽיךָ׃15 of 15

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

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 10:8 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 10:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Romans 8:31Isaiah 41:10-15Psalms 27:1-2Deuteronomy 3:2Joshua 11:6Judges 4:14-15

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