And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

JOSHUA 10:26KJV
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Joshua 10:26 (KJV)

What does Joshua 10:26 mean?

Joshua 10:26 describes how Joshua executed five enemy kings by striking them down, killing them, and then hanging their bodies on five trees until evening. This act was a public display of victory and judgment during Israel’s conquest of Canaan.

In this verse, Joshua is leading the Israelites after a major battle against a coalition of Canaanite kings. The five kings had been captured and brought before Joshua. By hanging their bodies on trees, Joshua was following ancient customs to show the defeat of Israel’s enemies and to discourage further resistance. The verse highlights the seriousness of the conflict and the finality of the judgment carried out.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 10:26

  • "Hanged" (תָּלָה, talah): This word means to hang or suspend, often used for displaying executed bodies. In this context, it emphasizes the public nature of the judgment.
  • "Trees" (עֵץ, etz): The word refers to a tree or wooden structure. Here, it likely means actual trees used as gallows or display posts, making the punishment visible to all.
  • "Evening" (עֶרֶב, erev): This word means evening or sunset. The bodies were only left hanging until evening, which aligns with later Israelite law that bodies should not remain overnight, showing respect even in judgment.

Why Joshua 10:26 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the hanging was not the method of execution but a public display after the kings were already dead, which can correct common misunderstandings.
  • The detail about removing the bodies by evening connects to Deuteronomy 21:22–23, showing Joshua’s obedience to God’s law even in warfare.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness of Israel’s campaign and the total defeat of their enemies, setting the stage for the continued conquest in the following verses.

Where else these words appear

“hanged” Hebrew H8518 · used in 27 verses

  • Genesis 40:19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
  • 2 Samuel 21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
  • Esther 9:25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

“evening” Hebrew H6153 · used in 130 verses

  • Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
  • Leviticus 15:18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
  • 1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.