And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.

JOSHUA 10:37KJV
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Joshua 10:37 (KJV)

What does Joshua 10:37 mean?

Joshua 10:37 describes how Joshua and the Israelites captured the city of Hebron, killed its king and all its inhabitants, and destroyed all the surrounding towns, leaving no survivors, just as they had done to the city of Eglon earlier. The verse emphasizes the complete destruction carried out during this conquest.

In context, Joshua is leading the Israelites in a military campaign through southern Canaan. This verse is part of a summary showing the thoroughness of their actions as they take city after city. The language highlights that Joshua followed the same pattern of total destruction ("utterly destroyed") as with previous cities, underlining the seriousness and finality of these battles.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 10:37

  • "Smote" (נָכָה, nākhāh): This word means to strike or hit, often with deadly force. In this context, it underscores the violence and decisiveness of the attack on Hebron and its people.
  • "Edge" (פֶּה, peh): Literally meaning "mouth," this word is used in Hebrew to refer to the "edge" or "mouth" of the sword, painting a vivid picture of the sword as if it were devouring.
  • "Souls" (נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh): This word refers to people or living beings. Here, it stresses that every person in the city was included in the destruction, not just the leaders or soldiers.
  • "Destroyed" (חָרַם, khāram): This term means to devote to destruction or to set apart for complete destruction, often for religious reasons. Its use here signals that the destruction was total and carried out as an act of dedication or judgment.

Why Joshua 10:37 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the destruction was not limited to the main city but included all its surrounding towns and inhabitants, showing the scale of the conquest.
  • By repeating the actions done to Eglon, the verse connects this event to a broader pattern in Joshua’s campaign, emphasizing consistency in following commands.
  • The use of strong words for destruction and completeness helps readers understand the seriousness of these events and the mindset of the Israelites as they entered the land.

Where else these words appear

“Eglon” Hebrew H5700 · used in 12 verses

  • Joshua 10:3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
  • Joshua 10:34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
  • Judges 3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

“remaining” Hebrew H8300 · used in 28 verses

  • Numbers 21:35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
  • Joshua 10:39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
  • Isaiah 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

“destroyed” Hebrew H2763 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
  • Joshua 10:1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
  • 1 Samuel 15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

“took” Hebrew H3920 · used in 112 verses

  • Numbers 21:32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
  • Judges 9:50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
  • Proverbs 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.