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.

JOSHUA 10:39KJV
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Joshua 10:39 (KJV)

What does Joshua 10:39 mean?

Joshua 10:39 describes how Joshua and the Israelites captured the city of Debir, killed its king, and destroyed all the people in it, just as they had done to the cities of Hebron and Libnah. The verse emphasizes that Joshua left no survivors in Debir, following the same pattern of complete conquest as in the previous cities.

In this part of the book of Joshua, the narrator is recounting the military campaign led by Joshua against several Canaanite cities. The verse highlights the thoroughness of the Israelite victories, mentioning by name the cities and their kings, and stressing that none were left alive. This detail shows the seriousness and totality of the conquest as described in the narrative.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 10:39

  • "Destroyed" — הַחֲרֵם (ḥērem, transliterated as "destroyed" or "devoted to destruction"): This word often means to set something apart for complete destruction, not just defeat. It signals that the conquest was seen as total and final, not leaving anything behind.
  • "Souls" — נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, transliterated as "souls"): In Hebrew, this word refers to living beings or persons, not just the immaterial soul. The verse is emphasizing that all the people in the city were killed.
  • "Edge" — פֶּה (peh, transliterated as "edge"): Literally meaning "mouth," this word is used here as "edge of the sword," a common Hebrew phrase for killing by sword. It paints a vivid picture of the violence of the conquest.

Why Joshua 10:39 matters

  • Joshua 10:39 clarifies that the destruction of Debir was just as complete as that of Hebron and Libnah, showing a consistent pattern in Joshua’s campaign.
  • The verse underscores the seriousness of the Israelite conquest, using strong language to show that nothing was left alive, which can help readers understand the intensity of the events described.
  • By naming the cities and kings, the verse connects this event to the broader narrative of Joshua’s victories in the land, showing the systematic nature of the conquest.

Where else these words appear

“Debir” Hebrew H1688 · 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 12:13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
  • Joshua 15:49 And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir,

“Libnah” Hebrew H3841 · used in 17 verses

  • Numbers 33:20 And they departed from Rimmonparez, and pitched in Libnah.
  • Joshua 12:15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

“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 10:37 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.
  • 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.