Joshua 10:1-5

Joshua 10:1-5

[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; [2] That they feared  greatly,  because Gibeon  was a great  city,  as one  of the royal  cities,  and because it was greater  than Ai,  thereof were mighty.  [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,  [4] Come up  unto me, and help  me, that we may smite  Gibeon:  for it hath made peace  with Joshua  and with the children  of Israel.  [5] Therefore the five  kings  of the Amorites,  the king  of Jerusalem,  the king  of Hebron,  the king  of Jarmuth,  the king  of Lachish,  the king  of Eglon,  gathered themselves together,  and went up,  they and all their hosts,  and encamped  before Gibeon,  and made war 

What does Joshua 10:1-5 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Israel"s continuing success led her enemies to exert increasing opposition against the people of God. This chapter records the Canaanites" first aggressive action against the Israelites.
The Jebusites lived in and around Jebus, ancient Salem ( Genesis 14:18). The writer called this town Jerusalem here for the first time in Scripture. "Jerusalem" means "the founding (or possession) of peace." Adonizedek (lit. lord of righteousness) and Melchizedek (king of righteousness, Genesis 14:18) were titles of the Jebusite kings, as Pharaoh was a title of the Egyptian kings. Jerusalem lay closer to Gibeon than any of the other towns that allied with Jerusalem against Gibeon. Probably for this reason Adonizedek took the initiative in this alliance.
"The Amarna letters indicate that Jerusalem was the center of political activity in the fourteenth century B.C. and was always conscious of its own security." [1]