The Meaning of Joshua 10:2 Explained

Joshua 10:2

KJV: That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

YLT: that they are greatly afraid, because Gibeon is a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it is greater than Ai, and all its men -- heroes.

Darby: that they feared greatly; for Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

ASV: that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That they feared  greatly,  because Gibeon  [was] a great  city,  as one  of the royal  cities,  and because it [was] greater  than Ai,  and all the men  thereof [were] mighty. 

What does Joshua 10:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 10:1-14 - "the Lord Fought For Israel"
The honor of Israel was implicated in this attack on their confederates, and Joshua went to their assistance. The deception which had been practiced on him did not alienate his help. Before he started he was assured of victory, but this did not make him slothful. See Joshua 10:7. But it was by his faith, courage and obedience that this and other victories were won. What may not one man do when God is with him! Paganini once broke all his strings but one; then, holding up his violin, he said, "One string and Paganini."
A terrific storm burst on the fugitives as they crossed the high ridge of Beth-horon and descended in full flight to the plain. We are not called upon to explain the miracle of the sun and moon. The prolongation of daylight was probably due to some cause like that which yields the after-glow of sunset and the optical refractions seen in high latitudes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 10

1  Five kings war against Gibeon
6  Joshua rescues it
10  God fights against them with hailstones
12  The sun and moon stand still at the word of Joshua
16  The five kings are murdered in a cave
22  They are brought forth
24  scornfully used
26  and hanged
28  Seven kings more are conquered
43  Joshua returns to Gilgal

What do the individual words in Joshua 10:2 mean?

That they feared greatly because a city great Gibeon [was] like one of cities the royal and because it [was] greater than Ai and all its men [were] mighty
וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ מְאֹ֔ד כִּ֣י עִ֤יר גְּדוֹלָה֙ גִּבְע֔וֹן כְּאַחַ֖ת עָרֵ֣י הַמַּמְלָכָ֑ה וְכִ֨י הִ֤יא גְדוֹלָה֙ מִן־ הָעַ֔י וְכָל־ אֲנָשֶׁ֖יהָ גִּבֹּרִֽים

וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ  That  they  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מְאֹ֔ד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עִ֤יר  a  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
גְּדוֹלָה֙  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
גִּבְע֔וֹן  Gibeon  [was] 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעֹן  
Sense: a Levitical city of Benjamin, modern ‘el-Jib’, which lies 5 miles or 8 km from Jerusalem.
כְּאַחַ֖ת  like  one 
Parse: Preposition-k, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
עָרֵ֣י  of  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַמַּמְלָכָ֑ה  the  royal 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
וְכִ֨י  and  because 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הִ֤יא  it  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
גְדוֹלָה֙  greater 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מִן־  than 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הָעַ֔י  Ai 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַי 
Sense: a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the 2nd city taken on the invasion of Canaan.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲנָשֶׁ֖יהָ  its  men  [were] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
גִּבֹּרִֽים  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.