“And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.”
My Notes
What Does Joshua 10:28 Mean?
This verse begins a rapid-fire account of Joshua's southern campaign. Makkedah was the first city taken after the dramatic battle at Gibeon, where God sent hailstones and the sun stood still. The language is formulaic and militaristic: Joshua took the city, struck it with the sword, utterly destroyed the king and every person in it, and left no survivors. The comparison to Jericho establishes a pattern — the same total destruction applied to the first city in the conquest is now applied here.
The phrase "utterly destroyed" translates the Hebrew cherem — the same word for the devotional ban that got Achan in trouble. Everything in these cities was devoted to destruction as an act of covenant obedience, not military ambition. Joshua wasn't building an empire or collecting spoils. He was executing God's specific command regarding the Canaanite nations.
Makkedah was also where the five Amorite kings had hidden in a cave after their army was routed (Joshua 10:16-17). Joshua had them sealed in the cave during the pursuit, then brought them out afterward for public execution. The conquest of their city completed the judgment that began with their failed alliance against Gibeon.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How do you handle passages of Scripture that are genuinely difficult to reconcile with your understanding of God's character?
- 2.God waited over 400 years before judging the Canaanites. What does that patience tell you about how He approaches judgment in general?
- 3.Is there a difference between trusting God's character and understanding every one of His actions? How do you hold that tension?
- 4.Where in your life are you tempted to judge God's decisions based on incomplete information — about a situation, a loss, or an unanswered prayer?
Devotional
These conquest narratives are among the most difficult passages in the Bible, and it's honest to say so. The total destruction commanded here raises questions that don't have tidy answers, and sitting with that discomfort is more faithful than pretending it isn't there.
What can be said is this: God's judgment on the Canaanite nations wasn't impulsive. Genesis 15:16 records God telling Abraham that his descendants would return to this land only when "the iniquity of the Amorites" was complete — a statement made over 400 years before Joshua ever crossed the Jordan. God waited centuries before executing this judgment. The Canaanite practices included child sacrifice, ritual prostitution, and systemic oppression. This wasn't divine caprice — it was delayed justice finally arriving.
The harder question for you isn't about ancient warfare. It's about whether you trust God's judgment even when you can't fully comprehend it. There will always be parts of God's character and actions that exceed your ability to explain. The question is whether your inability to fully understand becomes your reason to distrust, or whether you hold the tension — acknowledging the difficulty while trusting the character of the God you've come to know in other passages, other moments, other encounters.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And Joshua passed from Makkedah,.... After he had taken it, and destroyed its inhabitants, and its king:
and all…
That day Joshua took Makkedah - It is very possible that Makkedah was taken on the evening of the same day in which the…
We are here informed how Joshua improved the late glorious victory he had obtained and the advantages he had gained by…
The Conquest of Southern Palestine
28. And that day The victory of Beth-horon did not stand alone. It involved other…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture