Norwegian 2018 (Bibelen - Guds Ord Hverdagsbibelen (Hermon Forlag))
De fem kongene som hadde angrepet Gibeon, hadde flyktet og gjemt seg i en hule ved Makkeda. Dette ble fortalt til Josva: «De fem kongene er funnet, og de gjemmer seg i hulen ved Makkeda.» Da sa Josva: «Rull store steiner foran åpningen til hulen, og sett noen menn ved den til å holde vakt over dem. Resten av troppen skal sette etter fiendene og gå til angrep mot baktroppen deres! La dem ikke komme inn i byene sine, for Herren deres Gud vil la dere vinne over dem.»
What Does This Mean?
This verse tells us that five kings ran away and hid in a cave when Joshua and his army were attacking their cities. The kings were trying to escape from being captured. The main message is about hiding and fleeing from danger.
Explained for Children
Imagine you and your friends are playing hide and seek. Suddenly, you see a big scary monster coming, so you all run and hide in a big, dark closet. That's kind of like what these five kings did when they were scared of being caught by Joshua's army.
Historical Background
The book of Joshua was written by Joshua, a military leader and prophet, around 1400-1300 BC. It was written for the Israelites as a historical record of their conquest of Canaan. The cultural setting was one of warfare and settlement in the land promised by God.
Living It Out Today
Today, we might see a similar situation where someone avoids responsibility or confronts their problems by hiding. Instead, facing challenges head-on can often lead to more positive outcomes.
The kings hid in a cave to escape from Joshua and his army who were attacking their cities. They were trying to avoid capture and possibly death.
Who wrote Joshua?
The book of Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua himself, who was the leader of the Israelites after Moses.
What can we learn from Joshua 10:16?
We can learn that avoiding problems often leads to more trouble. Facing difficulties directly is often more productive than hiding from them.
Are there similar stories in the Bible?
Yes, there are similar stories where people try to hide from danger, like when David hid from King Saul (1 Samuel 23:25) or when the kings hid from the rider on a white horse (Revelation 6:15).