Taking Eglon - Joshua 10:35

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it”, and in chapter ten and verse thirty-five of the book of Joshua, we learn how, “they took it on that day” where we read, 

And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

The verse reads, “And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and they took it” which means “and they, Joshua and the army of Israel, captured and seized it, Eglon” “on that day” or “on that particular sunrise to sunset”, “and smote it” which means “and beat, hit, killed, slayed and destroyed it, Eglon” “with the edge of the sword” or “by the use of the use of the extremity or end belonging to the sharpened knife or cutting instrument”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua and the people of Israel” conquered “Eglon” on that particular “day” and slayed and destroyed it by the used of the sharpened weapon.

 

The verse goes on to say, “… and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “and all the souls”  which means “and each, the whole and every one of the living beings” “that were therein” or “who existed and lived within the city of Eglon” “he utterly destroyed that day” which means “he, Joshua, completely that particular sunrise to sunset” “according to all that he had done” or “in keeping with each, every and the whole acts and deeds that he, Joshua, fashioned, accomplished and performed” “to Lachish” which means “toward Lachish whose name means ‘invincible’ and was a city lying south of Jerusalem on the borders of Simeon and which belonged to the Amorites until conquered by Joshua and allotted to Judah”. Joshua or the writer shared how every one of the living beings within “Eglon” were completely annihilated and exterminated by “Joshua” and the people of “Israel” in the same manner as they did to “Lachish”. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how “Joshua” and the people of “Israel” continued to defeat the foes who were in the promise land. “Eglon” was the next city to be destroyed, and even as “Joshua and the people of Israel” defeated “Lachish”, so did they to the people of “Eglon”. Jehovah God was giving the promise land to the people of “Israel” city by city and territory by territory. His desire is to make provisions for every person who will yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, and when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to help us conquer areas of sin within our souls that affect our lives and our witness of Him. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8)

Next time we learn how, “Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".