10:10a
And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel: The clause threw them into confusion indicates that Yahweh caused the Amorite armies to be confused and afraid, so that they could not fight the Israelites.
10:10b
who defeated them in a great slaughter: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as defeated them in a great slaughter is more literally “hit them with a great hit.” This Hebrew idiom means that the Israelite army killed many Amorite soldiers.
There is an interpretation issue in this clause. The verb defeated (or “hit”) is marked as masculine singular and there is no nominal subject. English versions interpret the subject of the verb in three ways:
(1) The subject of the verb is the Israelite army. For example:
and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon (New Living Translation (2004))
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New American Bible, Good News Translation, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version)
(2) The subject of the verb is Joshua. For example:
Joshua utterly defeated them at Gibeon (Revised English Bible)
(Revised English Bible, New English Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
(3) The subject of the verb is Yahweh. For example:
and He struck them down with a great defeat at Gibeon (New American Standard Bible)
(New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Verses 8 and 11 make it clear that the Israelites defeated the Amorites only with Yahweh’s help, but verse 11 also makes it clear that the Israelites had a part in the defeat.
at Gibeon: The phrase at Gibeon refers to the town of Gibeon, where the battle took place.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
(Israel) defeated them with a great victory at Gibeon (New International Version)
-or-
Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon (NET Bible)
10:10c
pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon: The phrase along the ascent to Beth-horon indicates that the Israelite army pursued the Amorite armies uphill to Beth-horon.
Beth-horon: There were two towns named Beth-horon. Upper Beth-horon was 66 meters higher in altitude than Gibeon. Lower Beth-horon is referred to in verse 11. The road from Gibeon goes first uphill to Upper Beth-horon, and then down to Lower Beth-horon. Upper Beth-horon was the highest town in that area. It dominated an important mountain pass that led to the lower hills and the plain to the west.
The English versions spell the name Beth-horon in various ways:
Beth-horon (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), New American Bible, Revised Edition, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)
-or-
Beth Horon (NET Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word)
-or-
Beth-Horon (Contemporary English Version)
10:10d
and struck them down: The Hebrew idiom that the Berean Standard Bible translates as struck them down is more literally “hit them.” This idiom indicates that the Israelite army killed many of the Amorite fighters.
as far as Azekah and Makkedah: The phrase as far as Azekah and Makkedah indicates that the Israelite army continued to pursue the Amorite armies all the way to the towns of Azekah and Makkedah. Azekah was about 30 kilometers south of Beth-horon and is considerably lower downhill. Makkedah was in the southern part of Canaan, about 14 kilometers west of Hebron.
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