10:18a

So Joshua said: The clause So Joshua said is a result clause. Joshua gave a command as a result of what the soldiers told him. For example:

Therefore

Use an appropriate means to indicate result in your language.

Joshua said: It may be more natural in some languages to translate the word said as “commanded” or “answered.” It may also be more natural to include the addressee in the clause. For example:

So Joshua commanded them

Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave: Joshua told his soldiers to Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave so that the entrance to the cave was closed. The five kings could not leave the cave until the Israelites finished fighting the battle. It may be more natural in some languages to make this information explicit. For example:

Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks (New Living Translation (2004))

10:18b

and post men there to guard them: The clause post men there to guard them indicates that Joshua had some soldiers guard the entrance to the cave, so that the five kings would not push away the rocks and get out. The pronoun them refers to the five kings.

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