Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal,.... Which lay low in the plains of Jericho:

he and all the men of war with him; which must not be understood of the whole camp of Israel, which consisted of five hundred thousand fighting men at least; since such a number was unnecessary for this expedition, and could not have proceeded with that haste the case required; nor would it have been prudent and advisable to have left the unarmed people, old men, women, and children, defenceless; but these were a select company of able men, fit for travel as well as war:

and all the mighty men of valour; or "even all", as many as were picked out for the purpose, being men of strength, activity, and courage.

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

It is sweet to behold the readiness of Jesus to fly to the relief of his distressed people. Whoso toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye. My soul! take confidence, Jesus will hasten to thy succour: so saith his promise: and so proves my experience. Psalms 1:6.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

Joshua ascended — Having no doubt asked advice of God first, which is implied by the answer God gives him, verse8.

All the mighty men — That is, an army of the most valiant men picked out from the rest; for it is not probable, either that he would take so many hundred thousands with him, which would have hindered one another, or that he would leave the camp without an army to defend it.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

Ver. 7. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal.] Having first consulted with God, and received encouragement from him, as Joshua 10:8.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Having, no doubt, asked advice of God first, which is implied by the answer God gives to him, Joshua 10:8.

And all the mighty men, or, even, or that is, as this particle is oft used, as hath been noted before. So it seems put here by way of explication and restriction; having said

all the people of war, he now adds, even all the mighty men, &c., i.e. an army of the most valiant men picked out from the rest; for it is not probable, either that he would take so many hundred thousands with him, which would have hindered one another, or that he would leave the camp without an army to defend it.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.’

Joshua’s response was immediate. He gathered the Israelite forces together, ascended into the hill country, and made for Gibeon. He would leave enough men of war to guard the camp, especially possibly some of the older men who would find the climb and rapid movement more difficult, but he took his main striking force.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

JOSHUA’S NIGHT-MARCH TO GIBEON, Joshua 10:7-9.

7.Ascended — This expression (repeated in Joshua 10:9) most obviously has reference to the ascent from the Jordan valley to the interior of Palestine. See notes on Joshua 8:10; Joshua 9:6. All the people of war is an expression limited by its appositive in the next clause, all the mighty men of valour, which is the Hebrew way of saying, all the bravest men of the army.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 8:12,14