“And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.”
King James Version (KJV)
10:37 All the cities - Which were subject to its jurisdiction; this being, it seems, a royal city as Gibeon was, ver.#2|, and having cities under it as that had.
10:38 Joshua returned - He is said to return thither, not as if he had been there before, but because having gone as far westward and southward as he thought fit, even as far as Gaza, ver.#41|, he now returned towards Gilgal, which lay north - ward and eastward from him, and in his return fell upon Debir.
10:40 All that breathed - That is, all mankind, they reserved the cattle for their own uses. As God had commanded - This is added for the vindication of the Israelites, whom God would not have to suffer in their reputation for executing his commands; and therefore he acquits them of that cruelty, which they might be thought guilty of, and ascribes it to his own just indignation. And hereby was typified the final destruction of all the impenitent enemies of the Lord Jesus, who having slighted the riches of his grace, must for ever feel the weight of his wrath.
10:41 Kadesh - barnea - Which lay in the south of Canaan, #Numb 34:4 Deut 1:19 Josh 15:3|. Gaza - Which was in the south - west of Canaan. So he here signifies, that Joshua did in this expedition subdue all those parts which lay south and west from Gilgal. Goshen - Not that Goshen in Egypt, but another in Judah.