And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
After that, Joshua struck down the five kings and killed them, then hung their bodies on five trees. They remained hanging on the trees until evening.
Joshua executed the five enemy kings who had attacked Israel and displayed their bodies as a warning until sunset.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Joshua, this verse occurs during the Israelite conquest of Canaan, where Joshua led the army against a coalition of five Amorite kings who had allied to attack the Gibeonites, Israel's allies. After a miraculous victory granted by God, including the sun standing still, Joshua executed the kings and hung their bodies on trees as a public display of judgment and deterrence. This practice was common in ancient Near Eastern warfare to shame defeated enemies and assert the victor's authority.
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