John Calvin Commentary Joshua 10:15

"And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal." — Joshua 10:15 (ASV)

And Joshua returned, etc. This verse is not placed in its proper sequence, for the account of the end of the battle and the punishment inflicted on the kings, which occurred after the battle, is added shortly thereafter. We are then told of the encampment in Makkedah. Finally, at the end of the chapter, the return to Gilgal—which was introduced at the beginning without regard to chronological order—is repeated.

Thus, the narrative of the flight and concealment of the kings is connected with the previous events.

For, having been informed during the heat of the battle that the kings were hiding in a cave, Joshua feared that if he were to begin capturing them, the others might escape. He therefore prudently contented himself with ordering the entrance of the cave to be blocked with large stones and setting sentinels over them. In this way, being shut up as if in prison, they could at a suitable time be brought out and put to death.

From this, it also appears that the enemy's army was very large. For although the Israelites pursued them closely in their flight, and the sun himself provided additional time to slay them, it was nevertheless impossible to prevent many of them from escaping into fortified cities.

The divine assistance given to the Israelites was, however, clearly demonstrated by the fact that they continued slaying at will everyone they encountered until they were exhausted, and then returned safely. For the expression, that no one dared to move the tongue, implies that the Israelites gained a bloodless victory, as if they had gone out not to fight, but merely to slay.