Joshua 10

1It happened, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,

2And they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

3So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,

4Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon, because it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.

5So the five kings of the Amorites—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—gathered together and went up, they and all their armies; and they encamped against Gibeon and fought against it.

6Then the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not withdraw your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered against us.”

7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting men with him, and all the mighty men of valor.

8And Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand. Not a man among them will stand before you.”

9So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up from Gilgal all night.

10And Yahweh threw them into confusion before Israel, and struck them down with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

11And as they fled before Israel, while they were on the descent of Beth-horon, Yahweh threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. More died from the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh on the day when Yahweh gave the Amorites over before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

13So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stood still in the middle of the sky and did not hurry to set for about a full day.

14And there was no day like that before it or after it, when Yahweh listened to the voice of a man, for Yahweh fought for Israel.

15Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

16But these five kings fled and hid in the cave at Makkedah.

17And it was reported to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

18And Joshua said, “Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave, and appoint men over it to guard it.”

19But as for you, do not stand still; pursue your enemies and strike their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for Yahweh your God has given them into your hand.

20And it happened that when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a very great slaughter, until they were wiped out, and the survivors from them survived and entered the fortified cities,

21And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the sons of Israel.

22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”

23And they did so, and brought out to him from the cave these five kings: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

24And when they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks.

25And Joshua said to them, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for thus Yahweh will do to all your enemies against whom you are fighting.”

26After this Joshua struck them down and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they remained hanging on the trees until the evening.

27And at the time of the sun’s going down, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden there, and they placed large stones over the mouth of the cave to this very day.

28And Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and he devoted to destruction its king and every person in it; he left no survivor. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.

30And Yahweh also gave it and its king into the hand of Israel, and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person who was in it. He left no survivor in it, and he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and camped against it and fought against it.

32And Yahweh gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, along with every person who was in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

33Then Horam king of Gezer went up to help Lachish, and Joshua struck him and his people until he left him no survivor.

34Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, passed on from Lachish to Eglon; and they camped against it and fought against it.

35And they captured it that day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person who was in it he devoted to destruction that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, went up from Eglon to Hebron, and they fought against it.

37And they captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, along with its king, all its cities, and every person who was in it. He left no survivor, just as he had done to Eglon. He devoted it to destruction, along with every person who was in it.

38Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned to Debir and fought against it.

39And they captured it, along with its king and all its towns, and struck them with the edge of the sword, and they devoted to destruction every person who was in it; they left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and just as he had done to Libnah and its king.

40So Joshua struck all the land—the hill country, the Negev, the lowland, and the slopes—and all their kings. He left no survivor, but devoted to destruction every breathing thing, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded.

41And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.

42Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.