 1 When King Adonizedek of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and utterly destroyed it as he had done to Jericho and its king, so now he had done to Ai and its king and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 they feared greatly. Because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities and because it was greater than Ai and all of its men were mighty. 3 King Adonizedek of Jerusalem sent to King Hoham of Hebron and to King Piram of Jarmuth and to King Japhia of Lachish and to King Debir of Eglon saying, 4 Come to me and help me so that we may strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 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 and they and all their armies camped before Gibeon and made war against it. 6 The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal saying, Do not withhold your hand from your servants. Come to us quickly, and save us, and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites who live in the mountains have gathered against us. 7 So Joshua went from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of war. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, Do not fear them for I have delivered them to you. Not one of them will stand before you. 9 Joshua came to them suddenly, coming up from Gilgal all night. 10 The Lord troubled them before Israel, and killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goes up to Bethhoron, and struck them to Azekah, and to Makkedah. 11 As they fled from before Israel, and were in the descent of Bethhoron, the Lord cast down great stones from the heavens on them to Azekah, and they died. The many who died from hailstones were more than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun. Stand still on Gibeon. And, moon, stand still in the valley of Aijalon. 13 The sun stood still, and the moon stood still, until the people had avenged themselves on their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and did not hasten to go down about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord listened to the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel. 15 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. 16 But these five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17 It was told to Joshua saying, The five kings have been found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. 18 Joshua said, Roll great stones on the mouth of the cave, and set men by it in order to keep them. 19 Do not stay. Pursue your enemies and strike the ones who are behind. Do not allow them to enter into their cities. For the Lord your God has delivered them to you. 20 When Joshua and the children of Israel stopped killing them with a very great slaughter until they were gone, the rest of those who remained entered into fortified cities. 21 All the people returned in peace to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22 Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me. 23 They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. 24 When they brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel. He said to the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, Draw near. Set your feet on the necks of these kings. So they drew near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua said to them, Do not fear nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage. For the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. 26 Afterward Joshua struck and killed them and hanged them on five trees and they hung on the trees until evening. 27 At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees and threw them into the cave in which they had been hidden, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth that remain until this very day. 28 That day Joshua took Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed the king of it, them, and every soul in it. He let none remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho. 29 Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 The Lord delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he did to the king of Jericho. 31 Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and camped against it, and fought against it. 32 The Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish and Joshua struck him and his people until he had left none remaining. 34 From Lachish, Joshua passed to Eglon and all Israel with him. They camped against it and fought against it. 35 They took it in that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And every soul in it he completely destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36 Joshua went on from Eglon and all Israel with him to Hebron and they fought against it. 37 They struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and all its cities and every soul in it. He left nothing remaining according to all that he had done to Eglon but destroyed it and all the souls in it. 38 Then Joshua returned and all Israel with him to Debir and fought against it. 39 He took it and its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword and destroyed every soul in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king, as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king. 40 Joshua struck all the land, the hills, the south, the valley, the springs, and all their kings. He left nothing remaining but destroyed all who breathed as the Lord God of Israel commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadeshbarnea even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, even to Gibeon. 42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
|