Joshua 10

1It happened when Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction, 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.

2They were greatly afraid because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the kingdom's cities, and because it was greater than Ai, with all its men being mighty.

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

4Come up to me and help me so we can strike Gibeon, because it has made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel.

5The five kings of the Amorites—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon—gathered and advanced with all their armies, encamped against Gibeon, and fought it.

6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, "Do not withhold your hand from your servants; come up to us quickly, save us, and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites dwelling in the hill country have gathered against us."

7Joshua went up from Gilgal—he and all the fighting men with him, and all the mighty warriors.

8Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand; no man of them will stand before you."

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

10Yahweh routed them before Israel and struck them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the ascent to Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and Makkedah.

11As they fled before Israel down the descent of Beth Horon, Yahweh hurled great stones from the sky onto them to Azekah, and many died—more who perished from the hailstones than those the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh on the day Yahweh handed the Amorites over before the sons of Israel, and he said before Israel, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the valley of Aijalon!"

13The sun stopped, and the moon stood, until the nation avenged itself on its enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? The sun stood in mid-sky, and did not hasten to go down for a whole day.

14There was no day like that before it or after it, when Yahweh heeded a man's voice, for Yahweh fought for Israel.

15Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

16These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

17It was reported to Joshua that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.

18Joshua said, "Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave, and station men over it to guard them."

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

20It happened, when Joshua and the sons of Israel finished striking them with a very great blow until they were completely consumed, that the remnant who remained of them entered the fortified cities.

21All the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No man sharpened his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

22Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave, and bring these five kings out to me from the cave."

23They 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, and the king of Eglon.

24When they brought these kings out to Joshua, he called to all the men of Israel and said to the captains of the fighting men who went with him, "Draw near, set your feet on the necks of these kings." They drew near and set their feet on their necks.

25Joshua said to them, "Do not fear or be terrified. Be strong and courageous, for Yahweh will do so to all your enemies whom you fight."

26Afterward Joshua struck them, killed them, and hung them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening.

27It happened at the time of the sun's setting that Joshua commanded, and they brought them down from the trees and cast them into the cave in which they had hidden there, and they set great stones over the mouth of the cave until this very day.

28On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it with the sword's edge, devoting its king and everyone in it to destruction without leaving any survivor, then treating Makkedah's king just as he had treated Jericho's king.

29Joshua advanced from Makkedah to Libnah with all Israel and fought against Libnah.

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

31Joshua advanced from Libnah to Lachish with all Israel, encamped against it, and fought it.

32Yahweh gave Lachish into Israel's hand, and they captured it on the second day and struck it with the sword's edge, every person in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

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

34Joshua and all Israel with him passed from Lachish to Eglon, encamped against it, and fought against it.

35They captured it that day and struck it with the sword's edge, utterly destroying every person in it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

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

37They captured it and struck it with the sword—its king, all its cities, and everyone in it. He spared no survivor, as he had done to Eglon, but annihilated it and everyone in it.

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

39He captured it along with its king and all its cities, struck them with the sword, and devoted every person in it to destruction, sparing 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.

40Joshua struck the whole land—the hill country, the South, the lowlands, and the slopes—together with all their kings. He spared no survivor but devoted every living thing to destruction, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded.

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

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

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