Joshua 10

Five Kings Attack Gibeon

1When Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2he was very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai and all its men were warriors. 3So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4“Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children 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 camped against Gibeon and fought against it.

Joshua Comes to Gibeon

6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not withdraw your hands from your servants. Come up to us quickly, 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 people of war with him, and all the mighty warriors. 8The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. 10The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, and Israel struck them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-Horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11As they fled before Israel, while they were on the descent of Beth-Horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven upon them as far as Azekah, and they died. More died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

Sun, Stand Still

12Then Joshua spoke to the LORD on the day when the LORD gave the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon. 13And 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 stopped in the middle of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14There was no day like it before or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel. 15Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The Five Kings Hide in a Cave

16These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17It was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and appoint men over it to guard them. 19But you, do not stop. Pursue your enemies and strike their rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.” 20When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished striking them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the survivors who remained of them had entered the fortified cities, 21all the people returned to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah in peace. No one sharpened his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

The Five Kings Are Executed

22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring out these five kings to me from the cave.” 23They 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. 24When they brought out these kings 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. 25Joshua said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26Afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death and hanged them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening. 27At the time of sunset Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden. They placed large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

The Southern Campaign

28Joshua captured Makkedah that day and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He devoted them and every life in it to destruction; he left no survivor. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. 29Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30The LORD also gave it and its king into the hand of Israel. He struck it and every life in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it and did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. 31Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish. He camped against it and fought against it. 32The LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it and every life in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that 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 survivor. 34Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon. They camped against it and fought against it. 35They captured it that day and struck it with the edge of the sword. He devoted every life in it to destruction that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron, and they fought against it. 37They captured it and struck it, its king, all its cities, and every life in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. He devoted it and every life in it to destruction. 38Then Joshua turned, and all Israel with him, to Debir and fought against it. 39He captured it, its king, and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted every life in it to destruction. He left no survivor. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and as he had done to Libnah and its king.

Joshua Strikes the Whole Southern Land

40So Joshua struck all the land: the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivor but devoted every breathing thing to destruction, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41Joshua 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.