< Joshua 10 >

1 Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, learned that Joshua had captured Ai and destroyed the town completely, as he had also done to Jericho, and had killed its king, just as he had the king of Jericho. He also heard that the Gibeonites had made peace with the Israelites and were allied with them.
When Adonisedec king of Jerusalem had heard these things, to wit, that Josue had taken Hai, and had destroyed it, (for as he had done to Jericho and the king thereof, so did he to Hai, and its king, ) and that the Gabaonites were gone over to Israel, and were their confederates,
2 The people of Jerusalem were very frightened by this because Gibeon was a large town—as large as any town ruled by the king, and larger than Ai, and its men were tough fighters.
He was exceedingly afraid. For Gabaon was a great city, and one of the royal cities, and greater than the town of Hai, and all its fighting men were most valiant.
3 So Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, sent a message to Hoham, king of Hebron, Piram, king of Jarmuth, Japhia, king of Lachish, and Debir, king of Eglon, saying,
Therefore Adonisedec king of Jerusalem sent to Oham king of Hebron, and to Pharam king of Jerimoth, and to Japhia king of Lachis, and to Dabir king of Eglon, saying:
4 “Come and help me attack Gibeon because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”
Come up to me, and bring help, that we may take Gabaon, because it hath gone over to Josue, and to the children of Israel.
5 So these five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and their armies gathered and set off. They surrounded Gibeon and then began their attack.
So the five kings of the Amorrhites being assembled together went up: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jerimoth, the king of Lachis, the king of Eglon, they and their armies, and camped about Gabaon, laying siege to it.
6 The Gibeonites sent a message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Please don't abandon us, your servants! Come quickly and save us! We need your help for all the Amorite kings of the hill country have joined in attacking us.”
But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon which was besieged, sent to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him: Withdraw not thy hands from helping thy servants: come up quickly and save us, and bring us succour: for all the kings of the Amorrhites, who dwell in the mountains, are gathered together against us.
7 So Joshua, all his fighting men and best fighters, set off from Gilgal.
And Josue went up from Galgal, and all the army of the warriors with him, most valiant men.
8 The Lord had said to Joshua, “Don't be afraid of them, for you will defeat them. Not a single one will be able to stand against you.”
And the Lord said to Josue: Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee.
9 By marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua arrived without warning.
So Josue going up from Galgal all the night, came upon them suddenly.
10 The Lord threw the Amorite armies into a panic when they saw the Israelites. He struck them down with a great blow at Gibeon; he chased them all the way up to Beth-horon, cutting them down on the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
And the Lord troubled them at the sight of Israel: and he slew them with a great slaughter in Gabaon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent to Beth-horon, and cut them off all the way to Azeca and Maceda.
11 As they ran away from the Israelites down the slope from Beth-horon, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the skies all the way to Azekah. More were killed by the hailstones than we killed by the swords of the Israelites.
And when they were fleeing from the children of Israel, and were in the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord cast down upon them great stones from heaven as far as Azeca: and many more were killed with the hailstones than were slain by the swords of the children of Israel.
12 On the day that the Lord handed the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke by the Lord in the presence of the Israelites, saying, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon! Moon, stand still over the Valley of Aijalon!”
Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before them: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon.
13 The sun stopped moving, and the moon stood still, until the nation of Israel had inflicted defeat on their enemies. (This is recorded in the Book of Jashar). The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not go down for around a full day.
And the sun and the moon stood still, till the people revenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of the just? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down the space of one day.
14 There wasn't a day like this ever before or since when the Lord listened to a human voice in such a way. It was because the Lord was fighting for Israel.
There was not before nor after so long a day, the Lord obeying the voice of a man, and fighting for Israel.
15 Then Joshua and all the army returned to the camp at Gilgal.
And Josue returned with all Israel into the camp of Galgal.
16 The five kings had run away and hid in a cave at Makkedah.
For the five kings were fled, and had hidden themselves in a cave of the city of Maceda.
17 When Joshua was told that the five kings were hiding in a cave at Makkedah,
And it was told Josue that the five kings were found hidden in a cave of the city of Maceda.
18 he gave this order, “Roll some large stones to block the entrance to the cave and have some men guard it.
And he commanded them that were with him, saying: Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men, to keep them shut up:
19 But don't you stay there. Chase the enemy down and attack them from the rear. Don't let them escape to their towns for the Lord has given them to you to defeat.”
And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies, and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands to shelter themselves in their cities.
20 So Joshua and the Israelites totally defeated them, striking them down and killing them. Only a few of them survived to escape back to their towns.
So the enemies being slain with a great slaughter, and almost utterly consumed, they that were able to escape from Israel, entered into fenced cities.
21 The army returned to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared even to threaten the Israelites.
And all the army returned to Josue in Maceda, where the camp then was, in good health and without the loss of any one: and no man durst move his tongue against the children of Israel.
22 Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance and bring out the five kings to me from the cave.”
And Josue gave orders, saying: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me the five kings that lie hid therein.
23 So they did, bringing out the five kings from the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
And the ministers did as they were commanded: and they brought out to him the five kings out of the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jerimoth, the king of Lachis, the king of Eglon.
24 When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the fighting men, and said to the commanders who had gone with him, “Come here, and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came over and put their feet on their necks.
And when they were Drought out to him, he called all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the army that were with him: Go, and set your feet on the necks of these kings. And when they had gone, and put their feet upon the necks of them lying under them,
25 Joshua said to them, “Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! Be strong and be brave! For the Lord is going to do the same thing to all your enemies that you're going to fight!”
He said again to them: Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage and be strong: for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.
26 Then Joshua killed the kings and hung their bodies on five trees and left them hanging there until the evening.
And Josue struck, and slew them, and hanged them upon five gibbets, and they hung until the evening.
27 As the sun went down Joshua gave the order to take their bodies down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. Then the Israelites piled up stones over the entrance to the cave, and they are there to this very day.
And when the sun was down, he commanded the soldiers to take them down from the gibbets. And after they were taken down, they cast them into the cave where they had lain hid, and put great stones at the mouth thereof, which remain until this day.
28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah, killing all its inhabitants, including the king. He set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He killed the king of Makkedah just as he had killed the king of Jericho.
The same day Josue took Maceda and destroyed it, with the edge of the sword, and killed the king and all the inhabitants thereof: he left not in it the least remains. And he did to the king of Maceda, as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua and the Israelite army left Makkedah and went to attack Libnah,
And he passed from Maceda with all Israel to Lebna, and fought against it:
30 and the Lord gave the town and its king to the Israelites. Joshua had everyone in it killed, leaving no survivors. He killed its king just as he had killed the king of Jericho.
And the Lord delivered it with the king thereof into the hands of Israel: and they destroyed the city with the edge of the sword, and all the inhabitants thereof. They left not in it any remains. And they did to the king of Lebna, as they had done to the king of Jericho.
31 Then Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Libnah to Lachish, surrounding the town and attacking it.
From Lebna he passed unto Lachis, with all Israel: and investing it with his army, besieged it.
32 The Lord gave the town to the Israelites who captured it on the second day. Joshua had everyone in it killed, just as he had done in Libnah.
And the Lord delivered Lachis into the hands of Israel, and he took it the following day, and put it to the sword, and every soul that was in it, as he had done to Lebna.
33 Then Horam, king of Gezer, came with his army to help Lachish, but Joshua and his men killed them, leaving no survivors.
At that time Horam king of Gazer, came up to succour Lachis: and Josue slew him with all his people, so as to leave none alive.
34 Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Lachish to Eglon, surrounding the town and attacking it.
And he passed from Lachis to Eglon, and surrounded it,
35 They captured it the same day. Joshua had everyone in it killed that very day. He set it apart and completely destroyed it, just as he had done in Lachish.
And took it the same day: and put to the sword all the souls that were in it, according to all that he had done to Lachis.
36 Joshua and the Israelite army left Eglon and went to attack Hebron.
He went up also with all Israel from Eglon to Hebron, and fought against it:
37 They captured the town, as well as the towns nearby. Joshua had all the inhabitants killed, leaving no survivors. Just as he had done in Eglon, he set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it.
Took it, and destroyed it with the edge of the sword: the king also thereof, and all the towns of that country, and all the souls that dwelt in it: he left not therein any remains: as he had done to Eglon, so did he also to Hebron, putting to the sword all that he found in it.
38 Then Joshua and the Israelite army turned and went to attack Debir.
Returning from thence to Dabir,
39 He captured it and its king and all the towns nearby. Joshua had all the inhabitants killed, leaving no survivors. Just as he had done in Hebron, he set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it. He killed the king of Debir just as he had killed the king of Libnah.
He took it and destroyed it: the king also thereof and all the towns round about he destroyed with the edge of the sword: he left not in it any remains: as he had done to Hebron and Lebna and to their kings, so did he to Dabir and to the king thereof.
40 So Joshua conquered the whole land—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes—and all their kings. He didn't leave a single survivor. He killed everyone as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
So Josue conquered all the country of the hills and of the south and of the plain, and of Asedoth, with their kings: he left not any remains therein, but slew all that breathed, as the Lord the God of Israel had commanded him,
41 Joshua destroyed them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and the whole of the land from Goshen to Gibeon.
From Cadesbarne even to Gaza. All the land of Gosen even to Gabaon,
42 All the kings and their lands were conquered by Joshua in one campaign because the Lord, the God of Israel, was fighting for the Israelites.
And all their kings, and their lands he took and wasted at one onset: for the Lord the God of Israel fought for him.
43 Joshua and the Israelite army then returned to the camp at Gilgal.
And he returned with all Israel to the place of the camp in Galgal.

< Joshua 10 >