Joshua 10
1 Now it came to pass, when Adoni–zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
Later, Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua’s army had captured Ai [town] and had destroyed everything in the town. He heard that they had done to the people of Ai and to their king the same thing that they had done to the people of Jericho and their king. He also heard that the people of Gibeon [city] had made a peace treaty with the Israeli people, and that the people of Gibeon were now living near the Israelis and being protected by them.
2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
Because of that, he and the people whom he ruled became very afraid, because Gibeon was an important city, like the other cities that had kings. And [even though] Gibeon was a larger city than Ai and all its soldiers were good fighters, [they thought Joshua’s army might defeat them].
3 Wherefore Adoni–zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
So King Adonizedek sent a message to Hosham the king of Hebron [city], to Piram the king of Jarmuth [city], to Jarmuth the king of Lachish [city], and to Debir the king of Eglon [city].
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
In the message he said, “Please come up with your armies and help me to attack Gibeon, because the people of Gibeon have made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelis.”
5 Therefore the 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 themselves together, and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
So those five kings who ruled all the groups who were descendants of Amor—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Debir—came up with all of their soldiers and surrounded the city. Then they prepared to attack it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
So the people of Gibeon sent a message to Joshua while he was in the camp at Gilgal. They said, “We are your servants. So do not forsake us. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because the kings of all of the groups descended from Amor and their armies have joined their forces and have come from the hilly area to attack us!”
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
So Joshua and all his army, including the soldiers who were his best fighting men, marched up from Gilgal.
8 And Yhwh said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Then Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of those armies! I will enable your army to defeat them [IDM]. None of them will be able to (resist/fight and defeat) your army.”
9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
Joshua’s army marched all night and arrived very early in the morning.
10 And Yhwh discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth–horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
They attacked their enemies before anyone knew that they had come. Yahweh caused their enemies to (become very confused/start running in all directions) when they saw the Israeli army. As a result, the Israeli army defeated them very severely at Gibeon [and killed many of them]. The rest of them fled along the road that goes up to Beth-Horon. But the Israeli army pursued them and killed them all along the road that goes to Azekah and Makkedah towns.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth–horon, that Yhwh cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
As they fled in front of the Israeli army, Yahweh threw down huge hailstones from the sky. As a result, more of them died from hailstones falling on them than died as a result of the Israeli army killing them with swords.
12 Then spake Joshua to Yhwh in the day when Yhwh delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
On the day that Yahweh enabled the Israeli army to defeat the groups who were descendants of Amor, Joshua said to Yahweh while the Israeli people were listening, “Yahweh, cause the sun to stand still over Gibeon, and cause the moon to not move when it is over Aijalon Valley.”
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
And that is what happened. The sun stood still, and the moon did not move, until the Israeli army defeated their enemies. That is what has been written in the book that Jashar wrote. The sun stopped while it was in the middle of the sky, and did not (set/go down) for about a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that Yhwh hearkened unto the voice of a man: for Yhwh fought for Israel.
On that day Yahweh did a great miracle that someone asked him to do. There was never a day like that previously, and there has never been a day like that since. Yahweh was certainly fighting for the Israeli people!
15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
After Joshua’s army defeated their enemies, they all returned to their camp at Gilgal.
16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
While the enemy soldiers were fleeing from Joshua’s army, their five kings also fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah [town].
17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
Then someone told Joshua, “We found those five kings, hiding in a cave at Makkedah!”
18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
When Joshua heard that, he said, “Roll some very large rocks to the entrance of the cave so that the kings cannot escape, and leave some soldiers there to guard it.
19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for Yhwh your God hath delivered them into your hand.
But do not stay there! Pursue our enemies! Attack them from behind! Do not allow them to escape to their cities, because Yahweh, our God, will enable you to defeat/kill them. [IDM]”
20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.
So Joshua’s army did what he told them to do. They killed almost all of the enemy soldiers, but a few of them were able to reach their cities and be safe inside the walls of the cities.
21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Then Joshua’s army returned to Joshua, who was still in their camp at Makkedah. No one in the land dared to criticize [MTY] the Israelis.
22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
Then Joshua said, “Open the entrance of the cave, and bring out to me those five kings!”
23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
So the soldiers brought those five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
When they brought those kings to Joshua [and forced them to lie on the ground], he summoned all the Israeli soldiers, and then he said to the army commanders, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings!” So the commanders did that.
25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall Yhwh do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid of any of our enemies! Never be discouraged! Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all the enemies you will fight!”
26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
Then Joshua killed each of the five kings with his sword, and told his soldiers to hang the bodies of the five kings on trees. So they did that, and they left the bodies hanging on the trees until sunset.
27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
At sunset, Joshua told them to take the bodies down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. So the soldiers did that, and then they put those large rocks at the entrance of the cave again. Those rocks are still there.
28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
That is how Joshua’s army attacked and captured Makkedah. They killed the king and everyone else in the town. They did not leave anyone alive. They did to the king of Makkedah the same thing that they had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
That same day, Joshua and his Israeli army went [southwest] from Makkedah to Libnah [city] and attacked it.
30 And Yhwh delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
Yahweh enabled the Israelis to conquer [MTY] that city and its king. They killed everyone in the city; they did not (spare anyone/allow anyone to remain alive). They killed the king of Libnah just like they had killed the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
Then Joshua and his army went [south] from Libnah to Lachish [city]. They surrounded the city and attacked it.
32 And Yhwh delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
On the second day of the battle, Yahweh enabled the Israelis to conquer [MTY] the city. And like they had done at Libnah, they killed everyone [DOU] in the city.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
King Horam from Gezer [city and his army] came to help [the soldiers of] Lachish, but Joshua’s [army] defeated Horam and his army, and did not allow any of them to remain alive.
34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
Then Joshua and his army went [west] from Lachish to Eglon [city]. They surrounded the city and attacked it.
35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
On that day, they captured the city and killed [MTY] everyone in it [DOU], just like they had done at Lachish.
36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:
Then Joshua and his army went [west from Eglon] up [into the hills] to Hebron [city]. They attacked the city
37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
and captured it. They killed the king and everyone else, just like they had done at Eglon. They did not allow anyone to remain alive.
38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
Then Joshua and his army turned [south] and went to Debir [city] and attacked it.
39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
They captured the city and its king, and also captured the nearby towns. Then they killed everyone [DOU]; they did to the people there the same thing that they had done at Hebron and Libnah.
40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yhwh God of Israel commanded.
That is how Joshua [and his army] conquered the entire southern part of Canaan. They defeated the kings [who ruled] the hilly area, the dry southern area, the [western] foothills, and the [eastern] slopes. They killed everyone [DOU] in those areas; they did not allow anyone to remain alive.
41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh–barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
Joshua’s soldiers captured all the cities from Kadesh-Barnea [city] in the far south to Gaza [city] near the coast, including all the Goshen area, and north to Gibeon [city].
42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because Yhwh God of Israel fought for Israel.
At that one time, Joshua’s army conquered all the kings and captured all the territory that they [ruled]. They were able to do that because Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worship], was fighting for them.
43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
Then Joshua and his army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
