Joshua 10
1 And it came to pass, when Adonizedec, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and devoted it to destruction, as he had done unto Jericho and her king, so, had he done unto Ai and her king, —and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and had come into their midst,
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 then feared they 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 therefore sent Adonizedec, king of Jerusalem, 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 sons 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 So they gathered themselves together and came up, even 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, —they, and all their hosts, —and encamped near 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 So the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua, unto the camp at Gilgal, saying, Do not withhold thy hand from thy servants, —Come up unto us quickly, and save us, and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill-country, 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 went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, even 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 Yahweh said unto Joshua: Do not fear because of them, for, into thy hand, have I delivered them, —not a man of them shall 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 So then Joshua came in unto them, suddenly, —all the night, came he up, from Gilgal.
Joshua’s army marched all night and arrived very early in the morning.
10 And Yahweh confused them before Israel, and smote them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, —and chased them along the way that goeth up Beth-horon, and smote them as far as Azekah and as far as 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, when they fled from before Israel, they, being on the slope of Beth-horon, that, Yahweh, cast down upon them great stones out of the heavens, as far as Azekah, and they died, —more, were they who died by the hailstones, than they whom the sons 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 unto Yahweh, on the day when Yahweh delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, —yea he said, in the presence of Israel—Thou Sun! in Gibeon, be still, and thou Moon! in the vale of Aijalon.
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 So the sun, was still, and, the moon, stayed, until a nation should be avenged on its foes. Is not, that, written in the Book of the Upright? So then the sun stayed in the middle of the heavens, and hastened not to go in, 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, when Yahweh hearkened unto the voice of a man, —in that, Yahweh, himself 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 So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp at Gilgal.
After Joshua’s army defeated their enemies, they all returned to their camp at Gilgal.
16 So 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 ye great stones against the mouth of the cave, —and set over it men, to watch 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 but do not, ye, stay, chase after your enemies, so shall ye attack them in the rear, —do not suffer them to enter into their cities, for Yahweh 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 sons of Israel had made an end of smiting them with a very great slaughter, until they were spent, then did, the remainder that were left of them, enter into the fortified 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 unto the camp, unto Joshua at Makkedah, in peace, —none sharpened his tongue at any man of the sons 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 ye the mouth of the cave, —and bring out unto me, these five kings, 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 out unto him, these five kings, out of the cave, —namely, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, 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 these kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war who had been with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. So 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 Then said Joshua unto them: Do not fear, nor be alarmed, —be firm and bold, for, thus and thus, will Yahweh do unto all your enemies, against whom ye do 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 Joshua smote them after this, and put them to death, and hanged them upon five trees, —and they remained hung on 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 in of the sun, that Joshua gave command, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave, where they had hid themselves, —and put great stones upon the mouth of the cave, [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 Joshua captured, Makkedah, on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and, the king thereof, devoted he to destruction, them and all the souls that were therein, he left no survivor, —but did unto the king of Makkedah, as he had done 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 And Joshua passed over, and all Israel with him, from Makkedah 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 Yahweh delivered, it also, into the hand of Israel, with the king thereof, and he smote it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls that were therein, he left therein no survivor, —but did unto the king thereof, as he had done 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 over, and all Israel with him, from Libnah 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 Yahweh delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls that were therein, —according to all that he had done unto 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, came up Horam, king of Gezer, to help Lachish, —and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had not left him a survivor.
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 Joshua passed over, and all Israel with him, from Lachish unto Eglon, —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 captured it on the same day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and, all the souls that were therein, on that day, devoted he to destruction, —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, and all Israel with him, from Eglon 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 captured it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, with all the souls that were therein—he left not a survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon, —he devoted it to destruction, 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 Then Joshua turned back, and all Israel with him, unto Debir, —and fought against it;
Then Joshua and his army turned [south] and went to Debir [city] and attacked it.
39 and captured it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and devoted to destruction every soul that was therein, he left not a survivor, —as he had done unto Hebron, so, did he unto Debir, and unto the king thereof, as also he had done unto Libnah, and unto 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 land—the hill country, and the south, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings, he left not a survivor, —but, every breathing thing, devoted he to destruction, as Yahweh, God of Israel, had 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 Yea Joshua smote them, from Kadesh-barnea, even as far as Gaza, —and all the land of Goshen, even as far as 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 Yea, all these kings and their land, did Joshua capture at one time, —because, Yahweh, 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 at Gilgal.
Then Joshua and his army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
