1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek 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;
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.
3 Wherefore
Adonizedek 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,
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.
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 hosts, and encamped before Gibeon,
and made war against 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.
7 So
Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all
the mighty men of valour.
8 And
the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine
hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
9 Joshua
therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10 And
the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter
at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote
them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11 And
it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were
in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD 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.
12 Then
spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD 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.
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.
14 And
there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto
the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
15 And
Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
16 But
these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17 And
it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid 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:
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 the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.
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.
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.
22 Then
said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me
out of the cave.
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.
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.
25 And
Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good
courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye 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.
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.
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.
29 Then
Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought
against Libnah:
30 And
the LORD 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.
31 And
Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped
against it, and fought against it:
32 And
the LORD 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.
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.
34 And
from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they
encamped against it, and fought against 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.
36 And
Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they
fought against it:
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.
38 And
Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against 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.
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 the LORD God of Israel commanded.
41 And
Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of
Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
42 And
all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD
God of Israel fought for Israel.
43 And
Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
