The Sun Stands Still

1Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had completely 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, 2they were 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 mighty. 3Therefore 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“Y’all come up and help me. Let’s attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 5Therefore 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 themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it. 6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.”

7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the valiant warriors. 8YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not one of them will stand before you.”

9Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night. 10YHWH confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah. 11As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, YHWH hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.

12Then Joshua spoke to YHWH in the day when YHWH delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!”

13The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day. 14There was no day like that before it or after it, when YHWH listened to the voice of a man, because YHWH fought for Israel.

15Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp to Gilgal.

Five Amorite Kings Executed

16These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

18Joshua said, “Y’all roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and post men by it to guard them. 19But don’t stay there. Y’all are to chase y’all’s enemies and attack them from the rear. Y’all must not allow them to enter into their cities, for YHWH y’all’s God has delivered them into y’all’s hand.”

20When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22Then Joshua said, “Y’all open the cave entrance and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”

23They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Y’all come near and put y’all’s feet on the necks of these kings.”

They came near, and put their feet on their necks.

25Joshua said to them, “Y’all must not be afraid or discouraged. Y’all must be strong and courageous, for YHWH will do this to all y’all’s enemies whom y’all fight.”

26Then Joshua struck them and executed them. He hung them on five trees, and they hung on the trees until the evening. 27At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

Southern Cities Conquered

28Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, and he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30YHWH delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. 32YHWH delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, 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 had left him no one remaining.

34Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it. 35They took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it 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 took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.

38Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. 39He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king. 40So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as YHWH, the God of Israel, commanded. 41Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon. 42Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because YHWH, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.