Joshua 10:1-21 ▼

1 Now it happened that when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were within their land,

2 they feared exceedingly 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.

3 Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,

4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.”

5 So 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 together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.

6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not abandon your slaves; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.”

7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors.

8 And Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.”

9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly—he had gone up, marching all night from Gilgal.

10 And Yahweh threw them into confusion before Israel, and He struck them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

11 Now it happened as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that Yahweh threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh in the day when Yahweh gave over the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stood in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, when Yahweh listened to the voice of a man; for Yahweh fought for Israel.

15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp to Gilgal.

16 And these five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

17 Then it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and assign men by it to keep watch over them,

19 but as for you, do not stand there; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for Yahweh your God has given them into your hand.”

20 Now it happened when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a very great slaughter until they were completely destroyed, and the survivors—those of them who survived—had entered the fortified cities,

21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one so much as lifted his tongue against any of the sons of Israel.