Joshua 10
1 When Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, had heard these things, specifically, that Joshua had seized Ai, and had overthrown it, (for just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so did he do to Ai and its king, ) and that the Gibeonites had fled over to Israel, and were now their confederates,
Now when Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured Ai and had completely destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king), he also heard how the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living among them.
2 he was very afraid. For Gibeon was a great city, and was one of the royal cities, and was greater than the town of Ai, and all its warriors were very strong.
The people of Jerusalem were very afraid because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty warriors.
3 Therefore, Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, sent to Hoham, the king of Hebron, and to Piram, the king of Jarmuth, and also to Japhia, the king of Lachish, and to Debir, the king of Eglon, saying:
So Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, sent a message to Hoham, king of Hebron, to Piram, king of Jarmuth, to Japhia, king of Lachish, and to Debir, king of Eglon:
4 “Ascend to me, and bring troops, so that we may fight against Gibeon. For it has fled over to Joshua and the sons of Israel.”
“Come up to me and help me. Let us attack Gibeon because they have made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.”
5 And so, having assembled, 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, together with their armies, went up and encamped around Gibeon, laying siege to it.
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 came up, they and all their armies. They set up their positions against Gibeon, and they attacked it.
6 But the inhabitants of the city of Gibeon, when it was besieged, sent to Joshua, who was then staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him: “May you not draw back your hands from helping your servants. Come quickly, and free us, and bring troops. For all the kings of the Amorites, who live in the mountains, have gathered together against us.”
The people of Gibeon sent a message to Joshua and to the army at Gilgal. They said, “Hurry! Do not withdraw your hands from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us. Help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered together to attack us.”
7 And Joshua ascended from Gilgal, and the entire army of warriors with him, very strong men.
Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the men of war with him, and all the fighting men.
8 And the Lord said to Joshua: “You should not fear them. For I have delivered them into your hands. None of them will be able to withstand you.”
Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to stop your attack.”
9 And so Joshua, ascending from Gilgal throughout the night, rushed upon them suddenly.
Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.
10 And the Lord set them in disarray before the face of Israel. And he crushed them in a great defeat at Gibeon, and he pursued them along the way of the ascent to Beth-horon, and he struck them down, even as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
Yahweh confused the enemy before Israel, and Israel killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and pursued them on the road going up to Beth Horon, and they killed them on the road to Azekah and Makkedah.
11 And while they were fleeing from the sons of Israel, and were on the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord cast great stones from heaven upon them, as far as Azekah. And many more were killed by the hailstones, than were struck down by the swords of the sons of Israel.
As they ran away from Israel, down the hill from Beth Horon, Yahweh threw large stones down from heaven upon them all the way to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than who were killed with the sword by the men of Israel.
12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord, on the day that he handed over the Amorite in the sight of the sons of Israel, and he said before them: “O sun, you shall not move toward Gibeon! O moon, you shall not move toward the valley of Aijalon!”
Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh on the day Yahweh gave the men of Israel victory over the Amorites. This is what Joshua said to Yahweh before Israel, “Sun, be still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 And the sun and the moon stood still, until the people had avenged themselves of their enemies. Has this not been written in the book of the just? And so the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and it did not hurry to its rest for the space of one day.
The sun stood still, and the moon stopped moving until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky; it did not go down for about a whole day.
14 Never before and never after was there so long a day, as when the Lord obeyed the voice of a man, and fought for Israel.
There has been no other day like it before or after it, when Yahweh obeyed the voice of a human being. For Yahweh was waging war on behalf of Israel.
15 And Joshua returned, with all of Israel, into the camp of Gilgal.
Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16 For the five kings had fled, and had hidden themselves in a cave, near the city of Makkedah.
Now the five kings had escaped and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was reported to Joshua that the five kings had been found hidden in a cave, near the city of Makkedah.
It was told to Joshua, “They have been found!—the five kings hidden in the cave at Makkedah!”
18 And he instructed his companions and said: “Roll vast stones to the mouth of the cave, and station attentive men who will keep them closed.
Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and place soldiers there to guard them.
19 But as for you, do not stay here; instead, pursue the enemies, and cut down the lattermost of those who are fleeing. You shall not permit those whom the Lord God has delivered into your hands to enter into the protection of their cities.”
Do not stay yourselves. Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not permit them to enter into their cities, because Yahweh your God has given them into your hand.”
20 Thus, the adversaries were struck down in a great defeat, and having been nearly consumed, even to utter annihilation, those who were able to escape from Israel entered into fortified cities.
Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaughtering them with a very great slaughter, until they were almost completely destroyed; only a few survivors who escaped reached the fortified cities.
21 And the entire army returned to Joshua at Makkedah, where they were then encamped, in good health and in their full numbers. And no one dared to move his tongue against the sons of Israel.
Then the whole army returned in peace to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah. No one dared to say one word against any of the people of Israel.
22 And Joshua instructed, saying, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forward to me the five kings, who are hidden within it.”
Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and out of the cave bring to me these five kings.”
23 And the ministers did just as they had been ordered. And they led out to him the five kings from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
They did as he said. They brought to him these five kings from 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 when they had been led out to him, he called all the men of Israel, and he said to the leaders of the army who were with him, “Go, and place your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And when they had gone and had tread their feet upon the necks of those who were thrown down,
When they brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned every man of Israel. He said to the commanders of the soldiers who had gone into battle with him, “Put your feet on their necks.” So they came up and put their feet on their necks.
25 he spoke to them again: “Do not be afraid, and do not dread. Be strengthened and be steadfast. For so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.”
Then he said to them, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all your enemies you are going to fight.”
26 And Joshua struck them down and killed them, and he suspended them on five gallows. And they hung there until evening.
Then Joshua attacked and killed the kings. He hung them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening.
27 And when the sun had set, he instructed his assistants that they should take them down from the gallows. And having been taken down, they cast them into the cave, where they had lain hidden, and they set vast stones at its mouth, which remain, even to the present.
When it was sunset, Joshua gave orders, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves. They put large stones over the mouth of the cave. Those stones remain there to this very day.
28 Also on the same day, Joshua seized Makkedah, and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and he put to death its king and all its inhabitants. He did not leave in it even the smallest remains. And he did to the king of Makkedah, just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
In this way, Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and killed everyone there with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivor in it. He did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Then he went on, with all of Israel, from Makkedah to Libnah, and he fought against it.
Joshua and all Israel passed on from Makkedah to Libnah. He went into battle against Libnah.
30 And the Lord delivered it, with its king, into the hands of Israel. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, and all its inhabitants. They did not leave in it any remains. And they did to the king of Libnah, just as they had done to the king of Jericho.
Yahweh also gave it into the hand of Israel—along with their king. Joshua struck it with the edge of the sword and every person in it. He left no survivor in it. He did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 From Libnah, with all of Israel, he went on to Lachish. And taking positions around it with his army, he besieged it.
Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish. He camped by it and waged war against it.
32 And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hands of Israel, and he seized it on the following day, and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul that was in it, just as he had done to Libnah.
Yahweh gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. Joshua captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, just as he had done to Libnah.
33 At that time, Horam, the king of Gezer, went up so that he might assist Lachish. And Joshua struck him with all his people, even unto utter annihilation.
Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. Joshua attacked him and his army until there was not even one survivor left.
34 And he went on from Lachish to Eglon, and he surrounded it.
Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Lachish to Eglon. They camped by it and waged war against it,
35 And he also defeated it on the same day. And he struck all the souls that were in it with the edge of the sword, in accord with all that he had done to Lachish.
and captured it that same day. They struck it with the edge of the sword and they completely destroyed everyone in it, as Joshua had done to Lachish.
36 He also ascended, with all of Israel, from Eglon into Hebron, and he fought against it.
Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Eglon to Hebron. They waged war against it.
37 He seized it and struck it with the edge of the sword, likewise with its king, and all the towns of that region, and all the souls that were staying in it. He did not leave any remains in it. Just as he had done to Eglon, so also did he do to Hebron, consuming with the sword all that he found within it.
They captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its villages, and everyone in it. They left no survivor it, as they had done to Eglon, they totally destroyed it and every person in it.
38 Returning from there to Debir,
Then Joshua turned, and all the army of Israel with him, and they passed on to Debir and waged war against it.
39 he seized it and laid waste to it, likewise with its king. And all the surrounding towns, he struck with the edge of the sword. He did not leave in it any remains. Just as he had done to Hebron and Libnah, and to their kings, so did he do to Debir and to its king.
They captured it, its king and all its nearby villages. They struck them with the edge of the sword and completely destroyed every person in it. They left no survivor. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.
40 And so Joshua struck the entire land, the mountains, and the south, and the plains, and the descending slopes, with their kings. He did not leave in it any remains, but he put to death all that was able to breathe, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had instructed him,
Joshua conquered all the land, the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, and the foothills. Of all their kings he left not one survivor. He completely destroyed every living thing, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded.
41 from Kadesh-barnea, as far as Gaza, with all the land of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen to Gibeon.
42 And all their kings and their regions, he seized and destroyed with a single attack. For the Lord, the God of Israel, fought on his behalf.
Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43 And he returned, with all of Israel, to the place of the encampment at Gilgal.
Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned to the camp at Gilgal.
