“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.” (Joshua 10:1-43 AV)
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