The Book of Joshua

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

And it comes to pass, when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem hears that Joshua has captured Ai, and devotes it (as he had done to Jericho and to her king so he has done to Ai and to her king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon have made peace with Israel, and are in their midst—

that they are greatly afraid, because Gibeon [is] a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it [is] greater than Ai, and all its men [are] heroes.

And Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sends to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,

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

And five kings of the Amorite (the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon) are gathered together, and go up, they and all their camps, and encamp against Gibeon, and fight against it.

And the men of Gibeon send to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not let your hand cease from your servants; come up to us [with] haste, and give safety to us, and help us; for all the kings of the Amorite, dwelling in the hill-country, have been assembled against us.”

And Joshua goes up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, even all the mighty men of valor.

And YHWH says to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have given them into your hand, there does not stand a man of them in your presence.”

And Joshua comes to them suddenly (all the night he has gone up from Gilgal),

and YHWH crushes them before Israel, and strikes them [with] a great striking at Gibeon, and pursues them the way of the ascent of Beth-Horon, and strikes them to Azekah, and to Makkedah.

And it comes to pass, in their fleeing from the face of Israel—they [are] in the descent of Beth-Horon—and YHWH has cast great stones on them out of the heavens, to Azekah, and they die; more are they who have died by the hailstones than they whom the sons of Israel have slain by the sword.

Then Joshua speaks to YHWH in the day of YHWH’s giving up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he says before the eyes of Israel, “Sun—stand still in Gibeon; and moon—in the Valley of Ajalon”;

and the sun stands still, and the moon has stood—until the nation takes vengeance [on] its enemies; is it not written on the Scroll of the Upright, “and the sun stands in the midst of the heavens, and has not hurried to go in—as a perfect day?”

And there has not been like that day before it or after it, for YHWH’s listening to the voice of a man; for YHWH is fighting for Israel.

And Joshua turns back, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The Victory at Makkedah

And these five kings flee, and are hidden in a cave at Makkedah,

and it is declared to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in a cave at Makkedah.”

And Joshua says, “Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and appoint men over it to watch them;

and you, do not stand, pursue after your enemies, and you have struck them from the rear; do not permit them to go into their cities, for your God YHWH has given them into your hand.”

And it comes to pass, when Joshua and the sons of Israel finish to strike them [with] a very great striking until they are consumed, and the remnant who have remained of them go into the fortified cities,

that all the people return to the camp, to Joshua, [at] Makkedah, in peace; none moved his tongue sharply against the sons of Israel.

And Joshua says, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out to me these five kings from the cave”;

and they do so, and bring out to him these 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.

And it comes to pass, when they bring out these kings to Joshua, that Joshua calls to every man of Israel, and says to the captains of the men of war, who have gone with him, “Draw near, set your feet on the necks of these kings”; and they draw near, and set their feet on their necks.

And Joshua says to them, “Do not fear, nor be frightened; be strong and courageous; for thus does YHWH do to all your enemies with whom you are fighting”;

and Joshua strikes them afterward, and puts them to death, and hangs them on five trees; and they are hanging on the trees until the evening.

And it comes to pass, at the time of the going in of the sun, Joshua has commanded, and they take them down from off the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hid, and put great stones on the mouth of the cave until this very day.

And Joshua has captured Makkedah on that day, and he strikes it by the mouth of the sword, and he has devoted its king, them and every person who [is] in it—he has not left a remnant; and he does to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho.

Conquest of the Southern Cities

And Joshua passes over, and all Israel with him, from Makkedah [to] Libnah, and fights with Libnah;

and YHWH also gives it into the hand of Israel, and its king, and [Joshua] strikes it by the mouth of the sword, and every person who [is] in it—he does not leave a remnant in it; and he does to its king as he did to the king of Jericho.

And Joshua passes over, and all Israel with him, from Libnah to Lachish, and encamps against it, and fights against it.

And YHWH gives Lachish into the hand of Israel, and [Joshua] captures it on the second day, and strikes it by the mouth of the sword, and every person who [is] in it, according to all that he did to Libnah.

Then Horam king of Gezer has come up to help Lachish, and Joshua strikes him and his people, until he has not left a remnant to him.

And Joshua passes over, and all Israel with him, from Lachish to Eglon, and they encamp against it, and fight against it,

and capture it on that day, and strike it by the mouth of the sword, and every person who [is] in it he has devoted on that day, according to all that he did to Lachish.

And Joshua goes up, and all Israel with him, from Eglon to Hebron, and they fight against it,

and capture it, and strike it by the mouth of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and every person who [is] in it—he has not left a remnant—according to all that he did to Eglon—and devotes it, and every person who [is] in it.

And Joshua turns back, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fights against it,

and captures it, and its king, and all its cities, and they strike them by the mouth of the sword, and devote every person who [is] in it—he has not left a remnant; as he did to Hebron so he did to Debir, and to its king, and as he did to Libnah, and to its king.

And Joshua strikes all the land of the hill-country, and of the south, and of the low-country, and of the springs, and all their kings—he has not left a remnant, and he has devoted all that breathe, as YHWH, God of Israel, commanded.

And Joshua strikes them from Kadesh-Barnea, even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, even to Gibeon;

and Joshua has captured all these kings and their land [at] one time, for YHWH, God of Israel, is fighting for Israel.

And Joshua turns back, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem 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,

they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

Therefore 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,

“Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Gibeon; for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

Therefore 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.

The 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.”

So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Don’t fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you.”

Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.

The LORD 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.

As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, the LORD 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.

Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD 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!”

The 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.

There was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.

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

The Victory at Makkedah

These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

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

Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;

but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

When 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,

all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”

They 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.

When 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, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”

Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.

At 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.

Joshua 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. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Conquest of the Southern Cities

Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

The LORD 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.

Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.

The LORD 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.

Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.

Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it.

They 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.

Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.

They 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.

Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.

He 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.

So 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded.

Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.

Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

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