Joshua Chapter 10
The Sun Stands Still
1 Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had taken Ai and destroyed it like Jericho and its king. He heard how Gibeon had made peace with Israel and was among them. 2 He was really afraid because Gibeon was a big city, like a royal city. It was bigger than Ai and its men were strong. 3 So he sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, 4 “Help me attack Gibeon; it has made peace with Israel.” 5 Those five allied forces camped against Gibeon and attacked it.
6 The men in Gibeon sent to Joshua at camp in Gilgal, “Don’t relax your grip on us. Come quick and save us! The Amorite kings from the hill country have formed an alliance against us.”
7 So Joshua and the fighting men went up from Gilgal. 8 Yahveh told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them. I’ll deliver them to you. Not a man will stand against you.”
9 He marched up all night and attacked them by surprise. 10 Yahveh threw them into panic, and Israel killed them with a great slaughter. They chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled down the ascent of Beth-horon, Yahveh sent big hailstones on them all the way to Azekah. More died from hailstones than Israel killed with the sword.
Josh 10:1-11
12 Then in front of Israel, Joshua spoke to Yahveh the day he gave the Amorites to Israel,
“Have the sun stand still at Gibeon
and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stayed till the nation took revenge on its enemies. It’s recorded in The Book of Jashar. The sun stood still at midday and didn’t go down for about a day. 14 There wasn’t a day like it before or since when Yahveh listened to such an extreme request by someone, because he fought for Israel.
15 Joshua and Israel came back to camp at Gilgal.
Five Amorite Kings Executed
16 The five kings fled and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 17 People told Joshua where they were hiding.
18 He said,
“Roll large rocks against the mouth of the cave and post a guard. 19Don’t stay there. Chase your enemies and fall on them. Don’t let them get into their towns. Yahveh your God will deliver them to you.”
20 Joshua and the Israelites killed them with a great slaughter till they wiped them out, but some stragglers got back into the fortified towns. 21 The people came back safe to Joshua at Makkedah. Nobody said a word against Israel.
Josh 10:12-21
22 Then Joshua told them to open the cave and bring out the five kings. [ 23 ]
24 He told the commanders and fighting men, “Put your feet on their necks. 25 Don’t be afraid or intimidated; be strong and courageous. This is what Yahveh will do to all the enemies you fight.”
26 He struck them and put them to death and hung them on five trees. 27 At sundown he had the men take them down, throw them back into the cave, and put large rocks against its mouth. They’re still there.
28 That day Joshua struck down everybody in Makkedah with the sword and did to its king what he’d done to Jericho’s king.
Josh 10:22-28
Southern Towns Conquered
29 He and Israel passed on from Makkedah and attacked Libnah. 30 Yahveh gave it and its king to Israel. He struck everybody in it with the sword.
31 Next, Joshua lay siege to Lachish, 32 and Yahveh gave it to Israel. He took it on the second day and stuck everybody in it with the sword.
33 Then Horam, king of Gezer, came to help Lachish, and Joshua struck him and his people till there weren’t any left.
34 He passed on from Lachish, laid siege to Eglon, and attacked it. 35 They took it that day, struck it with the sword and destroyed everyone in it.
36 Joshua went up from Eglon to attack Hebron. 37 He struck it, its king, and surrounding villages with the sword and destroyed everybody in them.
38 Then he turned back and attacked Debir. 39 He struck it, its king, and surrounding villages with the sword and destroyed everybody in them. So he did to Debir what he’d done to Hebron, Libnah, and their kings.
40 Joshua defeated the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, the slopes, and their kings. He destroyed everybody that breathed—like Yahveh commanded. 41 He defeated them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, the whole country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. 42 He took those kings and their land in one campaign because Yahveh God of Israel fought for them. 43 Then he and Israel went back to camp at Gilgal.
Josh 10:29-43