The Book of Joshua

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

Now when Adonizedek, 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.

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.

So Adonizedek, 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:

“Come up to me and help me. Let us attack Gibeon because they have made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.”

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.

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.”

Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the men of war with him, and all the fighting men.

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.”

Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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

The Victory at Makkedah

Now the five kings had escaped and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

It was told to Joshua, “They have been found!-the five kings hidden in the cave at Makkedah!”

Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and place soldiers there to guard them.

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.”

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.”

Then Joshua attacked and killed the kings. He hung them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening.

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.

In this way, Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and killed everyone there with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed them and every living creature there. He left no survivors. He did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Conquest of the Southern Cities

Joshua and all Israel passed on from Makkedah to Libnah. He went into battle against Libnah.

Yahweh also gave it into the hand of Israel-along with their king. Joshua attacked every living creature in it with the sword. He did not leave a survivor alive in it. He did to the king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish. He camped by it and waged war against it.

Yahweh gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. Joshua captured it on the second day. He attacked with the sword every living creature that was in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. Joshua attacked him and his army until there was not even one survivor left.

Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Lachish to Eglon. They camped by it and waged war against it,

and captured it that same day. They struck it with the sword and they completely destroyed everyone in it, as Joshua had done to Lachish.

Then Joshua and all Israel passed on from Eglon to Hebron. They waged war against it.

They captured it and struck with the sword everyone in it, including the king and all its surrounding villages. They completely destroyed every living creature in it, leaving no survivors, just as Joshua had done to Eglon. He completely destroyed it, and every living creature in it.

Then Joshua turned, and all the army of Israel with him, and they passed on to Debir and waged war against it.

He captured it and its king, and all its nearby villages. They struck them with the sword and completely destroyed every living creature that was in it. Joshua left no survivors, just as he had done to Hebron and its king, and just as he had done to Libnah and its king.

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.

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

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

Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned 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.