1 Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had 1Or put under the banutterly destroyed it (just AJosh 8:21fas he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had BJosh 9:15made peace with Israel and were 2Lit among themwithin their land, 2 that 1Lit theyhe AEx 15:14-16feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word AJosh 10:23to Hoham king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us 1Lit smiteattack Gibeon, for it has AJosh 9:15made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” 5 So the five kings of ANum 13:29the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.

6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not 1Lit slacken your hands fromabandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and AJosh 8:1all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. 8 The Loʀᴅ said to Joshua, “AJosh 1:5, 9Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not 1Lit a manone of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly 1Lit he went upby marching all night from Gilgal. 10 ADeut 7:23And the Loʀᴅ confounded them before Israel, and He 1Lit struckslew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, APs 18:12f; Is 28:2the Loʀᴅ threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died 1Lit withfrom the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Loʀᴅ in the day when the Loʀᴅ delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

Is it not written in B2 Sam 1:18the book of Jashar? And CIs 38:8the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Loʀᴅ listened to the voice of a man; for AEx 14:14; Deut 1:30; Josh 10:42the Loʀᴅ fought for Israel.

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

16 Now these AJosh 10:5five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and 1Lit smite their tailattack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Loʀᴅ your God has delivered them into your hand.” 20 It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished 1Lit strikingslaying them with a very great slaughter, ADeut 20:16until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them 2Lit and hadhad entered the fortified cities, 21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one 1Lit sharpened his tongueuttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 They did so, and ADeut 7:24brought these five kings out to him 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 When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, AMal 4:3put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua then said to them, “AJosh 10:8Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the Loʀᴅ will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” 26 So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he AJosh 8:29hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. 27 It came about at 1Lit the time of the going of the sunsunset that Joshua gave a command, and ADeut 21:22, 23they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; ADeut 20:16he 1Or put under the banutterly destroyed 2Some mss read themit and every 3Lit soul, and so throughout the chperson who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah BJosh 6:21just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to AJosh 15:42; 21:13Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 The Loʀᴅ gave it also with its king into the hands of Israel, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. Thus he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it. 32 The Loʀᴅ gave Lachish into the hands of Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of AJosh 16:3, 10; Judg 1:29; 1 Kin 9:16fGezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua 1Lit smotedefeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor.

34 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it. 35 They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he 1Or put under the banutterly destroyed that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to ANum 13:22; Judg 1:10, 20; 2 Sam 5:1, 3, 5, 13; 2 Chr 11:10Hebron, and they fought against it. 37 They captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he 1Or put it under the banutterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to AJosh 15:15; Judg 1:11; 1 Chr 6:58Debir, and they fought against it. 39 He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and 1Or put it under the banutterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king.

40 Thus Joshua struck all the land, ADeut 1:7the hill country and the 1I.e. South countryNegev and the lowland and the slopes and BDeut 7:24all their kings. He left no survivor, but CDeut 20:16he 2Or put it under the banutterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the Loʀᴅ, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of AJosh 11:16; 15:51Goshen even as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because AJosh 10:14the Loʀᴅ, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.