Joshua 10:1-27

Joshua 10:1-27

[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,  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  [6] 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  [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  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  [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,  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  [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.