The Day the Sun Stood Still
And it was, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction — as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he had done to Ai and to its king — and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were in their midst,
that they feared greatly, for Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
And Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent 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 let us strike Gibeon — for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.”
And the 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 — gathered and went up, they and all their camps; and they camped against Gibeon and made war on it.
And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, saying: “Do not let your hands drop from your servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us — for all the kings of the Amorite who live in the hill country have gathered against us.”
And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.
And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for into your hand I have given them. Not a man of them will stand before you.”
And Joshua came on them suddenly — all night he went up from Gilgal.
And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel; and he struck them a great blow at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them as far as Azekah and as far as Makkedah.
And it was, as they fled before Israel — they were on the descent of Beth-horon — that the LORD threw down on them great stones from the heavens, as far as Azekah, and they died. More died from the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
Then Joshua spoke to the LORD, on the day the LORD gave the Amorite before the sons of Israel; and he said in the eyes of Israel: “Sun, be still at Gibeon; and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
And the sun was still, and the moon stood, until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Is it not written in the Book of Jashar? And the sun stood in the middle of the heavens, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
And there has been no day like that day, before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man — for the LORD fought for Israel.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
The Victory at Makkedah
And these five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
And Joshua said, “Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and appoint men over it to guard them.
But you — do not stand still. Pursue after your enemies and strike their rear. Do not let them come into their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”
And it was, when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them a very great blow until they came to an end — and the survivors who survived of them went into the fortified cities —
that all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No one sharpened his tongue against any of the sons of Israel.
And Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out to me these five kings from the cave.”
And they did so, and brought 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 was, when they brought out these kings to Joshua, that Joshua called all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they came near and put their feet on their necks.
And Joshua said to them, “Do not fear, and do not be dismayed. Be strong and bold — for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until the evening.
And it was, at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua gave command, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden; and they put great stones over the mouth of the cave — there to this very day.
And Makkedah Joshua captured on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king. He devoted them to destruction, and every soul that was in it; he left no survivor. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Conquest of the Southern Cities
And Joshua crossed over, and all Israel with him, from Makkedah to Libnah, and made war on Libnah.
And the LORD gave it too into the hand of Israel, and its king; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul that was in it. He left in it no survivor. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
And Joshua crossed over, and all Israel with him, from Libnah to Lachish; and he camped against it and made war on it.
And the LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul that was 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 no survivor was left to him.
And Joshua crossed over, and all Israel with him, from Lachish to Eglon; and they camped against it and made war on it.
And they captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and every soul that was in it, on that day, he devoted to destruction, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
And Joshua went up, and all Israel with him, from Eglon to Hebron, and they made war on it.
And they captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword — and its king, and all its cities, and every soul that was in it. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon; and he devoted it to destruction, and every soul that was in it.
And Joshua turned back, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and made war on it.
And he captured it, and its king, and all its cities; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every soul that was in it. He left no survivor. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and to its king — and as he had done to Libnah and to its king.
And Joshua struck all the land — the hill country, and the Negev, and the lowland, and the slopes — and all their kings. He left no survivor; and everything that breathed he devoted to destruction, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.
And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the land of Goshen as far as Gibeon.
And all these kings and their land Joshua captured at one time, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.