Joshua 10:16-43

New American Standard Bible

Victory at Makkedah

¹⁶ Now these ^(A)five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” ¹⁸ So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men by it to guard them, ¹⁹ but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and ^[a]attack them from behind. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” ²⁰ It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them down in a very great defeat, ^(B)until they were destroyed, and the survivors of them who escaped ^[b]had entered the fortified cities, ²¹ that all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one ^[c]uttered 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 ^(C)brought 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 leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come forward, ^(D)put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Joshua then said to them, “^(E)Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all your enemies with whom you fight.” ²⁶ So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he ^(F)hanged them on five ^[d]trees; and they were hung on the ^[e]trees until evening. ²⁷ Then it came about at ^[f]sunset that Joshua gave the command, and ^(G)they took them down from the ^[g]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; ^(H)he ^[h]utterly destroyed ^[i]it and every ^[j]person who was in it. He left no survivor. So he did to the king of Makkedah ^(I)just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Joshua’s Conquest of Southern Canaan

²⁹ Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to ^(J)Libnah, and fought against Libnah. ³⁰ And the Lord also handed it over to Israel, with its king, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. So 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 And the Lord handed Lachish over to 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 ^(K)Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua ^[k]defeated 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 ^[l]utterly destroyed on 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 ^(L)Hebron, and they fought against it. ³⁷ And 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 ^[m]utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.

³⁸ Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to ^(M)Debir, 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 ^[n]utterly 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 So Joshua struck all the land, ^(N)the hill country and the ^[o]Negev and the lowland and the slopes, and ^(O)all their kings. He left no survivor, but ^(P)he ^[p]utterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹ Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of ^(Q)Goshen even as far as Gibeon. ⁴² Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because ^(R)the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. ⁴³ So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp ^[q]at Gilgal.