The Sun Stands Still

10 Now Adoni-Zedek^(A) king of Jerusalem^(B) heard that Joshua had taken Ai^(C) and totally destroyed^[a](D) it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon^(E) had made a treaty of peace^(F) with Israel and had become their allies.

Melchizedek the Priest

7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem^(A) and priest of God Most High.^(B) He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,^(C)

¹⁹ Except for the Hivites^(A) living in Gibeon,^(B) not one city made a treaty of peace^(C) with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. ²⁰ For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts^(D) to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(E)

¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace^(A) with them to let them live,^(B) and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

¹⁶ Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near^(C) them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth^(D) and Kiriath Jearim.^{(E) 18} But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath^(F) to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled^(G) against the leaders, ¹⁹ but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. ²⁰ This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath^(H) we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(I) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(J) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way^(K) from you,’ while actually you live near^(L) us? ²³ You are now under a curse:^(M) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told^(N) how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. ²⁵ We are now in your hands.^(O) Do to us whatever seems good and right^(P) to you.”

²⁶ So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. ²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites^(Q) woodcutters and water carriers^(R) for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose.^(S) And that is what they are to this day.

²² Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives.^{(A) 23} But they took the king of Ai alive^(B) and brought him to Joshua.

²⁴ When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. ²⁵ Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.^{(C) 26} For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin^(D) until he had destroyed^[a](E) all who lived in Ai.^{(F) 27} But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.^(G)

²⁸ So Joshua burned^(H) Ai^[b](I) and made it a permanent heap of ruins,^(J) a desolate place to this day.^{(K) 29} He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset,^(L) Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks^(M) over it, which remains to this day.

² You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder^(A) and livestock for yourselves.^(B) Set an ambush^(C) behind the city.”

²¹ They devoted^(A) the city to the Lord and destroyed^(B) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

¹⁸ Then Melchizedek^(A) king of Salem^(B) brought out bread^(C) and wine.^(D) He was priest of God Most High,^(E)