Joshua 10
Modern English Version
The Sun Stands Still
10 Now when King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem heard that Joshua captured Ai and destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he and his people were very afraid. Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 4 “Come and help me! Let us attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and all the children of Israel.”
5 So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—and all their armies gathered, advanced, and camped against Gibeon. Then they waged war against it.
6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the Gilgal settlement: “Do not abandon your slaves. Come up to us quickly. Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have gathered against us.”
7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have given them into your hand. Not a single man can stand before you.”
9 Then Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 The Lord panicked them before Israel. They struck them with overwhelming force at Gibeon, then Israel pursued them on the road that rises to Beth Horon and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from Israel on the downslope from Beth Horon, the Lord hurled large hailstones down upon them from the sky as far as Azekah. They died, and in fact more died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.
12 On the day the Lord gave over the Amorites to the children of Israel, Joshua spoke to the Lord and said in full view of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stood in place
until the people brought vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the book of Jashar?
The sun stood still in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. 14 There has not been a day like this either before or after it, when the Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord waged war for Israel.
15 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, returned to the settlement at Gilgal.
The Execution of Five Amorite Kings
16 Yet these five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding themselves in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 So Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave, and station men to stand guard over it. 19 As for you, do not stop pursuing your enemies, but attack them from behind. Do not let them go back to their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”
20 When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished striking them with overwhelming force until they were completely defeated, the survivors escaped from them and went back to their fortified cities. 21 Then all the people returned safely to Joshua at the Makkedah settlement, and no one spoke against any of the children of Israel.
22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out to me those five kings from the cave.” 23 They did this, and they brought out those five kings from the cave: the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When they brought out those five kings to Joshua, he called out to all the men of Israel and the army commanders, “Come here and place your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and placed their feet on their necks.
25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed. Be strong and courageous! For this is what the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 After that, Joshua struck them down, killed them, and hung them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until evening.
27 At sundown Joshua commanded men to take them down from the trees and throw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves. Over the mouth of the cave he placed large stones, which remain to this day.
Southern Cities Conquered
28 Joshua took Makkedah that day and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He destroyed it and all life within it. He did not leave any survivors. He did to the king of Makkedah just as he did to the king of Jericho. 29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah to Libnah with all of Israel, and they fought against Libnah. 30 The Lord gave Libnah and its king into the hand of Israel, and they struck all who lived in it with the edge of the sword. There were no survivors left. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.
31 Then Joshua passed from Libnah to Lachish with all of Israel, camped against it, and waged war against it. 32 The Lord gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. They captured it on the second day and struck all who lived in it with the edge of the sword, just as they had done to Libnah. 33 King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua attacked him and his people until he did not have a single survivor left.
34 From Lachish, Joshua and all of Israel passed to Eglon. They camped against it and waged war against it. 35 They captured it that day and struck it with the edge of the sword. All who lived in it were destroyed that day, just as Israel had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all of Israel went up from Eglon to Hebron and waged war against it. 37 They captured it and struck its king, and all who lived in it, and its surrounding towns with the edge of the sword. No survivor was left. Just as they had done to Eglon, they destroyed it and all who lived in it.
38 Then Joshua and all of Israel turned to Debir and waged war against it. 39 They captured it, its king, and all its surrounding towns and struck them with the edge of the sword. They destroyed all who lived in them, and no survivor was left. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king.
40 So Joshua attacked the whole land: the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, the mountain slopes, and all their kings. No survivor was left. He destroyed all who breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 41 Joshua attacked the land from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and the land of Goshen as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign because the Lord God of Israel waged war for Israel.
43 Then Joshua and all of Israel returned to the settlement at Gilgal.
Joshua 10
21st Century King James Version
10 Now it came to pass when Adonizedec 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 and all the men thereof were mighty.
3 Therefore Adonizedec 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 against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, “Slacken not thy hand from thy servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites who 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 valor.
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 thee.”
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 that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel and were at the descent of Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died. There were more who died with hailstones than those whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spoke 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 Aijalon.”
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 hastened not to go down for 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 hidden in a cave at Makkedah.”
18 And Joshua said, “Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them.
19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies and smite the hindmost of them. Permit 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 who remained of them entered into fortified 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, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war who 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 of them.
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.
28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed — them and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain, and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30 And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel. And he smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain in it, but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it and fought against it.
32 And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls who were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people until he had left him none remaining.
34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it.
35 And they took it on that day and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it.
37 And they took it and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof and all the cities thereof and all the souls who were therein. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but destroyed it utterly and all the souls who were therein.
38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.
39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and to the king thereof, as he had done also to Libnah and to her king.
40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south and of the vale and of the springs, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
41 And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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