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10 When Adoni-Tzedek king of Yerushalayim heard how Y’hoshua had taken ‘Ai and utterly destroyed it — he had done the same to ‘Ai and its king as he had done to Yericho and its king — and how the inhabitants of Giv‘on had made peace with Isra’el and were living among them, his people became greatly alarmed; because Giv‘on was as large as one of the royal cities, larger than ‘Ai, and all its men were courageous. So Adoni-Tzedek king of Yerushalayim sent this message to Hoham king of Hevron, Pir’am king of Yarmut, Yafia king of Lakhish and D’vir king of ‘Eglon: “Come up and help me, and we’ll attack Giv‘on, because it has made peace with Y’hoshua and the people of Isra’el.” So the five kings of the Emori — the kings of Yerushalayim, Hevron, Yarmut, Lakhish and ‘Eglon — got together, went up with all their armies, pitched camp against Giv‘on and made war against it.

The people of Giv‘on sent a message to Y’hoshua at their camp in Gilgal that said, “Don’t ignore your servants! Come up to us quickly, and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Emori living in the hills have gotten together to fight us.” Y’hoshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting men with him, including all the bravest ones. Adonai said to Y’hoshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you; not one of their men will stand against you.”

Having spent the entire night marching up from Gilgal, Y’hoshua fell upon them, taking them by surprise. 10 Adonai threw them into confusion before Isra’el and defeated them in a great slaughter at Giv‘on, pursuing them along the road that goes up from Beit-Horon, and beating them back to ‘Azekah and all the way to Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Isra’el down the road to Beit-Horon, Adonai threw huge hailstones down on them all the way to ‘Azekah, and they died; more died because of the hail than because Isra’el had killed them with the sword.

12 Then, on the day Adonai handed over the Emori to the people of Isra’el, Y’hoshua spoke to Adona i; in the sight of Isra’el he said,

“Sun, stand motionless over Giv‘on!
Moon, you too, over Ayalon Valley!”

13 So the sun stood still and the moon stayed put,
till Isra’el took vengeance on their enemies.

This is written in the book of Yashar. The sun stood still in the sky and was in no rush to set for nearly a whole day. 14 There has never been a day like that before or since, when Adonai listened to the voice of a man; it happened because Adonai was fighting on Isra’el’s behalf.

15 Y’hoshua returned with all Isra’el to the camp at Gilgal. 16 But those five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah, 17 and it was reported to Y’hoshua that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah. 18 Y’hoshua said, “Roll big stones to the mouth of the cave, and put men there to guard them. 19 However, you, don’t wait, but keep chasing your enemies, and attack those farthest in the rear. Don’t allow them to return to their cities, because Adonai has handed them over to you.” 20 After Y’hoshua and the people of Isra’el had finished killing them off in a very great slaughter, till they had been destroyed, and the remaining remnant had entered the fortified cities, 21 all the people returned safely to Y’hoshua at the camp in Makkedah; and no one said a word against any of the people of Isra’el.

22 Then Y’hoshua said, “Open up the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me. 23 They did it; they brought the five kings out to him — the kings of Yerushalayim, Hevron, Yarmut, Lakhish and ‘Eglon. 24 After they had brought the five kings to Y’hoshua, he summoned all the men of Isra’el and said to the commanders of the soldiers who had gone with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came and put their feet on their necks. 25 Y’hoshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid or confused, but be strong and bold, because this is what Adonai will do to all your enemies that you fight against.” 26 With that, Y’hoshua struck them and put them to death, hanging them on five trees, where they remained hanging until evening. 27 At sunset Y’hoshua gave an order, and they lowered them from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, then laid big stones at the mouth of the cave; and there they remain to this day.

28 Y’hoshua captured Makkedah that day, defeating it and its king by the sword. He completely destroyed them, everyone there — he left no one; and he did to the king of Makkedah what he had done to the king of Yericho.

29 Y’hoshua went on from Makkedah, and all Isra’el with him, to Livnah; and he fought against Livnah. 30 Adonai also handed it and its king over to Isra’el. He defeated it with the sword, everyone there — he left no one, and he did to its king what he had done to the king of Yericho.

31 Y’hoshua went on from Livnah, and all Isra’el with him, to Lakhish; and he pitched camp against it and fought against it. 32 Adonai handed it over to Isra’el; he captured it the second day. He defeated it with the sword, everyone there, exactly as he had done to Livnah. 33 But then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lakhish; so Y’hoshua attacked him and his people, until he had no one left with him.

34 Y’hoshua went on from Lakhish, and all Isra’el with him, to ‘Eglon; and he pitched camp against it and fought against it. 35 They captured it that very day. He defeated it with the sword, completely destroying everyone there, exactly as he had done to Lakhish.

36 Y’hoshua went up from ‘Eglon, and all Isra’el with him, to Hevron; and they fought against it. 37 They captured it, defeating it with the sword, including its king, its villages and everyone there; he left no one, exactly as he had done to ‘Eglon; but he completely destroyed it and everyone there.

38 Y’hoshua turned back, and all Isra’el with him, to D’vir and fought against it. 39 They captured it, its king and all its villages, defeating them with the sword and utterly destroying everyone there; he left no one. He did to D’vir and it king as he had done to Hevron and as he had done to Livnah and its king.

40 So Y’hoshua attacked all the land — the hills, the Negev, the Sh’felah and the mountain slopes — and all their kings; he left none but completely destroyed everything that breathed, as Adonai the God of Isra’el had ordered. 41 Y’hoshua attacked them from Kadesh-Barnea to ‘Azah and all the land of Goshen, as far as Giv‘on. 42 Y’hoshua captured all these kings and their land all at the same time, because Adonai the God of Isra’el fought on Isra’el’s behalf. 43 Then Y’hoshua returned, and all Isra’el with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

11 When Yavin king of Hatzor heard of it, he informed Yovav king of Madon; the king of Shimron; the king of Akhshaf; the kings to the north, in the hills, in the ‘Aravah south of Kinn’rot, in the Sh’felah and in the regions of Dor on the west; the Kena‘ani to east and west; the Emori, Hitti, P’rizi and Y’vusi in the hills; and the Hivi at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mitzpah. So they set out, they and all their armies, many people, in number like the sand at the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. All these kings met together, then came and pitched camp together at the Merom Spring, to fight Isra’el.

Adonai said to Y’hoshua, “Don’t be afraid on their account; because at this time tomorrow I will hand them over, all of them dead, before Isra’el. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.” So Y’hoshua came against them suddenly with all his fighting men and fell on them at the Merom Spring.

Adonai handed them over to Isra’el — they attacked and chased them to Greater Tzidon, Misrefot-Mayim and eastward to the Mitzpeh Valley; they attacked them until none of them was left. Y’hoshua did to them what Adonai had ordered — he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots. 10 Then Y’hoshua turned back and captured Hatzor, striking its king dead with the sword; for in time past Hatzor had been the head of all those kingdoms. 11 They put everyone there to death with the sword, completely destroying them; there was nothing left that breathed; and he burned Hatzor to the ground. 12 Y’hoshua captured all the cities of those kings and the kings as well; he defeated them with the sword and completely destroyed them, as Moshe the servant of Adonai had ordered. 13 But as for the cities built on their tels, Isra’el burned none of them except Hatzor; Y’hoshua did burn that one. 14 All the spoil of these cities and the livestock the people of Isra’el took as booty for themselves; but every human being they put to death with the sword, until they had destroyed them — they left no one breathing. 15 Moshe had given orders to Y’hoshua, just as Adonai had given orders to Moshe his servant, and Y’hoshua acted accordingly — he did everything Adonai had ordered Moshe.

16 So Y’hoshua captured all that land, the hills, the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the Sh’felah, the ‘Aravah and the Isra’el hills and Sh’felah, 17 from the bare mountain that goes up to Se‘ir to Ba‘al-Gad in the L’vanon Valley under Mount Hermon; and he took all their kings, struck them and put them to death. 18 Y’hoshua made war with all those kings for a long time. 19 Not one city made peace with the people of Isra’el, except for the Hivi living in Giv‘on; they took everything in battle. 20 For it was Adonai who caused them to harden their hearts and come against Isra’el in battle, so that they would be utterly destroyed, so that they would not find favor but be destroyed, in keeping with the orders Adonai had given Moshe.

21 Y’hoshua at that time came and cut off the ‘Anakim from the land — from Hevron, D’vir, ‘Anav and from all the hill-country of Y’hudah and Isra’el; Y’hoshua utterly destroyed them and their cities. 22 No ‘Anakim were left in the land of the people of Isra’el — only in ‘Azah, Gat and Ashdod did some remain. 23 Y’hoshua took the whole land, in keeping with all that Adonai had said to Moshe and to Isra’el according to their divisions into tribes. Then the land rested from war.

12 These are the kings of the land whom the people of Isra’el defeated and of whose land they took possession, across the Yarden toward the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon and all the ‘Aravah eastward:

Sichon king of the Emori, who lived in Heshbon and ruled the territory that includes ‘Aro‘er, at the edge of the Arnon Valley; the middle of the valley; half of Gil‘ad, to the Yabok River, which forms the border with the people of ‘Amon; the ‘Aravah to Lake Kinneret eastward and to the sea of the ‘Aravah, the Dead Sea, eastward by way of Beit-Yeshimot and on the south under the slopes of Pisgah.

There was also the territory of ‘Og king of Bashan, who belonged to the remnant of the Refa’im. He lived at ‘Ashtarot and at Edre‘i; and he ruled Mount Hermon; Salkhah; all Bashan, to the border with the G’shuri and the Ma‘akhati; and half of Gil‘ad, to its border with Sichon king of Heshbon.

Moshe the servant of Adonai, with the people of Isra’el, defeated them; and Moshe the servant of Adonai gave it to the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh as their possession.

7-8 Following are the kings of the land whom Y’hoshua, with the people of Isra’el, defeated in the area west of the Yarden, between Ba‘al-Gad in the L’vanon Valley and the bare mountain that goes up to Se‘ir. Y’hoshua gave this land, inhabited by the Hitti, Emori, Kena‘ani, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi, to the tribes of Isra’el to possess, according to their divisions, in the hills, the Sh’felah, the ‘Aravah, the mountain slopes, the desert and the Negev:

the king of Yericho,
the king of ‘Ai, by Beit-El,
10 the king of Yerushalayim,
the king of Hevron,
11 the king of Yarmut,
the king of Lakhish,
12 the king of ‘Eglon,
the king of Gezer,
13 the king of D’vir,
the king of Geder,
14 the king of Hormah,
the king of ‘Arad,
15 the king of Livnah,
the king of ‘Adulam,
16 the king of Makkedah,
the king of Beit-El,
17 the king of Tapuach,
the king of Hefer,
18 the king of Afek,
the king of Sharon,
19 the king of Madon,
the king of Hatzor,
20 the king of Shimron-M’ron,
the king of Akhshaf,
21 the king of Ta‘anakh,
the king of Megiddo,
22 the king of Kedesh,
the king of Yokne‘am in Karmel,
23 the king of Dor in the region of Dor,
the king of Goyim in the Gilgal, and
24 the king of Tirtzah —

making a total of thirty-one kings.

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. He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron,(G) Piram king of Jarmuth,(H) Japhia king of Lachish(I) and Debir(J) king of Eglon.(K) “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace(L) with Joshua and the Israelites.”

Then the five kings(M) of the Amorites(N)—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal:(O) “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army,(P) including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid(Q) of them; I have given them into your hand.(R) Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”(S)

After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion(T) before Israel,(U) so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.(V) Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon(W) and cut them down all the way to Azekah(X) and Makkedah.(Y) 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones(Z) down on them,(AA) and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites(AB) over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
    and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.(AC)
13 So the sun stood still,(AD)
    and the moon stopped,
    till the nation avenged itself on[b] its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.(AE)

The sun stopped(AF) in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting(AG) for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.(AH)

Five Amorite Kings Killed

16 Now the five kings had fled(AI) and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18 he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19 But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”

20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely,(AJ) but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.(AK) 21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings(AL) to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet(AM) on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet(AN) on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.(AO) This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

27 At sunset(AP) Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.(AQ)

Southern Cities Conquered

28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors.(AR) And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.(AS)

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah(AT) and attacked it. 30 The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish;(AU) he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32 The Lord gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer(AV) had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon;(AW) they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron(AX) and attacked it. 37 They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone(AY) in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.(AZ) 39 They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.(BA)

40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev,(BB) the western foothills and the mountain slopes,(BC) together with all their kings.(BD) He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.(BE) 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea(BF) to Gaza(BG) and from the whole region of Goshen(BH) to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought(BI) for Israel.

43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.(BJ)

Northern Kings Defeated

11 When Jabin(BK) king of Hazor(BL) heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron(BM) and Akshaph,(BN) and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah(BO) south of Kinnereth,(BP) in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor(BQ) on the west; to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites(BR) and Jebusites in the hill country;(BS) and to the Hivites(BT) below Hermon(BU) in the region of Mizpah.(BV) They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.(BW) All these kings joined forces(BX) and made camp together at the Waters of Merom(BY) to fight against Israel.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand(BZ) all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring(CA) their horses and burn their chariots.”(CB)

So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon,(CC) to Misrephoth Maim,(CD) and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.(CE) (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed[c] them,(CF) not sparing anyone that breathed,(CG) and he burned(CH) Hazor itself.

12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.(CI) 13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed.(CJ) 15 As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.(CK)

16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country,(CL) all the Negev,(CM) the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills,(CN) the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir,(CO) to Baal Gad(CP) in the Valley of Lebanon(CQ) below Mount Hermon.(CR) He captured all their kings and put them to death.(CS) 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites(CT) living in Gibeon,(CU) not one city made a treaty of peace(CV) with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts(CW) to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.(CX)

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites(CY) from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir(CZ) and Anab,(DA) from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza,(DB) Gath(DC) and Ashdod(DD) did any survive.

23 So Joshua took the entire land,(DE) just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance(DF) to Israel according to their tribal divisions.(DG) Then the land had rest(DH) from war.(DI)

List of Defeated Kings

12 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took(DJ) over east of the Jordan,(DK) from the Arnon(DL) Gorge to Mount Hermon,(DM) including all the eastern side of the Arabah:(DN)

Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.(DO)

He ruled from Aroer(DP) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River,(DQ) which is the border of the Ammonites.(DR) This included half of Gilead.(DS) He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee[d](DT) to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea(DU)), to Beth Jeshimoth,(DV) and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.(DW)

And the territory of Og king of Bashan,(DX) one of the last of the Rephaites,(DY) who reigned in Ashtaroth(DZ) and Edrei.

He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah,(EA) all of Bashan(EB) to the border of the people of Geshur(EC) and Maakah,(ED) and half of Gilead(EE) to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them.(EF) And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.(EG)

Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon(EH) to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev.(EI) These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:(EJ)

the king of Jericho(EK)one
the king of Ai(EL) (near Bethel(EM))one
10 the king of Jerusalem(EN)one
the king of Hebronone
11 the king of Jarmuthone
the king of Lachish(EO)one
12 the king of Eglon(EP)one
the king of Gezer(EQ)one
13 the king of Debir(ER)one
the king of Gederone
14 the king of Hormah(ES)one
the king of Arad(ET)one
15 the king of Libnah(EU)one
the king of Adullam(EV)one
16 the king of Makkedah(EW)one
the king of Bethel(EX)one
17 the king of Tappuah(EY)one
the king of Hepher(EZ)one
18 the king of Aphek(FA)one
the king of Lasharonone
19 the king of Madonone
the king of Hazor(FB)one
20 the king of Shimron Meronone
the king of Akshaph(FC)one
21 the king of Taanach(FD)one
the king of Megiddo(FE)one
22 the king of Kedesh(FF)one
the king of Jokneam(FG) in Carmel(FH)one
23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor(FI))one
the king of Goyim in Gilgalone
24 the king of Tirzah(FJ)one
thirty-one kings in all.(FK)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 10:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 28, 35, 37, 39 and 40.
  2. Joshua 10:13 Or nation triumphed over
  3. Joshua 11:11 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 12, 20 and 21.
  4. Joshua 12:3 Hebrew Kinnereth