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10 Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and had destroyed it. Joshua had done the same thing to Ai and its king that he had done to Jericho and its king. Adoni-zedek heard that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them. He was very much afraid. Because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the cities of a king. It was larger than Ai. All its men were strong. So Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon. He said to them, “Come and help me. Let us go fight against Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel.” So the five kings of the Amorites, the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, gathered together with all their armies. And they went and set up their tents by Gibeon, to fight against it.

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the tents at Gilgal, saying, “Do not leave your servants alone. Hurry and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered against us.” So Joshua went up from Gilgal. He took with him all the men of war and all the strong soldiers. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. For I have given them into your hands. Not one of them will stand in front of you.” So Joshua came upon them by surprise by traveling all night from Gilgal. 10 The Lord brought trouble upon the Amorites in front of Israel. He killed many of them at Gibeon, and went after them on the way up to Beth-horon. He killed them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 They ran from Israel. And while they ran from Beth-horon, the Lord made large hail-stones fall from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. More died from the hail-stones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord made the Amorites lose the war against the sons of Israel. He said, in the eyes of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon. O moon, stand still in the valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation punished those who fought against them. Is it not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the center of the sky. It did not hurry to go down for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the tents at Gilgal.

16 Now these five kings had run away and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the opening of the cave. Then put men there to watch over them. 19 But do not stay there yourselves. Go after those who hate you. Follow after them and fight. Do not let them go into their cities. For the Lord your God has given them into your hand.” 20 Joshua and the sons of Israel finished killing many of them, until they were destroyed. Those who were left alive went into their strong cities. 21 Then all the people returned to Joshua at the tents at Makkedah in peace. No one said a word against any of the people of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 The five kings were brought to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they brought those kings out to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel. He said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or troubled. Be strong and have strength of heart. For the Lord will do this to all who hate you and fight against you.” 26 After this Joshua killed the kings. He hanged them on five trees, and they hung on the trees until evening. 27 When the sun went down, Joshua had them taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Large stones were put over the opening of the cave. And they are there to this day.

28 Joshua took Makkedah on that day. He destroyed it and its king with the sword. He destroyed all of it and every person in it. No one was left alive. He did the same to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and all Israel went from Makkedah to fight against Libnah. 30 The Lord gave it and its king into the hands of Israel also. Joshua destroyed it and every person in it with the sword. He left no one alive. So he did the same to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Joshua and all Israel went from Libnah to Lachish. They stayed beside it and fought against it. 32 And the Lord gave Lachish into the hands of Israel. Joshua took it on the second day. He destroyed it and every person in it with the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.

33 Horam king of Gezer came to help Lachish. But Joshua won the battle against him and his people. He left no one alive.

34 Joshua and all Israel went from Lachish to Eglon. They stayed beside it and fought against it. 35 And they took it on that day and destroyed it with the sword. He destroyed every person who was in it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

36 Joshua and all Israel went from Eglon to Hebron. And they fought against it. 37 They took it and destroyed it. They destroyed its king, all its cities and all who were in it with the sword. He left no one alive, just as he had done to Eglon. He destroyed all of it and every person in it. 38 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to Debir. And they fought against it. 39 He took it, its king and all its cities. He destroyed them with the sword. Every person in it was destroyed. No one was left alive. He did the same to Debir and its king as he had done to Hebron and Libnah and their kings.

40 So Joshua won the war against the whole land, the hill country, the Negev, the valleys, the hill-sides, and all their kings. He left no one alive. He destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had told him. 41 Joshua killed them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza. He killed them in all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua took all these kings and their lands at the same time. Because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the tents at Gilgal.

11 Jabin king of Hazor heard what had happened. He sent news to Jobab king of Madon and to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph. He sent news to the kings in the hill country to the north, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the valleys, and in the high land of Dor to the west. He sent news to the Canaanite in the east and in the west, and the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite at the base of Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. Then they came out, they and all their armies with them. There were as many people as the sand beside the sea. And they had very many horses and war-wagons. All of these kings met and came and stayed together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

“Do not be afraid,” the Lord said to Joshua. “For tomorrow at this time I will have killed all of them for Israel. You will cut the legs of their horses and burn their war-wagons with fire.” So Joshua with all the men of war came upon them by surprise at the waters of Merom, and fought against them. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They won the war against them and ran after them as far as the big city of Sidon and Misrephoth-maim and the valley of Mizpeh to the east. They killed them until no one was left alive. Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him. He cut the legs of their horses and burned their war-wagons with fire.

10 Then Joshua turned back and took Hazor and killed its king with the sword. For Hazor had been the head of all these nations. 11 They killed every person in it with the sword, destroying all of them. There was no one left who breathed. Then he burned Hazor with fire. 12 Joshua took all the cities of these kings, and all their kings and killed them with the sword. He destroyed all of them, just as the Lord’s servant Moses had told him. 13 But Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their hills, except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The sons of Israel took for themselves all the riches of these cities and the cattle. But they killed every man with the sword until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed. 15 What the Lord had told His servant Moses to do, he told Joshua, and Joshua did it. He did everything the Lord had told Moses.

16 So Joshua took all that land. He took the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the valleys, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its valleys. 17 He took the land from Mount Halak which goes up to Seir as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon at the base of Mount Hermon. He took all their kings and killed them. 18 Joshua made war against these kings for a long time. 19 There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For the Lord made their hearts hard to meet Israel in battle, so Israel might destroy all of them. They would not be shown pity but would be destroyed, just as the Lord had told Moses.

21 At that time Joshua went and killed the big powerful men in the hill country. He killed them in Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua destroyed all of them with their cities. 22 There were no big powerful men left in the land of the people of Israel. Some were left only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, just as the Lord had told Moses. And Joshua gave it as a gift to Israel, a share for each family group. Then the land had rest from war.

12 These are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel won the war against east of the Jordan. They took their land from the Arnon valley to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east. There was Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the side of the Arnon valley, and from the center of the valley and half of Gilead as far as the river Jabbok, beside the Ammonites. And he ruled the Arabah as far as the Sea of Chinneroth in the east, and as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, east toward Beth-jeshimoth and south to the bottom of the hills of Pisgah. And they took the land of Og, king of Bashan, one of the Rephaim who were still living. Og lived at Ashtaroth and Edrei. He ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan. He ruled as far as the land of the Geshurites, the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the land of Sihon, king of Heshbon. The Lord’s servant Moses and the people of Israel won the war against them. Moses the Lord’s servant gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-family group of Manasseh.

These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel won the war against west of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak which goes up to Seir. (Joshua gave their land as a gift to the family groups of Israel, by each one’s share. He gave them the hill country, the valleys, the Arabah, the hill-sides, the desert, and the Negev. It was the land of the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.) There was the king of Jericho, the king of Ai which is beside Bethel, 10 the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, 11 the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, 12 the king of Eglon, and the king of Gezer. 13 There was the king of Debir, the king of Geder, 14 the king of Horman, the king of Arad, 15 the king of Libnah, the king of Adullam, 16 the king of Makkedah, and the king of Bethel. 17 There was the king of Tappuah, the king of Hepher, 18 the king of Aphek, the king of Lasharon, 19 the king of Madon, the king of Hazor, 20 the king of Shimron-meron, and the king of Achshaph. 21 There was the king of Taanach, the king of Megiddo, 22 the king of Kedesh, the king of Jokneam in Carmel, 23 the king of Dor in the high-lands of Dor, the king of Goiim in Gilgal, 24 and the king of Tirzah. There were thirty-one kings in all.

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