Joshua 10

New International Version

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. ²He 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. ³So 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) ⁴“Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace^(L) with Joshua and the Israelites.”

⁵Then 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.

⁶The 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.”

⁷So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army,^(P) including all the best fighting men. ⁸The 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)

⁹After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. ¹⁰The 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) ¹¹As 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.

¹²On 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)”
¹³So 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. ¹⁴There 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!

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

Five Amorite Kings Killed

¹⁶Now the five kings had fled^(AI) and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, ¹⁸he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. ¹⁹But 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.”

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

²²Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” ²³So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. ²⁴When 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.

²⁵Joshua 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.” ²⁶Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

²⁷At 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

²⁸That 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)

²⁹Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah^(AT) and attacked it. ³⁰The 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.

³¹Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish;^(AU) he took up positions against it and attacked it. ³²The 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. ³³Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer^(AV) had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

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

³⁶Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron^(AX) and attacked it. ³⁷They 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.

³⁸Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.^(AZ) ³⁹They 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)

⁴⁰So 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) ⁴¹Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea^(BF) to Gaza^(BG) and from the whole region of Goshen^(BH) to Gibeon. ⁴²All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought^(BI) for Israel.

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

Footnotes

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.
Joshua 10:13 Or nation triumphed over

Jeremiah 4

New International Version

4 “If you, Israel, will return,^(A)
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols^(B) out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,
²and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear,^(C) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’^(D)
then the nations will invoke blessings^(E) by him
    and in him they will boast.^(F)”

³This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:

“Break up your unplowed ground^(G)
    and do not sow among thorns.^(H)
⁴Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
    circumcise your hearts,^(I)
    you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath^(J) will flare up and burn like fire^(K)
    because of the evil^(L) you have done—
    burn with no one to quench^(M) it.

Disaster From the North

⁵“Announce in Judah and proclaim^(N) in Jerusalem and say:
    ‘Sound the trumpet^(O) throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
    ‘Gather together!
    Let us flee to the fortified cities!’^(P)
⁶Raise the signal^(Q) to go to Zion!
    Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster^(R) from the north,^(S)
    even terrible destruction.”

⁷A lion^(T) has come out of his lair;^(U)
    a destroyer^(V) of nations has set out.
He has left his place
    to lay waste^(W) your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins^(X)
    without inhabitant.
⁸So put on sackcloth,^(Y)
    lament^(Z) and wail,
for the fierce anger^(AA) of the Lord
    has not turned away from us.

⁹“In that day,” declares the Lord,
“the king and the officials will lose heart,^(AB)
the priests will be horrified,
and the prophets will be appalled.”^(AC)

¹⁰Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived^(AD) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’^(AE) when the sword is at our throats!”

¹¹At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind^(AF) from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; ¹²a wind^(AG) too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments^(AH) against them.”

¹³Look! He advances like the clouds,^(AI)
    his chariots^(AJ) come like a whirlwind,^(AK)
his horses^(AL) are swifter than eagles.^(AM)
    Woe to us! We are ruined!^(AN)
¹⁴Jerusalem, wash^(AO) the evil from your heart and be saved.^(AP)
    How long^(AQ) will you harbor wicked thoughts?
¹⁵A voice is announcing from Dan,^(AR)
    proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.^(AS)
¹⁶“Tell this to the nations,
    proclaim concerning Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,^(AT)
    raising a war cry^(AU) against the cities of Judah.^(AV)
¹⁷They surround^(AW) her like men guarding a field,
    because she has rebelled^(AX) against me,’”
declares the Lord.
¹⁸“Your own conduct and actions^(AY)
    have brought this on you.^(AZ)
This is your punishment.
    How bitter^(BA) it is!
    How it pierces to the heart!”

¹⁹Oh, my anguish, my anguish!^(BB)
    I writhe in pain.^(BC)
Oh, the agony of my heart!
    My heart pounds^(BD) within me,
    I cannot keep silent.^(BE)
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;^(BF)
    I have heard the battle cry.^(BG)
²⁰Disaster follows disaster;^(BH)
    the whole land lies in ruins.^(BI)
In an instant my tents^(BJ) are destroyed,
    my shelter in a moment.
²¹How long must I see the battle standard^(BK)
    and hear the sound of the trumpet?^(BL)

²²“My people are fools;^(BM)
    they do not know me.^(BN)
They are senseless children;
    they have no understanding.^(BO)
They are skilled in doing evil;^(BP)
    they know not how to do good.”^(BQ)

²³I looked at the earth,
    and it was formless and empty;^(BR)
and at the heavens,
    and their light^(BS) was gone.
²⁴I looked at the mountains,
    and they were quaking;^(BT)
    all the hills were swaying.
²⁵I looked, and there were no people;
    every bird in the sky had flown away.^(BU)
²⁶I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;^(BV)
    all its towns lay in ruins^(BW)
    before the Lord, before his fierce anger.^(BX)

²⁷This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,^(BY)
    though I will not destroy^(BZ) it completely.
²⁸Therefore the earth will mourn^(CA)
    and the heavens above grow dark,^(CB)
because I have spoken and will not relent,^(CC)
    I have decided and will not turn back.^(CD)”

²⁹At the sound of horsemen and archers^(CE)
    every town takes to flight.^(CF)
Some go into the thickets;
    some climb up among the rocks.^(CG)
All the towns are deserted;^(CH)
    no one lives in them.

³⁰What are you doing,^(CI) you devastated one?
    Why dress yourself in scarlet
    and put on jewels^(CJ) of gold?
Why highlight your eyes with makeup?^(CK)
    You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers^(CL) despise you;
    they want to kill you.^(CM)

³¹I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,^(CN)
    a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of Daughter Zion^(CO) gasping for breath,^(CP)
    stretching out her hands^(CQ) and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
    my life is given over to murderers.”^(CR)