Joshua 10:1-27

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:

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.