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The Day the Sun Stood Still

10 Now King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and completely destroyed(A) it, treating Ai and its king as he had Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon(B) had made peace with Israel and were living among them.(C) So Adoni-zedek and his people were[a] greatly alarmed because Gibeon was a large city like one of the royal cities;(D) it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. Therefore King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent word to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon, saying, ‘Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.’ So the five Amorite kings – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon – joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: ‘Don’t give up on your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.’ So Joshua and all his troops, including all his best soldiers, came from Gilgal.(E)

The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them,(F) for I have handed them over to you.(G) Not one of them will be able to stand against you.’(H)

So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion(I) before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them(J) from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

‘Sun,(K) stand still over Gibeon,
and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’
13 And the sun stood still
and the moon stopped
until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.

Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar?[b]

So the sun stopped
in the middle of the sky
and delayed its setting
almost a full day.

14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to a man, because the Lord fought for Israel.(L) 15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Execution of the Five Kings

16 Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was reported to Joshua, ‘The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.’

18 Joshua said, ‘Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. 19 But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.’ 20 So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. 21 The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten the Israelites.

22 Then Joshua said, ‘Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.’ 23 That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. 24 When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, ‘Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.’ So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous,(M) for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.’

26 After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung[c] their bodies on five trees[d] and they were there until evening.(N) 27 At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees(O) and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are still there today.(P)

Conquest of Southern Cities

28 On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it[e] and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho.(Q)

29 Joshua and all Israel with him(R) crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.(S) 30 The Lord also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah’s king as he had the king of Jericho.

31 From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it. 32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 At that time King Horam of Gezer went to help Lachish,(T) but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.

34 Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it. 35 On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

36 Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron(U) and attacked it. 37 They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. He left no survivors, just as he had done at Eglon. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it.

38 Finally, Joshua turned towards Debir(V) and attacked it. And all Israel was with him. 39 He captured it – its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king.

40 So Joshua conquered the whole region(W) – the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills,[f] and the slopes – with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.(X) 41 Joshua conquered everyone from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen(Y) as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.(Z) 43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Footnotes

  1. 10:2 One Hb ms, Syr, Vg read So he was
  2. 10:13 Or of the Upright
  3. 10:26 Or impaled
  4. 10:26 Or wooden stakes, also in v. 27
  5. 10:28 Some Hb mss read them
  6. 10:40 Or the Shephelah

五王合攻基遍

10 耶路撒冷亞多尼洗德聽見約書亞奪了城,盡行毀滅,怎樣待耶利哥耶利哥的王,也照樣待城和城的王,又聽見基遍的居民與以色列人立了和約,住在他們中間, 就甚懼怕。因為基遍是一座大城,如都城一般,比城更大,並且城內的人都是勇士。 所以耶路撒冷亞多尼洗德打發人去見希伯崙何咸耶末毗蘭拉吉雅非亞伊磯倫底璧,說: 「求你們上來幫助我,我們好攻打基遍,因為他們與約書亞以色列人立了和約。」 於是五個亞摩利王,就是耶路撒冷王、希伯崙王、耶末王、拉吉王、伊磯倫王,大家聚集,率領他們的眾軍上去,對著基遍安營,攻打基遍

基遍人就打發人往吉甲的營中去見約書亞,說:「你不要袖手不顧你的僕人,求你速速上來拯救我們,幫助我們,因為住山地亞摩利人的諸王都聚集攻擊我們。」 於是約書亞和他一切兵丁,並大能的勇士,都從吉甲上去。 耶和華對約書亞說:「不要怕他們,因為我已將他們交在你手裡,他們無一人能在你面前站立得住。」 約書亞就終夜從吉甲上去,猛然臨到他們那裡。 10 耶和華使他們在以色列人面前潰亂。約書亞基遍大大地殺敗他們,追趕他們,在伯和崙的上坡路擊殺他們,直到亞西加瑪基大 11 他們在以色列人面前逃跑,正在伯和崙下坡的時候,耶和華從天上降大冰雹[a]在他們身上,直降到亞西加,打死他們。被冰雹打死的,比以色列人用刀殺死的還多。

日月停止

12 當耶和華將亞摩利人交付以色列人的日子,約書亞就禱告耶和華,在以色列人眼前說:「日頭啊,你要停在基遍!月亮啊,你要止在亞雅崙谷!」 13 於是日頭停留,月亮止住,直等國民向敵人報仇。這事豈不是寫在《雅煞珥書》上嗎?「日頭在天當中停住,不急速下落,約有一日之久。」 14 在這日以前,這日以後,耶和華聽人的禱告沒有像這日的,是因耶和華為以色列爭戰。

15 約書亞以色列眾人回到吉甲的營中。

五王被擒見殺

16 那五王逃跑,藏在瑪基大洞裡。 17 有人告訴約書亞說:「那五王已經找到了,都藏在瑪基大洞裡。」 18 約書亞說:「你們把幾塊大石頭滾到洞口,派人看守。 19 你們卻不可耽延,要追趕你們的仇敵,擊殺他們儘後邊的人,不容他們進自己的城邑,因為耶和華你們的神已經把他們交在你們手裡。」 20 約書亞以色列人大大殺敗他們,直到將他們滅盡,其中剩下的人都進了堅固的城。 21 眾百姓就安然回瑪基大營中,到約書亞那裡。沒有一人敢向以色列人饒舌。

22 約書亞說:「打開洞口,將那五王從洞裡帶出來,領到我面前。」 23 眾人就這樣行,將那五王,就是耶路撒冷王、希伯崙王、耶末王、拉吉王、伊磯倫王,從洞裡帶出來,領到約書亞面前。 24 帶出那五王到約書亞面前的時候,約書亞就召了以色列眾人來,對那些和他同去的軍長說:「你們近前來,把腳踏在這些王的頸項上。」他們就近前來,把腳踏在這些王的頸項上。 25 約書亞對他們說:「你們不要懼怕,也不要驚惶。應當剛強壯膽,因為耶和華必這樣待你們所要攻打的一切仇敵。」 26 隨後約書亞將這五王殺死,掛在五棵樹上。他們就在樹上直掛到晚上。 27 日頭要落的時候,約書亞一吩咐,人就把屍首從樹上取下來,丟在他們藏過的洞裡,把幾塊大石頭放在洞口,直存到今日。

約書亞攻取諸邑

28 當日,約書亞奪了瑪基大,用刀擊殺城中的人和王,將其中一切人口盡行殺滅,沒有留下一個。他待瑪基大王像從前待耶利哥王一樣。

29 約書亞以色列眾人從瑪基大立拿去,攻打立拿 30 耶和華將立拿立拿的王也交在以色列人手裡。約書亞攻打這城,用刀擊殺了城中的一切人口,沒有留下一個。他待立拿王像從前待耶利哥王一樣。

31 約書亞以色列眾人從立拿拉吉去,對著拉吉安營,攻打這城。 32 耶和華將拉吉交在以色列人的手裡。第二天約書亞就奪了拉吉,用刀擊殺了城中的一切人口,是照他向立拿一切所行的。

33 那時基色荷蘭上來幫助拉吉約書亞就把他和他的民都擊殺了,沒有留下一個。

34 約書亞以色列眾人從拉吉伊磯倫去,對著伊磯倫安營,攻打這城。 35 當日就奪了城,用刀擊殺了城中的人。那日,約書亞將城中的一切人口盡行殺滅,是照他向拉吉一切所行的。

36 約書亞以色列眾人從伊磯倫希伯崙去,攻打這城, 37 就奪了希伯崙和屬希伯崙的諸城邑,用刀將城中的人與王,並那些城邑中的人口,都擊殺了,沒有留下一個,是照他向伊磯倫所行的,把城中的一切人口盡行殺滅。

38 約書亞以色列眾人回到底璧,攻打這城, 39 就奪了底璧和屬底璧的城邑,又擒獲底璧的王,用刀將這些城中的人口盡行殺滅,沒有留下一個。他待底璧底璧王,像從前待希伯崙立拿立拿王一樣。

40 這樣,約書亞擊殺全地的人,就是山地、南地、高原、山坡的人和那些地的諸王,沒有留下一個。將凡有氣息的盡行殺滅,正如耶和華以色列的神所吩咐的。 41 約書亞加低斯巴尼亞攻擊到加沙,又攻擊歌珊全地,直到基遍 42 約書亞一時殺敗了這些王,並奪了他們的地,因為耶和華以色列的神為以色列爭戰。 43 於是約書亞以色列眾人回到吉甲的營中。

Footnotes

  1. 約書亞記 10:11 「冰雹」原文作「石頭」。