Joshua 10
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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) 2 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. 3 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, 4 ‘Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.’ 5 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.
6 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.’ 7 So Joshua and all his troops, including all his best soldiers, came from Gilgal.(E)
8 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)
9 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.
Joshua 10
Revised Geneva Translation
10 Now when Adoni Zedek, king of Jerusalem, had heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had destroyed it, (for as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so had he done to Ai and to its king) and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them,
2 then they feared exceedingly. For Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities. For it was greater than Ai, and all its men mighty.
3 Therefore, Adoni Zedek, king of Jerusalem, sent word to Hoham, king of Hebron, and to Piram, king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia, king of Lachish, and to Debir, king of Eglon, saying,
4 “Come up to me and help me, so that we may strike Gibeon. For they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”
5 Therefore, the five kings of the Amorites—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—gathered themselves together and went up, they with all their hosts, and besieged Gibeon and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not withdraw your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the men of might.
8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them. For I have given them into your hand. None of them shall stand against you.”
9 Therefore, Joshua came to them suddenly. He went up from Gilgal all night.
10 And the LORD confused them before Israel, and killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goes up to Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah, and to Makkedah.
11 And as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth Horon, the LORD cast down great stones from Heaven upon them, up to Azekah. And they died. More died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.
12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD, on the day when the LORD gave the Amorites before the children of Israel. And he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stay in Gibeon! And Moon, you stay in the Valley of Aijalon!”
13 And the Sun stayed, and the Moon stood still, until the people avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the Sun stayed in the midst of the sky and did not hurry to go down for a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD heard the voice of a man. For the LORD fought for Israel.
15 Afterward, Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
16 But the five kings fled and were hidden in a cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah.”
18 Then Joshua said, “Roll great stones over the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them.
19 “But do not stand still. Follow after your enemies and strike all the hindmost. Do not let them enter into their cities. For the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”
20 And when Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with an exceedingly great slaughter, till they were exhausted, and the rest who remained of them had entered into walled cities,
21 then all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No man moved his tongue against the children of Israel.
22 Afterward, Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring out these five kings to me from the cave.”
23 And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24 And when they had brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chief of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Set your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And they came near and set their feet upon their necks.
25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage. For thus will the LORD do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
26 So then Joshua struck them, and killed them, and hanged them on five trees. And they hung still upon the trees until the evening.
27 And at the going down of the Sun, Joshua gave commandment that they should take them down off the trees and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hidden. And they laid great stones upon the cave’s mouth, which remain until this day.
28 And that same day Joshua took Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he destroyed its king with them, and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain. For he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua went from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30 And the LORD also gave it and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain in it. For he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua departed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and besieged it, and assaulted it.
32 And the LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein, the same as he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish. But Joshua struck him and his people, until none of his remained.
34 And from Lachish, Joshua departed to Eglon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged it, and assaulted it.
35 And they took it the same day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And all the souls who were therein he utterly destroyed the same day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron, and they fought against it.
37 And when they had taken it, they struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and all the souls who were therein. He left none remaining, the same as he had done to Eglon. For he destroyed it utterly, and all the souls who were therein.
38 So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.
39 And when he had taken it, and its king, and all its cities, they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein. He let none remain. As he did to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king, as he had also done to Libnah and to its king.
40 So Joshua struck all the hill countries, and the south countries, and the valleys, and the hillsides, and all their kings, and let none remain, but utterly destroyed every soul, as the LORD God of Israel had Commanded.
41 And Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.
42 And Joshua took all these kings, and their land, at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
43 Afterward, Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp in Gilgal.
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