Joshua 10:28-43

New International Reader's Version

The Campaign Against the Cities in the South

²⁸ That day Joshua captured Makkedah. He cut down its people and their king. He totally destroyed everyone in it. He didn’t leave anyone alive. He did to the king of Makkedah the same thing he had done to the king of Jericho.

²⁹ Joshua moved on from Makkedah to Libnah. Israel’s whole army went with him. They attacked Libnah. ³⁰ The Lord also handed that city and its king over to Israel. Joshua destroyed the city. He and his men killed everyone in it with their swords. He didn’t leave anyone alive there. He did to its king the same thing he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹ Joshua moved on from Libnah to Lachish. Israel’s whole army went with him. The men took up their battle positions. Then Joshua attacked Lachish. ³² The Lord handed it over to Israel. Joshua captured the city on the second day of the battle. He destroyed the city. He and his men killed everyone in it with their swords. He had done the same thing to Libnah. ³³ While all that was happening, Horam had come up to help Lachish. He was the king of Gezer. But Joshua won the battle over him and his army. No one was left alive.

³⁴ Joshua moved on from Lachish to Eglon. Israel’s whole army went with him. They took up their battle positions. Then they attacked Eglon. ³⁵ They captured it that same day. They totally destroyed everyone in it with their swords. They had done the same thing to Lachish.

³⁶ Joshua went up from Eglon to Hebron. Israel’s whole army went with him. Then they attacked Hebron. ³⁷ They captured the city. They destroyed it and its villages. They killed all its people and their king with their swords. They didn’t leave anyone alive. They totally destroyed the city and everyone in it. They had done the same thing at Eglon.

³⁸ Joshua turned back and attacked Debir. Israel’s whole army went with him. ³⁹ They captured the city, its king and its villages. They totally destroyed everyone in Debir with their swords. They didn’t leave anyone alive. They did to Debir and its king the same thing they had done to Libnah and its king. They had also done the same thing to Hebron.

⁴⁰ So Joshua brought the whole area under his control. That included the central hill country and the Negev Desert. It included the western hills and the mountain slopes. It also included all the kings in that whole area. Joshua didn’t leave anyone alive. He totally destroyed everyone who breathed. He did just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹ Joshua brought everyone from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza under his control. He did the same thing to everyone from the whole area of Goshen to Gibeon. ⁴² He won the battle over all those kings and their lands. He did it in one campaign. That’s because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

⁴³ Then Joshua returned to the camp at Gilgal. Israel’s whole army went with him.