Joshua 10:3-23
Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king 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 abandon 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 his whole military force, including all the fighting men, came from Gilgal.The Lord said to Joshua,“ Do not be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal.The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them 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.On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel:“ Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”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? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting almost a full day.There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel.Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.It was reported to Joshua:“ The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”Joshua said,“ Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings.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.”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.The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten the Israelites.Then Joshua said,“ Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.”That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave.
