1Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai , and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king , so he had done to Ai and her king ; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel , and were among them; 2That they feared greatly , because Gibeon was a great city , as one of the royal cities , and because it was greater than Ai , and all the men thereof were mighty . 3Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron , and unto Piram king of Jarmuth , and unto Japhia king of Lachish , and unto Debir king of Eglon , saying , 4Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon : for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel . 5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites , the king of Jerusalem , the king of Hebron , the king of Jarmuth , the king of Lachish , the king of Eglon , gathered themselves together , and went up , they and all their hosts , and encamped before Gibeon , and made war against it. 6And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal , saying , Slack not thy hand from thy servants ; come up to us quickly , and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. 7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal , he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour . 8And the LORD said unto Joshua , Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand ; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly , and went up from Gilgal all night . 10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel , and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon , and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon , and smote them to Azekah , and unto Makkedah . 11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel , and were in the going down to Beth-horon , that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah , and they died : they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword . 12Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel , and he said in the sight of Israel , Sun , stand thou still upon Gibeon ; and thou, Moon , in the valley of Ajalon . 13And the sun stood still , and the moon stayed , until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies . Is not this written in the book of Jasher ? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven , and hasted not to go down about a whole day . 14And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man : for the LORD fought for Israel . 15And Joshua returned , and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal .
The Defeat of the Five Kings
16But these five kings fled , and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah . 17And it was told Joshua , saying , The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah . 18And Joshua said , Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave , and set men by it for to keep them: 19And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies , and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities : for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand . 20And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter , till they were consumed , that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities . 21And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace : none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel . 22Then said Joshua , Open the mouth of the cave , and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave . 23And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave , the king of Jerusalem , the king of Hebron , the king of Jarmuth , the king of Lachish , and the king of Eglon . 24And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua , that Joshua called for all the men of Israel , and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near , put your feet upon the necks of these kings . And they came near , and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed , be strong and of good courage : for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight . 26And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees : and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening . 27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun , that Joshua commanded , and they took them down off the trees , and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid , and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth , which remain until this very day .
Conquest of Southern Canaan
28And that day Joshua took Makkedah , and smote it with the edge of the sword , and the king thereof he utterly destroyed , them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain : and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho . 29Then Joshua passed from Makkedah , and all Israel with him, unto Libnah , and fought against Libnah : 30And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel ; and he smote it with the edge of the sword , and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho . 31And Joshua passed from Libnah , and all Israel with him, unto Lachish , and encamped against it, and fought against it: 32And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel , which took it on the second day , and smote it with the edge of the sword , and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah . 33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish ; and Joshua smote him and his people , until he had left him none remaining . 34And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon , and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: 35And they took it on that day , and smote it with the edge of the sword , and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day , according to all that he had done to Lachish . 36And Joshua went up from Eglon , and all Israel with him, unto Hebron ; and they fought against it: 37And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword , and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining , according to all that he had done to Eglon ; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein. 38And Joshua returned , and all Israel with him, to Debir ; and fought against it: 39And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword , and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining : as he had done to Hebron , so he did to Debir , and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah , and to her king . 40So Joshua smote all the country of the hills , and of the south , and of the vale , and of the springs , and all their kings : he left none remaining , but utterly destroyed all that breathed , as the LORD God of Israel commanded . 41And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza , and all the country of Goshen , even unto Gibeon . 42And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time , because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel . 43And Joshua returned , and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal .