Joshua 10
10
Sun Stands Still
1Now it came to pass that Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it—just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and remained among them.
2So he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a large city, as one of the royal cities—in fact, larger than Ai—and all its men were mighty.
3Therefore 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:
4“Come up and help me! Let’s attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and Bnei-Yisrael.”
5So 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 and went up, they and all their armies, camped against Gibeon and attacked it.
6Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in camp at Gilgal saying: “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, for all the kings of the Amorites living in the hill country have gathered against us.”
7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor.
8Adonai said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will stand before you.”
9So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.
10Adonai threw them into confusion before Israel, defeated them with a crushing defeat at Gibeon, chased them by the road that goes up to Beth-horon, and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11While they were fleeing before Israel down the descent of Beth-horon, Adonai cast down great stones from heaven on them all the way to Azekah so they died—more of them died from the hailstones than those Bnei-Yisrael killed with the sword.
12Then Joshua spoke to Adonai, on the day Adonai gave the Amorites over to Bnei-Yisrael, and said in the eyes of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, Moon, over the Aijalon Valley!”
13So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. (Is it not written in the Book of Jashar?) Thus the sun halted in the middle of the sky, and did not hurry to go down for about a full day.
14There was no day like that before it or after it, when Adonai listened to the voice of a man. For Adonai fought for Israel.
15Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16Now these five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
17So it was reported to Joshua, “The five kings are found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
18Joshua said, “Roll large stones onto the mouth of the cave, assign men over it to guard them,
19but don’t stay there yourselves. Chase after your enemies and attack them at the rear. Don’t let them enter their cities, for Adonai your God has given them into your hand.”
20So it was that Joshua and Bnei-Yisrael finished striking them with a very great slaughter until they were wiped out, though some of their survivors escaped into the fortified cities.
21Then all the people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. No one dared sharpen his tongue against Bnei-Yisrael.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.”
23So they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.
24When they brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and put their feet on their necks.
25Then Joshua said to them, “Never fear or be dismayed. Chazak! Be strong! For thus will Adonai do to all your enemies whom you will fight.”
26After this, Joshua struck them and put them to death, then hanged them on five trees, and they remained hanging on the trees until evening.
27It came about at sunset that Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden themselves. Then they placed large stones at the mouth of the cave which are there to this very day.
28On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword, putting it and every single soul in it under a ban of destruction, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
30 Adonai also gave it with its king into the hand of Israel. So he struck it and every single soul in it with the edge of the sword, leaving no survivors in it. So he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, camped against it and fought against it.
32Adonai delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, so he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every single soul in it with the edge of the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.
33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his people until he had left him no survivors.
34Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, camped against it and fought against it.
35They captured it on that day and struck it and every single soul in it with the edge of the sword, putting them under the ban that day, just as he had done to Lachish.
36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron, and they fought against it.
37They captured it and struck it, its king, all its towns, and every single soul that was in it with the edge of the sword, leaving no survivors, just as he had done to Eglon, putting it and every single soul in it under the ban.
38Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it.
39He captured it and its king, and all its towns, struck them with the edge of the sword and put every single soul in it under the ban, leaving no survivors. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king.
40So Joshua conquered the entire country—the hill country, the Negev, the lowland and the slopes—with all their kings. He left no survivors, but he put everything that breathed under the ban, just as Adonai God of Israel had commanded.
41Thus Joshua defeated them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon.
42Thus Joshua captured all those kings and their lands at a single stroke, because Adonai God of Israel fought for Israel.
43Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
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Joshua 10: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Joshua 10
10
1Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, learned that Joshua had captured Ai and destroyed the town completely, as he had also done to Jericho, and had killed its king, just as he had the king of Jericho. He also heard that the Gibeonites had made peace with the Israelites and were allied with them. 2The people of Jerusalem were very frightened by this because Gibeon was a large town—as large as any town ruled by the king, and larger than Ai, and its men were tough fighters.
3So Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, sent a message to Hoham, king of Hebron, Piram, king of Jarmuth, Japhia, king of Lachish, and Debir, king of Eglon, saying, 4“Come and help me attack Gibeon because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 5So these five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and their armies gathered and set off. They surrounded Gibeon and then began their attack.
6The Gibeonites sent a message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Please don't abandon us, your servants! Come quickly and save us! We need your help for all the Amorite kings of the hill country have joined in attacking us.”
7So Joshua, all his fighting men and best fighters, set off from Gilgal. 8The Lord had said to Joshua, “Don't be afraid of them, for you will defeat them. Not a single one will be able to stand against you.”
9By marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua arrived without warning. 10The Lord threw the Amorite armies into a panic when they saw the Israelites. He struck them down with a great blow at Gibeon; he chased them all the way up to Beth-horon, cutting them down on the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11As they ran away from the Israelites down the slope from Beth-horon, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the skies all the way to Azekah. More were killed by the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
12On the day that the Lord handed the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke by#10:12. “By”: or “because of.” Though often translated as “to,” the sense here indicates divine approval rather than a conversation. the Lord in the presence of the Israelites, saying, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon! Moon, stand still over the Valley of Aijalon!” 13The sun stopped moving, and the moon stood still, until the nation of Israel had inflicted defeat on their enemies. (This is recorded in the Book of Jashar#10:13. “Book of Jasher”: Or “Book of the Upright.” This book is no longer known. It is also referred to in 2 Samuel 1:18.). The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not go down for around a full day. 14There wasn't a day like this ever before or since when the Lord listened to a human voice in such a way. It was because the Lord was fighting for Israel. 15Then Joshua and all the army returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16The five kings had run away and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17When Joshua was told that the five kings were hiding in a cave at Makkedah, 18he gave this order, “Roll some large stones to block the entrance to the cave and have some men guard it. 19But don't you stay there. Chase the enemy down and attack them from the rear. Don't let them escape to their towns for the Lord has given them to you to defeat.”#10:19. “To you to defeat”: literally, “into your hand.” 20So Joshua and the Israelites totally defeated them, striking them down and killing them. Only a few of them survived to escape back to their towns. 21The army returned to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared even to threaten the Israelites.#10:21. In other words, the surrounding peoples were so intimidated by this success that they didn't dare even to speak against the Israelites, let alone attack them.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance and bring out the five kings to me from the cave.” 23So they did, bringing out the five kings from the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the fighting men, and said to the commanders who had gone with him, “Come here, and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came over and put their feet on their necks. 25Joshua said to them, “Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! Be strong and be brave! For the Lord is going to do the same thing to all your enemies that you're going to fight!” 26Then Joshua killed the kings and hung their bodies on five trees and left them hanging there until the evening.#10:26. See Deuteronomy 21:22-23. 27As the sun went down Joshua gave the order to take their bodies down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. Then the Israelites piled up stones over the entrance to the cave, and they are there to this very day.
28That day Joshua captured Makkedah, killing all its inhabitants, including the king. He set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it,#10:28. See the explanation at 6:17. leaving no survivors. He killed the king of Makkedah just as he had killed the king of Jericho.
29Then Joshua and the Israelite army left Makkedah and went to attack Libnah, 30and the Lord gave the town and its king to the Israelites. Joshua had everyone in it killed, leaving no survivors. He killed its king just as he had killed the king of Jericho.
31Then Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Libnah to Lachish, surrounding the town and attacking it. 32The Lord gave the town to the Israelites who captured it on the second day. Joshua had everyone in it killed, just as he had done in Libnah. 33Then Horam, king of Gezer, came with his army to help Lachish, but Joshua and his men killed them, leaving no survivors.
34Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Lachish to Eglon, surrounding the town and attacking it. 35They captured it the same day. Joshua had everyone in it killed that very day. He set it apart and completely destroyed it, just as he had done in Lachish.
36Joshua and the Israelite army left Eglon and went to attack Hebron. 37They captured the town, as well as the towns nearby. Joshua had all the inhabitants killed, leaving no survivors. Just as he had done in Eglon, he set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it.
38Then Joshua and the Israelite army turned and went to attack Debir. 39He captured it and its king and all the towns nearby. Joshua had all the inhabitants killed, leaving no survivors. Just as he had done in Hebron, he set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it. He killed the king of Debir just as he had killed the king of Libnah.
40So Joshua conquered the whole land—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes—and all their kings. He didn't leave a single survivor. He killed everyone#10:40. Literally, “all that breathed.” This did not refer to the animals, however. as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41Joshua destroyed them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and the whole of the land from Goshen#10:41. Not the Goshen in Egypt. to Gibeon. 42All the kings and their lands were conquered by Joshua in one campaign because the Lord, the God of Israel, was fighting for the Israelites. 43Joshua and the Israelite army then returned to the camp at Gilgal.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com