1 Adoni-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. 2 The 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.

3 So 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.” 5 So 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.

6 The 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.”

7 So Joshua, all his fighting men and best fighters, set off from Gilgal. 8 The 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.”

9 By marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua arrived without warning. 10 The 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. 11 As 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 we killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day that the Lord handed the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke by* “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!” 13 The 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† “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. 14 There 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. 15 Then Joshua and all the army returned to the camp at Gilgal.

16 The five kings had run away and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings were hiding in a cave at Makkedah, 18 he gave this order, “Roll some large stones to block the entrance to the cave and have some men guard it. 19 But 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.”‡ “To you to defeat”: literally, “into your hand.” 20 So 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. 21 The army returned to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared even to threaten the Israelites.§ 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.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance and bring out the five kings to me from the cave.” 23 So they did, bringing out the five kings from the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When 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. 25 Joshua 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!” 26 Then Joshua killed the kings and hung their bodies on five trees and left them hanging there until the evening.* See Deuteronomy 21:22-23. 27 As 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.

28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah, killing all its inhabitants, including the king. He set it apart and completely destroyed it and everyone in it,† See the explanation at 6:17. leaving no survivors. He killed the king of Makkedah just as he had killed the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and the Israelite army left Makkedah and went to attack Libnah, 30 and 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.

31 Then Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Libnah to Lachish, surrounding the town and attacking it. 32 The 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. 33 Then Horam, king of Gezer, came with his army to help Lachish, but Joshua and his men killed them, leaving no survivors.

34 Joshua and the Israelite army moved on from Lachish to Eglon, surrounding the town and attacking it. 35 They 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.

36 Joshua and the Israelite army left Eglon and went to attack Hebron. 37 They 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.

38 Then Joshua and the Israelite army turned and went to attack Debir. 39 He 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.

40 So 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‡ Literally, “all that breathed.” This did not refer to the animals, however. as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua destroyed them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and the whole of the land from Goshen§ Not the Goshen in Egypt. to Gibeon. 42 All the kings and their lands were conquered by Joshua in one campaign because the Lord, the God of Israel, was fighting for the Israelites. 43 Joshua and the Israelite army then returned to the camp at Gilgal.