10It wasn't long before My-Master-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and destroyed it and its king under a holy curse, just as he had done to Jericho and its king. He also learned that the people of Gibeon had come to terms with Israel and were living as neighbors.H139H4428H3389H8085H3588H3091H3920H5857H2763H6213H3405H4428H6213H5857H4428H3427H1391H7999H3478H71302He and his people were alarmed: Gibeon was a big city—as big as any with a king and bigger than Ai—and all its men were seasoned fighters.H3372H3966H1391H1419H5892H259H4467H5892H1419H5857H582H13683Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon:H139H4428H3389H7971H1944H4428H2275H6502H4428H3412H3309H4428H3923H1688H4428H5700H5594"Come and help me. Let's attack Gibeon; they've joined up with Joshua and the People of Israel."H5927H5826H5221H1391H7999H3091H1121H34785So the five Amorite (Western) kings—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—combined their armies and set out to attack Gibeon.H2568H4428H567H4428H3389H4428H2275H4428H3412H4428H3923H4428H5700H622H5927H4264H2583H1391H38986The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua camped at Gilgal, "Don't let us down now! Come up here quickly! Save us! Help us! All the Amorite kings who live up in the hills have ganged up on us."H582H1391H7971H3091H4264H1537H559H7503H3027H5650H5927H4120H3467H5826H4428H567H3427H2022H69087So Joshua set out from Gilgal, his whole army with him—all those tough soldiers!H3091H5927H1537H5971H4421H1368H24288GOD told him, "Don't give them a second thought. I've put them under your thumb—not one of them will stand up to you."H3068H559H3091H3372H5414H3027H376H5975H64409Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them by total surprise.H3091H935H6597H5927H1537H391510GOD threw them into total confusion before Israel, a major victory at Gibeon. Israel chased them along the ridge to Beth Horon and fought them all the way down to Azekah and Makkedah.H3068H2000H6440H3478H5221H1419H4347H1391H7291H1870H4608H1032H5221H5825H471911As they ran from the People of Israel, down from the Beth Horon ridge and all the way to Azekah, GOD pitched huge stones on them out of the sky and many died. More died from the hailstones than the People of Israel killed with the sword.H5127H6440H3478H4174H1032H3068H7993H1419H68H8064H5825H4191H7227H4191H1259H68H834H1121H3478H2026H271912The day GOD gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to GOD, with all Israel listening: "Stop, Sun, over Gibeon; Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley."H1696H3091H3068H3117H3068H5414H567H6440H1121H3478H559H5869H3478H8121H1826H1391H3394H6010H35713And Sun stopped, Moon stood stock still Until he defeated his enemies. (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day.H8121H1826H3394H5975H1471H5358H341H1931H3789H5612H3477H8121H5975H2677H8064H213H935H8549H311714There's never been a day like that before or since—GOD took orders from a human voice! Truly, GOD fought for Israel.H3117H6440H310H3068H8085H6963H376H3068H3898H347815Then Joshua returned, all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.H3091H7725H3478H4264H153716Meanwhile the five kings had hidden in the cave at Makkedah.H2568H4428H5127H2244H4631H471917Joshua was told, "The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah."H5046H3091H559H2568H4428H4672H2244H4631H471918Joshua said, "Roll big stones against the mouth of the cave and post guards to keep watch.H3091H559H1556H1419H68H6310H4631H6485H582H810419But don't you hang around—go after your enemies. Cut off their retreat. Don't let them back into their cities. GOD has given them to you."H5975H7291H310H341H2179H5414H935H5892H3068H430H5414H302720Joshua and the People of Israel then finished them off, total devastation. Only a few got away to the fortified towns.H3091H1121H3478H3615H5221H3966H1419H4347H8552H8300H8277H935H4013H589221The whole army then returned intact to the camp and to Joshua at Makkedah. There was no criticism that day from the People of Israel!H5971H7725H4264H3091H4719H7965H2782H3956H376H1121H347822Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring me those five kings."H559H3091H6605H6310H4631H3318H2568H4428H463123They did it. They brought him the five kings from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.H6213H3318H2568H4428H4631H4428H3389H4428H2275H4428H3412H4428H3923H4428H570024When they had them all there in front of Joshua, he called up the army and told the field commanders who had been with him, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." They stepped up and put their feet on their necks.H3318H4428H3091H3091H7121H376H3478H559H7101H582H4421H1980H7126H7760H7272H6677H4428H7126H7760H7272H667725Joshua told them, "Don't hold back. Don't be timid. Be strong! Be confident! This is what GOD will do to all your enemies when you fight them."H3091H559H3372H2865H2388H553H3068H6213H341H389826Then Joshua struck and killed the kings. He hung them on five trees where they remained until evening.H310H3091H5221H4191H8518H2568H6086H8518H6086H615327At sunset Joshua gave the command. They took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden. They put large stones at the mouth of the cave. The kings are still in there.H6256H935H8121H3091H6680H3381H6086H7993H4631H2244H7760H1419H68H4631H6310H6106H311728That same day Joshua captured Makkedah, a massacre that included the king. He carried out the holy curse. No survivors. Makkedah's king got the same treatment as Jericho's king.H3117H3091H3920H4719H5221H6310H2719H4428H2763H5315H7604H8300H6213H4428H4719H6213H4428H340529Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.H3091H5674H4719H3478H3841H3898H384130GOD gave Libnah to Israel. They captured city and king and massacred the lot. No survivors. Libnah's king got the same treatment as Jericho's king.H3068H5414H4428H3027H3478H5221H6310H2719H5315H7604H8300H6213H4428H6213H4428H340531Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Libnah to Lachish. He set up camp nearby and attacked.H3091H5674H3841H3478H3923H2583H389832GOD gave Lachish to Israel. Israel took it in two days and killed everyone. He carried out the holy curse, the same as with Libnah.H3068H5414H3923H3027H3478H3920H8145H3117H5221H6310H2719H5315H6213H384133Horam, king of Gezer, arrived to help Lachish. Joshua attacked him and his army until there was nothing left of them. No survivors.H2036H4428H1507H5927H5826H3923H3091H5221H5971H7604H830034Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Lachish to Eglon. They set up camp and attacked.H3923H3091H5674H5700H3478H2583H389835They captured it and killed everyone, carrying out the holy curse, the same as they had done with Lachish.H3920H3117H5221H6310H2719H5315H2763H3117H6213H392336Joshua, all Israel with him, went up from Eglon to Hebron. He attackedH3091H5927H5700H3478H2275H389837and captured it. They killed everyone, including its king, its villages, and their people. No survivors, the same as with Eglon. They carried out the holy curse on city and people.H3920H5221H6310H2719H4428H5892H5315H7604H8300H6213H5700H2763H531538Then Joshua, all Israel with him, turned toward Debir and attacked it.H3091H7725H3478H1688H389839He captured it, its king, and its villages. They killed everyone. They put everyone and everything under the holy curse. No survivors. Debir and its king got the same treatment as Hebron and its king, and Libnah and its king.H3920H4428H5892H5221H6310H2719H2763H5315H7604H8300H6213H2275H6213H1688H4428H6213H3841H442840Joshua took the whole country: hills, desert, foothills, and mountain slopes, including all kings. He left no survivors. He carried out the holy curse on everything that breathed, just as GOD, the God of Israel, had commanded.H3091H5221H776H2022H5045H8219H794H4428H7604H8300H2763H5397H3068H430H3478H668041Joshua's conquest stretched from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the entire region of Goshen to Gibeon.H3091H5221H6947H5804H776H1657H139142Joshua took all these kings and their lands in a single campaign because GOD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.H4428H776H3091H3920H259H6471H3068H430H3478H3898H347843Then Joshua, all Israel with him, went back to the camp at Gilgal.H3091H7725H3478H4264H1537
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