1Adonizedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and completely destroyed it. He had done to Ai and its king just as he had done to Jericho and its king. He also heard that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living among them.
2Then they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai, and all its men were strong fighters.
3So Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent this message to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon:
4"Come up to me and help me. Let us attack Gibeon, because it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel."
5So the five kings of the Amorites joined together: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. They went up with all their armies, camped in front of Gibeon, and made war against it.
6The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal: "Do not hold back your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly. Save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who live in the mountains have joined together against us."
7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting men with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to stand against you."
10The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel. Israel struck them down with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the road that goes up to Bethhoron, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11As they fled from Israel and were going down from Bethhoron, the LORD threw down great stones from heaven on them, all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.
12On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to the children of Israel, Joshua spoke to the LORD. In the sight of Israel he said, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and you, Moon, over the valley of Ajalon."
13So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the people had taken vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? The sun stood still in the middle of the sky, and did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.
14There has never been a day like that one, before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man. For the LORD fought for Israel.
16But those five kings had run away and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17Joshua was told, "The five kings have been found. They are hiding in a cave at Makkedah."
18Joshua said, "Roll great stones over the mouth of the cave, and put men beside it to guard them."
19"But do not stay there yourselves. Chase after your enemies and strike down those at the back. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand."
20Joshua and the children of Israel finished killing them with a very great slaughter, until they were destroyed. The few who were left of them got into the walled cities.
21All the people came back safely to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah. No one said a word against any of the children of Israel.
22Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me."
23They did so. They brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel. He said to the commanders of the fighting men who had gone with him, "Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks.
25Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, and do not lose heart. Be strong and brave. This is what the LORD will do to all your enemies whom you fight."
26After that Joshua struck them down and killed them, and hanged them on five trees. They hung on the trees until the evening.
27At the time of sunset Joshua gave the order, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden. They put great stones over the mouth of the cave, and those stones are there to this very day.
28That day Joshua took Makkedah and struck it with the edge of the sword. He completely destroyed its king, the city, and every person in it. He let no one remain. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29Then Joshua went on from Makkedah to Libnah, and all Israel with him, and fought against Libnah.
30The LORD gave it and its king into the hand of Israel too. Joshua struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it. He let no one remain in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31Then Joshua went on from Libnah to Lachish, and all Israel with him. They camped against it and fought against it.
32The LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. They took it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, just as they had done to Libnah.
33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. Joshua struck him down and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.
34From Lachish Joshua went on to Eglon, and all Israel with him. They camped against it and fought against it.
35They took it that same day and struck it with the edge of the sword. That day he completely destroyed every person in it, just as he had done to Lachish.
37They took it and struck it with the edge of the sword, along with its king, all its towns, and every person in it. He left no one remaining, just as he had done to Eglon. He completely destroyed it, and every person in it.
38Then Joshua turned back to Debir, and all Israel with him, and fought against it.
39He took it, and its king, and all its towns. They struck them with the edge of the sword and completely destroyed every person in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and as he had done to Libnah and its king.
40So Joshua struck down the whole land: the hill country, the south, the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but completely destroyed everything that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded.
41Joshua struck them down from Kadeshbarnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
42Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.