Joshua 10:11-28

¹¹As they ran away from Israel, down the hill from Beth Horon, Yahweh threw large stones down from heaven upon them all the way to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than who were killed with the sword by the men of Israel.

¹²Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh on the day Yahweh gave the men of Israel victory over the Amorites. This is what Joshua said to Yahweh before Israel, “Sun, be still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

¹³The sun stood still, and the moon stopped moving until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky; it did not go down for about a whole day.

¹⁴There has been no other day like it before or after it, when Yahweh obeyed the voice of a human being. For Yahweh was waging war on behalf of Israel.

¹⁵Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

¹⁶Now the five kings had escaped and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

¹⁷It was told to Joshua, “They have been found!—the five kings hidden in the cave at Makkedah!”

¹⁸Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and place soldiers there to guard them.

¹⁹Do not stay yourselves. Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not permit them to enter into their cities, because Yahweh your God has given them into your hand.”

²⁰Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaughtering them with a very great slaughter, until they were almost completely destroyed; only a few survivors who escaped reached the fortified cities.

²¹Then the whole army returned in peace to Joshua at the camp at Makkedah. No one dared to say one word against any of the people of Israel.

²²Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and out of the cave bring to me these five kings.”

²³They did as he said. They brought to him these 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.

²⁴When they brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned every man of Israel. He said to the commanders of the soldiers who had gone into battle with him, “Put your feet on their necks.” So they came up and put their feet on their necks.

²⁵Then he said to them, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all your enemies you are going to fight.”

²⁶Then Joshua attacked and killed the kings. He hung them on five trees. They hung on the trees until evening.

²⁷When it was sunset, Joshua gave orders, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves. They put large stones over the mouth of the cave. Those stones remain there to this very day.

²⁸In this way, Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and killed everyone there with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivor in it. He did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.