Joshua 10:3-24

3So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon:

4“Come to my aid so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

5So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon.

6The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon your subjects! Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.”

7So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal.

8The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. Not one of them can resist you.”

9Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal.

10The Lord routed them before Israel. Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

11As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

12The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon! O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”

13The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day.

14There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord fought for Israel!

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

16The five Amorite kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah.

17Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”

18Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it.

19But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! Don’t allow them to retreat to their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.”

20Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities.

21Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. No one dared threaten the Israelites.

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

23They did as ordered; they brought the five kings out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.

24When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up and put their feet on their necks.