Page:Holy Bible Berean Standard Bible.pdf/278

'''270 king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, “Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and advanced with all their armies. They camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

So Joshua and his whole army, including all the mighty men of valor, came from Gilgal.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.”

After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise. And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel:

“O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar?

“So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.”

There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel.

Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

The Victory at Makkedah

Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”

So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”

So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities. The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites.

Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” So they brought the five kings out of the