Joshua

The Southern Campaign

Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, learned how Joshua had conquered and leveled Ai, doing to it and its king what he had done to Jericho and its king. He also knew how the Gibeonites had made peace with the Israelites and were living in their midst.

He feared greatly, for Gibeon was a vital city, a royal city greater than Ai, and its men were courageous.

Given this, Adonizedek sent for Hoham, king of Hebron, for Aram, king of Jarmuth, for Japhia, king of Lachish, and Debir, king of Eglon, saying:

“Come and help me conquer Gibeon, for it has made a pact with Joshua, and the Israelites.”

So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and set out, each one with troops. They encamped opposite Gibeon and surrounded it.

The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal: “Do not leave us alone, but come and help us, for all the Amorite kings who live on the mountains have united against us.”

So Joshua left Gilgal that day with all his valiant warriors.

Then the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid because I have placed them in your hands, and no one among them will be able to stand up against you.”

Joshua marched from Gilgal, journeying throughout the night and came upon the Amorites by surprise.

The Lord defeated them. The Israelites gained a significant victory in Gibeon and pursued the Amorites up the slope of Beth-horon, reaching Azekah and Makkedah.

As they were fleeing, the Lord rained huge hailstones on them and pursued them up to Azekah, and they were killed. There were more who died because of the hailstones than by the sword of the Israelites.

On that day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to them, Joshua addressed the Lord and said in the sight of all Israel:“Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and you, moon, in the valley of Aijalon.”

And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the people had taken revenge on their enemies: so it is written in the Book of the Just: “The sun stood still in mid-heaven and did not hasten to set for almost a whole day.

There has not been a day like this before or after in which the Lord obeyed the order of a man. It was the Lord who fought for Israel.”

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

But the five kings fled and hid in a Makkedah cave.

And so it was told to Joshua: “We have found the five kings. They are hiding in a cave at Makkedah.”

Joshua ordered: “Roll great stones against the cave entrance and set men to guard it.

But do not stay there. Pursue your enemies and fall upon their rear. Do not let them return to their cities, for the Lord, our God, has placed them in our hands.”

Joshua and the Israelites destroyed and completely defeated them. Only a few survivors were left who took refuge in the fortified cities

while all of Israel returned unscathed to the camp with Joshua. Henceforth, no one dared challenge them.

Then Joshua ordered: “Open the cave entrance, take the five kings out, and bring them to me.”

They did this and brought the five kings before Joshua: the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Lachish, Jarmuth, and Eglon.

Joshua assembled all Israel and said to the captains of the troops: “Come here and step on the necks of these kings.”So they came near and put their feet on the necks of the kings.

Then Joshua told them: “Do not be afraid or lose courage; be valiant and firm, for the Lord will do so to all your enemies against whom you will fight.”

Joshua immediately put them to death by hanging them on five trees until evening.

At nightfall, they took down the bodies of the kings and threw them into the same cave where they had hidden and closed it with great stones which remain there to this day.

On that same day, Joshua seized Makkedah. He slew its king and its inhabitants. And he consecrated it, and all that was in it, in anathema to the Lord, without sparing anyone. The king suffered the same fate as the king of Jericho.

Then Joshua and all Israel went to attack Libnah.

The Lord gave the city and its king to the Israelites, and they put to the sword all its inhabitants without sparing anyone. The king met the same fate as the king of Jericho.

From Libnah, Joshua went to Lachish, laid siege, and attacked it.

The Lord also gave them this city, its king, and its inhabitants suffered the same fate as Libnah.

Then Horam, king of Gezer, came to help Lachish. But Joshua destroyed him together with all his people without leaving anyone alive.

From Lachish, he then went to Eglon; he besieged it and conquered it on the same day.

The king and the inhabitants of Eglon were also put to death by the sword. They consecrated the city in anathema as they had done to Lachish.

From Eglon, they went to Hebron. Joshua conquered it with

towns that were subject to it, putting its king and inhabitants to the sword without letting anyone survive. He consecrated it in anathema, as he had dealt with Eglon.

Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir and attacked it. He took it as well as the towns subject to it.

He put his king and inhabitants to the sword, consecrating them in anathema, without sparing anyone. Debir and its king received the same punishment as Hebron and Libnah.

In this way, Joshua struck the whole region of the Mountains, the Negeb Desert, the plains, and the mountain slopes with their kings. He did not let anyone survive but consecrated all living beings in anathema according to what the Lord had commanded.

Joshua destroyed them all from Kadesh-Barnea to Gaza and from Goshen to Gibeon.

Joshua defeated all these kings and seized all these lands in one single campaign because the Lord fought for Israel.

Then he and all Israel returned to their camp at Gilgal.