Joshua 10

The Sun Stands Still

1 As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, 1 m doing to Ai and its king n as he had done to Jericho and its king, and o how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 p he 2 feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 "Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For q it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel." 5 Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, r gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua s at the camp in Gilgal, saying, "Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us." 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and t all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, u "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. v Not a man of them shall stand before you." 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. 10 w And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who 3 struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of x the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were x going down the ascent of Beth-horon, y the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
z "Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14 a There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for b the Lord fought for Israel.

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

Five Amorite Kings Executed

16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at d Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, "The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah." 18 And Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; e attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand." 20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow f until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. g Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave." 23 And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings." Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, h "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. i For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And j they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and k they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

28 As for l Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah m just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Conquest of Southern Canaan

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to n Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30 And the Lord gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it. And he did to its king m as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to o Lachish and laid siege to it and fought against it. 32 And the Lord gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of p Gezer came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people, until he left none remaining.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to q Eglon. And they laid siege to it and fought against it. 35 And they captured it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he devoted every person in it to destruction that day, as he had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to r Hebron. And they fought against it 37 and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns, and every person in it. He left none remaining, as he had done to Eglon, and devoted it to destruction and every person in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to s Debir and fought against it 39 and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. Just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king.

40 So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland t and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, u but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel commanded. 41 And Joshua struck them from v Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of w Goshen, as far as Gibeon. 42 And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, x because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 y Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

  1. Cross References
    Joshua 8:22
    And the others came out from the city against them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And Israel struck them down, until there was left none that survived or escaped.
    Joshua 8:26 - 29
    But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 6:21
    Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
    Joshua 6:24
    And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 9:15
    And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:25
    No one shall be able to stand against you. The Lord your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.
  5. Cross References
    Joshua 10:1
    As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them.
    Joshua 9:15
    And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
  6. Cross References
    Joshua 9:2
    They gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
  7. Cross References
    Joshua 5:10
    While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.
    Joshua 9:6
    And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.
  8. Cross References
    Joshua 8:1
    And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.
    Joshua 8:3
    So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night.
  9. Cross References
    Joshua 11:6
    And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.
    Judges 4:14
    And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 1:5
    No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 4:15
    And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.
    1 Samuel 7:10
    As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.
    Psalms 18:14
    And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
    Isaiah 28:21
    For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed - strange is his deed! and to work his work - alien is his work!
  12. Cross References
    Joshua 16:3
    Then it goes down westward to the territory of ...
    Joshua 16:5
    The territory of the people of Ephraim by their...
    Joshua 18:13 - 14
    From there the boundary passes along southward ...
    1 Kings 9:17
    So Solomon rebuilt Gezer) and Lower Beth-horon
    1 Chronicles 7:24
    His daughter was Sheerah, who built both Lower ...
    2 Chronicles 8:5
    He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-h...
  13. Cross References
    Joshua 10:10
    And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 18:12 - 14
    Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
    Isaiah 30:30
    And the Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones.
    Revelation 16:21
    And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
  15. Cross References
    Habakkuk 3:11
    The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear.
    Isaiah 28:21
    For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed - strange is his deed! and to work his work - alien is his work!
  16. Cross References
    Isaiah 38:8
    Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps." So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.
    2 Kings 20:11
    And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.
  17. Cross References
    Joshua 10:42
    And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
    Joshua 23:3
    And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.
    Joshua 23:10
    One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.
  18. Cross References
    Joshua 10:43
    Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
  19. Cross References
    Joshua 10:10
    And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
    Joshua 10:28 - 29
    As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 25:18
    How he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.
  21. Cross References
    Joshua 8:24
    When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.
  22. Cross References
    Exodus 11:7
    But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
  23. Cross References
    Joshua 1:6
    Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
    Joshua 1:9
    Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
    Deuteronomy 31:6 - 8
    Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
  24. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 3:21
    And I commanded Joshua at that time, 'Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing.
    Deuteronomy 7:19
    The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.
  25. Cross References
    Joshua 8:29
    And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.
  26. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:22 - 23
    And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree.
  27. Cross References
    Joshua 10:10
    And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
    Joshua 10:16 - 17
    These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
  28. Cross References
    Joshua 6:21
    Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
  29. Cross References
    Joshua 21:13
    And to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands.
  30. Cross References
    Joshua 10:28
    As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
  31. Cross References
    Joshua 10:3
    So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying.
  32. Cross References
    Joshua 16:10
    However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor.
    Judges 1:29
    And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
    1 Kings 9:15 - 17
    And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer
  33. Cross References
    Joshua 10:3
    So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying.
  34. Cross References
    Joshua 15:13
    According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak).
    Judges 1:10
    And Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba), and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.
    Joshua 14:13 - 15
    Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
  35. Cross References
    Joshua 15:15 - 17
    And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher.
    Judges 1:11 - 13
    From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir. The name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher.
  36. Cross References
    Joshua 12:8
    In the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negeb, the land of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites):
  37. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:16 - 17
    But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes.
  38. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 9:23
    And when the Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' then you rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God and did not believe him or obey his voice.
  39. Cross References
    Joshua 11:16
    So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland
  40. Cross References
    Joshua 10:14
    There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.
  41. Cross References
    Joshua 10:15
    So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Previous Book Next Book