Joshua 10 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and completely destroyed it — doing the same to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king — and that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them,

he and his people were terrified, because Gibeon was an important city — like one of the royal cities — bigger than Ai, and all its men were strong fighters.

So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon:

"Come up and help me attack Gibeon, because they've made peace with Joshua and the Israelites."

So the five Amorite kings — the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon — joined forces. They marched up with all their armies and set up camp against Gibeon, attacking it.

The men of Gibeon sent an urgent message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal: "Don't abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly — rescue us and help us! All the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us."

So Joshua marched up from Gilgal — he and his entire fighting force, all the best warriors.

Yahweh said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid of them. I've handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you."

Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them completely by surprise.

Yahweh threw them into a complete panic in front of Israel. Joshua's forces struck them with a devastating blow at Gibeon, chased them along the road going up to Beth-Horon, and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

As they fled from Israel on the road down from Beth-Horon, Yahweh hurled huge hailstones down on them from the sky all the way to Azekah, and they died. More died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

On the day Yahweh gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua spoke to Yahweh in front of all Israel and said: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."

And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation had taken vengeance on their enemies. Isn't this written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and didn't rush to set for about a full day.

There has never been a day like it before or since — a day when Yahweh listened to a human being like that. Because Yahweh was fighting for Israel.

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

Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.

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

Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and post guards there.

But don't stop yourselves! Chase your enemies and attack their rear guard. Don't let them reach their cities, because Yahweh your God has handed them over to you."

So Joshua and the Israelites finished dealing them a massive, devastating blow until they were wiped out — though some survivors managed to get into their fortified cities.

The entire army returned safely to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. No one dared to say a word against any of the Israelites.

Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me."

So they did — they brought the five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

When they had brought the kings out to Joshua, he summoned every man of Israel and said to the army commanders who had marched with him, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua said to them, "Don't be afraid and don't lose heart. Be strong and courageous, because this is what Yahweh will do to all the enemies you fight."

After this, Joshua struck the kings down and killed them, then hung their bodies on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening.

At sunset, Joshua gave the order to take them down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. They placed large stones at the mouth of the cave, and those stones are still there to this day.

That same day, Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it and its king with the sword. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He did to the king of Makkedah exactly what he had done to the king of Jericho.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it.

Yahweh also gave that city and its king into Israel's hand. Joshua struck it and everyone in it with the sword, leaving no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish. He set up camp against it and attacked it.

Yahweh gave Lachish into Israel's hand. Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it and everyone in it with the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.

Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him and his army down until no survivor was left.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon. They set up camp against it and attacked it.

They captured it that same day and struck it with the sword. Joshua completely destroyed everyone in it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it.

They captured it and struck it with the sword — its king, all its towns, and everyone in it. He left no survivors, just as he had done to Eglon. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned toward Debir and attacked it.

He captured it along with its king and all its towns. They struck them with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. What he did to Debir and its king was the same as what he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king.

So Joshua defeated the whole region — the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, and the mountain slopes — along with all their kings. He left no survivors. He completely destroyed everything that breathed, just as Yahweh the God of Israel had commanded.

Joshua defeated them from Kadesh-Barnea all the way to Gaza, and the entire region of Goshen all the way to Gibeon.

Joshua captured all these kings and their land in a single campaign, because Yahweh the God of Israel was fighting for Israel.

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