Joshua 10:16-43 (New American Standard)

Victory at Makkedah

16 Now these ¹five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was told Joshua, saying, "The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah." 18 Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves ; pursue your enemies and ^aattack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand." 20 It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished ^bslaying them with a very great slaughter, ²until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them ^chad entered the fortified cities, 21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one ^duttered a word against any of the sons of Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave." 23 They did so, and ³brought these 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 When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near, ⁴put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua then said to them, "⁵Do not fear or be dismayed ! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight." 26 So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he ⁶hanged them on five trees ; and they hung on the trees until evening. 27 It came about at ^esunset that Joshua gave a command, and ⁷they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day. 28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword ; ⁸he ^futterly destroyed ^git and every ^hperson who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah ⁹just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Joshua's Conquest of Southern Palestine

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to ¹⁰Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 The LORD gave it also with its king into the hands of Israel, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. Thus he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho. 31 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it. 32 The LORD gave Lachish into the hands of Israel ; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then Horam king of ¹¹Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua ⁱdefeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor. 34 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it. 35 They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword ; and he ^jutterly destroyed that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to ¹²Hebron, and they fought against it. 37 They captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he ^kutterly destroyed it and every person who was in it. 38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to ¹³Debir, and they fought against it. 39 He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and ^lutterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king. 40 Thus Joshua struck all the land, ¹⁴the hill country and the ^mNegev and the lowland and the slopes and ¹⁵all their kings. He left no survivor, but ¹⁶he ⁿutterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of ¹⁷Goshen even as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because ¹⁸the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.