Joshua 10; Joshua 11; Joshua 12; Luke 1:39-56

1 Adoni-Zedek was the king of Jerusalem. He heard that Joshua had taken Ai. He found out that the city had been set apart to the LORD in a special way to be destroyed. He heard that Joshua had done to Ai and its king the same thing he had done to Jericho and its king. Adoni-Zedek heard that the people of Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel. He also found out that they were living among the people of Israel.

2 The things he heard alarmed him and his people very much. That's because Gibeon was an important city. It was like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai. All of its men were good soldiers.

3 So Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, made an appeal to Hoham, the king of Hebron. He appealed to Piram, the king of Jarmuth. He appealed to Japhia, the king of Lachish. He also made an appeal to Debir, the king of Eglon.

4 "Come up and help me attack Gibeon," he said. "Its people have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel."

5 The kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon gathered their armies together. Those five Amorite kings moved all of their troops into position to fight against Gibeon. Then they attacked it.

6 Joshua was in the camp at Gilgal. The people of Gibeon sent a message to him there. It said, "Don't desert us. We serve you. Come up to us quickly! Save us! Help us! All of the Amorite kings from the central hill country have gathered their armies together to fight against us."

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his whole army. The army included all of his best fighting men.

8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to fight against you and win."

9 Joshua marched all night from Gilgal. He took the Amorite armies by surprise.

10 The LORD threw them into a panic as Israel marched toward them. Then Israel won a great battle over them at Gibeon. They chased them along the road that goes up to Beth Horon. They struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

11 The Amorites ran away as Israel marched toward them. They ran down the road from Beth Horon to Azekah. As they ran, the LORD threw large hailstones down on them from the sky. The hailstones killed more of them than the swords of the men of Israel did.

12 So the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel. On that day Joshua spoke to the LORD while the people of Israel were listening. He said, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon. Moon, stand still over the Valley of Aijalon."

13 So the sun stood still. The moon stopped. They didn't move again until the nation won the battle over its enemies. You can read about it in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky. It didn't go down for about a full day.

14 There has never been a day like it before or since. It was a day when the LORD listened to a mere man. You can be sure that the LORD was fighting for Israel!

15 Joshua and his whole army returned to the camp at Gilgal.

16 The five Amorite kings had run away. They had hidden in the cave at Makkedah.

17 Joshua was told that the five kings had been found. He was also told that they were hiding in the cave at Makkedah.

18 He said, "Roll some large rocks up to the opening of the cave. Put some men there to guard it.

19 But keep on going! Chase your enemies. Attack them from behind. Don't let them get back to their cities. The LORD your God has handed them over to you."

20 So Joshua and the men of Israel completely destroyed them. They killed almost every one of them. But a few escaped. They went back to their cities that had high walls around them.

21 Then Israel's whole army returned safely to Joshua. He was in the camp at Makkedah. No one in the land dared to say anything against the people of Israel.

22 Joshua said, "Open up the cave. Bring those five kings out to me."

23 So Joshua's men brought the five kings out of the cave. They were the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

24 The men brought them to Joshua. Then he sent for all of the men of Israel. He spoke to the army commanders who had come with him. He said, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and placed their feet on the necks of the kings.

25 Joshua said to them, "Don't be afraid. Don't lose hope. Be strong and brave. This is what the LORD will do to all of the enemies you are going to fight."

26 Joshua struck the five kings down and killed them. He stuck a pole through each of their bodies. Then he set the poles up where people could see the bodies. He left them there until evening.

27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take the bodies down. So they took them down and threw them into the cave where the kings had been hiding. They placed large rocks at the opening of the cave. And the rocks are still there to this very day.

28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He killed its people and their king with the sword. He totally destroyed everyone in it. He didn't leave anyone alive. He did to the king of Makkedah the same thing he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Joshua moved on from Makkedah to Libnah. Israel's whole army went with him. They attacked Libnah.

30 The LORD also handed that city and its king over to Israel. Joshua destroyed the city. He and his men killed everyone in it with their swords. He didn't leave anyone alive there. He did to its king the same thing he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Joshua moved on from Libnah to Lachish. Israel's whole army went with him. The men took up their battle positions. Then Joshua attacked Lachish.

32 The LORD handed it over to Israel. Joshua took the city on the second day of the battle. He destroyed the city. He and his men killed everyone in it with their swords. He had done the same thing to Libnah.

33 While all of that was happening, Horam had come up to help Lachish. He was the king of Gezer. But Joshua won the battle over him and his army. No one was left alive.

34 Joshua moved on from Lachish to Eglon. Israel's whole army went with him. They took up their battle positions. Then they attacked Eglon.

35 They captured it that same day. They totally destroyed everyone in it with their swords. They had done the same thing to Lachish.

36 Joshua went up from Eglon to Hebron. Israel's whole army went with him. Then they attacked Hebron.

37 They took the city. They destroyed it and its villages. They killed all of its people and their king with their swords. They didn't leave anyone alive. They totally destroyed the city and everyone in it. They had done the same thing at Eglon.

38 Joshua turned back and attacked Debir. Israel's whole army went with him.

39 They took the city, its king and its villages. They totally destroyed everyone in Debir with their swords. They didn't leave anyone alive. They did to Debir and its king the same thing they had done to Libnah and its king. They had also done the same thing to Hebron.

40 So Joshua brought the whole area under his control. That included the central hill country and the Negev Desert. It included the western hills and the mountain slopes. It also included all of the kings in that whole area. Joshua didn't leave anyone alive. He totally destroyed everyone who breathed. He did just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.

41 Joshua brought everyone from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza under his control. He also brought everyone from the whole area of Goshen to Gibeon under his control.

42 He won the battle over all of those kings and their lands. He did it in one campaign. That's because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43 Then Joshua returned to the camp at Gilgal. Israel's whole army went with him.

1 Jabin was the king of Hazor. He heard about the battles Israel had won. So he sent a message to Jobab. Jobab was the king of Madon. Jabin sent the same message to the kings of Shimron and Acshaph.

2 He also sent it to a lot of other kings. Some ruled in the mountains in the north. Some ruled in the Arabah Valley south of Kinnereth. Others ruled in the western hills. Still others ruled in Naphoth Dor in the west.

3 Jabin sent the same message to the people of east Canaan and west Canaan. He sent it to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites. They lived in the central hill country. He also sent it to the Hivites who lived below Mount Hermon in the area of Mizpah.

4 Those kings marched out with all of their troops. They had a large number of horses and chariots. It was a huge army. The fighting men were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.

5 All of those kings gathered their armies together to fight against Israel. They set up camp together at the Waters of Merom.

6 The LORD spoke to Joshua. He said, "Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel. All of them will be killed. You must cut the legs of their horses. You must burn up their chariots."

7 So Joshua and his whole army attacked them suddenly. They fought against them at the Waters of Merom.

8 The LORD handed them over to Israel. Israel won the battle over them. They hunted them down all the way to Greater Sidon. They chased them to Misrephoth Maim. They chased them to the Valley of Mizpah in the east. Not one of them was left alive.

9 Joshua did to them what the LORD had directed him to do. He cut the legs of their horses. He burned up their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back. He captured Hazor. He killed its king with his sword. Hazor was the most important city in all of those kingdoms.

11 The army of Israel killed everyone in Hazor with their swords. Its people had been set apart to the LORD in a special way to be destroyed. Israel's army didn't spare anything that breathed. Then Joshua burned up the city.

12 Joshua took all of those royal cities and their kings. He and his men killed everyone in those cities with their swords. He totally destroyed them. He did just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded.

13 Many cities were built on top of earlier cities that had been destroyed. Israel didn't burn up any of those except Hazor. Joshua burned it up.

14 The army of Israel kept for themselves the livestock and everything else they took from those cities. But they killed all of the people with their swords. They completely destroyed them. They didn't spare anyone who breathed.

15 The LORD had commanded his servant Moses to do all of those things. Moses had passed that command on to Joshua. And Joshua carried it out. He did everything the LORD had commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took the whole land. He took the central hill country and the whole Negev Desert. He took the whole area of Goshen. He took the western hills. He took the Arabah Valley. He took the mountains of Israel and the hills around them.

17 He took the area that begins at Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. The area ends at Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. Joshua captured the kings who ruled over that whole land. He struck them down and killed them.

18 He fought battles against all of those kings for a long time.

19 Only the Hivites who lived in Gibeon made a peace treaty with the people of Israel. No other city made a treaty with them. So Israel captured all of those cities in battle.

20 The LORD himself made the hearts of their people stubborn. He made them go to war against Israel so he could totally destroy them. He wanted to wipe them out. He didn't show them any mercy. The LORD had commanded Moses to destroy the people of Canaan.

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites. They lived all through the hill country of Judah and Israel. They lived in Hebron, Debir and Anab. Joshua totally destroyed the Anakites and their towns.

22 There weren't any Anakites left alive in Israel's territory. But a few were left alive in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.

23 So Joshua took the whole land, just as the LORD had directed Moses. Joshua gave the land to Israel as their very own. He divided it up and gave each tribe its share. Then the land had peace and rest.

1 The people of Israel took over the territory east of the Jordan River. The land they took reached from the Arnon River valley to Mount Hermon. It included the whole east side of the Arabah Valley. Israel won the battle over the kings of that whole territory. Here are the lands Israel took from the kings they won the battle over.

2 They took the land of Sihon. He was the king of the Amorites. He ruled in Heshbon. The land he ruled over begins at Aroer. Aroer is on the rim of the Arnon River valley. He ruled from the middle of the valley to the Jabbok River. The Jabbok is the border of Ammon. Sihon's territory included half of Gilead.

3 He also ruled over the east side of the Arabah Valley. That land begins at the Sea of Galilee. It goes to the Dead Sea and over to Beth Jeshimoth. Then it goes south, below the slopes of Pisgah.

4 Israel also took the territory of Og. He was the king of Bashan. He was one of the last of the Rephaites. He ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

5 He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah and the whole land of Bashan. He ruled all the way to the border of Geshur and Maacah. He ruled over half of Gilead. His land reached the border of Sihon. Sihon was the king of Heshbon.

6 Moses was the servant of the Lord. Moses and the people of Israel won the battle over those two kings. He gave their land to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. He gave it to them as their share.

7 Joshua and the people of Israel won the battle over the kings who ruled west of the Jordan River. The lands of the kings reached from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands to the tribes of Israel as their very own. He divided them up and gave each tribe its share.

8 Those lands included the central hill country, the western hills and the Arabah Valley. They also included the mountain slopes, the Desert of Judah and the Negev Desert. Those lands belonged to the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Here are the kings Israel won the battle over.

9 the king of Jericho ,one the king of Ai, which is near Bethel ,one

10 the king of Jerusalem ,one the king of Hebron ,one

11 the king of Jarmuth ,one the king of Lachish ,one

12 the king of Eglon ,one the king of Gezer ,one

13 the king of Debir ,one the king of Geder ,one

14 the king of Hormah ,one the king of Arad ,one

15 the king of Libnah ,one the king of Adullam ,one

16 the king of Makkedah ,one the king of Bethel ,one

17 the king of Tappuah ,one the king of Hepher ,one

18 the king of Aphek ,one the king of Lasharon ,one

19 the king of Madon ,one the king of Hazor ,one

20 the king of Shimron Meron ,one the king of Acshaph ,one

21 the king of Taanach ,one the king of Megiddo ,one

22 the king of Kedesh ,one the king of Jokneam in Carmel ,one

23 the king of Dor in Naphoth Dor ,one the king of Goyim in Gilgal ,one

24 the king of Tirzah ,one The total number of kings was 31.

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea's hill country.

40 There she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 In a loud voice she called out, "God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have!

43 But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me?

44 As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy.

45 You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!"

46 Mary said, "My soul gives glory to the Lord.

47 My spirit delights in God my Savior.

48 He has taken note of me even though I am not important. From now on all people will call me blessed.

49 The Mighty One has done great things for me. His name is holy.

50 He shows his mercy to those who have respect for him, from parent to child down through the years.

51 He has done mighty things with his arm. He has scattered those who are proud in their deepest thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones. But he has lifted up people who are not important.

53 He has filled those who are hungry with good things. But he has sent those who are rich away empty.

54 He has helped the people of Israel, who serve him. He has always remembered to be kind

55 to Abraham and his children down through the years. He has done it just as he said to our people of long ago."

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she returned home.