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The Message Bible MSG
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,
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It wasn't long before My-Master-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and destroyed it and its king under a holy curse, just as he had done to Jericho and its king. He also learned that the people of Gibeon had come to terms with Israel and were living as neighbors.
2 he 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.
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He and his people were alarmed: Gibeon was a big city - as big as any with a king and bigger than Ai - and all its men were seasoned fighters.
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,
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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:
4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel. ”
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"Come and help me. Let's attack Gibeon; they've joined up with Joshua and 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, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
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So the five Amorite (Western) kings - the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon - combined their armies and set out to attack Gibeon.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua 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. ”
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The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua camped at Gilgal, "Don't let us down now! Come up here quickly! Save us! Help us! All the Amorite kings who live up in the hills have ganged up on us."
7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.
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So Joshua set out from Gilgal, his whole army with him - all those tough soldiers!
8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you. ”
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God told him, "Don't give them a second thought. I've put them under your thumb - not one of them will stand up to you."
9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal.
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Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them by total surprise.
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.
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God threw them into total confusion before Israel, a major victory at Gibeon. Israel chased them along the ridge to Beth Horon and fought them all the way down to Azekah and Makkedah.
11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, 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.
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As they ran from the People of Israel, down from the Beth Horon ridge and all the way to Azekah, God pitched huge stones on them out of the sky and many died. More died from the hailstones than the People 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, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. ”
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The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: "Stop, Sun, over Gibeon; Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley."
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.
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And Sun stopped, Moon stood stock still Until he defeated his enemies.
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.
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There's never been a day like that before or since - God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel.
15 So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
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Then Joshua returned, all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
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Meanwhile the five kings had hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah. ”
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Joshua was told, "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,
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Joshua said, "Roll big stones against the mouth of the cave and post guards to keep watch.
19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand. ”
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But don't you hang around - go after your enemies. Cut off their retreat. Don't let them back into their cities. God has given them to you."
20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
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Joshua and the People of Israel then finished them off, total devastation. Only a few got away to the fortified towns.
21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
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The whole army then returned intact to the camp and to Joshua at Makkedah. There was no criticism that day from 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. ”
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Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring me those five kings."
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.
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They did it. They brought him the five kings 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.
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When they had them all there in front of Joshua, he called up the army and told the field commanders who had been with him, "Come here. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." They stepped up and put their feet on their necks.
25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. ”
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Joshua told them, "Don't hold back. Don't be timid. Be strong! Be confident! This is what God will do to all your enemies when you fight them."
26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening.
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Then Joshua struck and killed the kings. He hung them on five trees where they remained until evening.
27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and 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.
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At sunset Joshua gave the command. They took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden. They put large stones at the mouth of the cave. The kings are still in there.
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.
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That same day Joshua captured Makkedah, a massacre that included the king. He carried out the holy curse. No survivors. Makkedah's king got the same treatment as Jericho's king.
29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
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Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Makkedah to 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 as he had done to the king of Jericho.
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God gave Libnah to Israel. They captured city and king and massacred the lot. No survivors. Libnah's king got the same treatment as Jericho's king.
31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish and laid siege to it and fought against it.
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Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Libnah to Lachish. He set up camp nearby and attacked.
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.
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God gave Lachish to Israel. Israel took it in two days and killed everyone. He carried out the holy curse, the same as with Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people, until he left none remaining.
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Horam, king of Gezer, arrived to help Lachish. Joshua attacked him and his army until there was nothing left of them. No survivors.
34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon. And they laid siege to it and fought against it.
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Joshua, all Israel with him, moved on from Lachish to Eglon. They set up camp and attacked.
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.
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They captured it and killed everyone, carrying out the holy curse, the same as they had done with Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron. And they fought against it
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Joshua, all Israel with him, went up from Eglon to Hebron. He attacked
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.
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and captured it. They killed everyone, including its king, its villages, and their people. No survivors, the same as with Eglon. They carried out the holy curse on city and people.
38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it
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Then Joshua, all Israel with him, turned toward Debir and attacked 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.
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He captured it, its king, and its villages. They killed everyone. They put everyone and everything under the holy curse. No survivors. Debir and its king got the same treatment as Hebron and its king, and Libnah and its king.
40 So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
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Joshua took the whole country: hills, desert, foothills, and mountain slopes, including all kings. He left no survivors. He carried out the holy curse on everything that breathed, just as God, the God of Israel, had commanded.
41 And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
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Joshua's conquest stretched from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the entire region of Goshen to Gibeon.
42 And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
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Joshua took all these kings and their lands in a single campaign because God, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
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Then Joshua, all Israel with him, went back to the camp at Gilgal.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.