1
Now it came to pass when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it (as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king), and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,
2
that they feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai and all the men thereof were mighty.
3
Therefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4
"Come up unto me and help me, that we may smite Gibeon; for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel."
5
Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon and made war against it.
6
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, "Slacken not thy hand from thy servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us."
7
So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor.
8
And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thine hand. There shall not a man of them stand before thee."
9
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10
And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah.
11
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel and were at the descent of Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died. There were more who died with hailstones than those whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.