1 E sucedeu que, ouvindo Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, que Josué tomara a Ai, e a tinha destruído totalmente, e fizera a Ai, e ao seu rei, como tinha feito a Jericó e ao seu rei, e que os moradores de Gibeom fizeram paz com os israelitas, e estavam no meio deles,

2 Temeram muito, porque Gibeom era uma cidade grande, como uma das cidades reais, e ainda maior do que Ai, e todos os seus homens valentes.

3 Pelo que Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, enviou a Hoão, rei de Hebrom, e a Pirão, rei de Jarmute, e a Jafia, rei de Laquis e a Debir, rei de Eglom, dizendo:

4 Subi a mim, e ajudai-me, e firamos a Gibeom, porquanto fez paz com Josué e com os filhos de Israel.

5 Então se ajuntaram, e subiram cinco reis dos amorreus, o rei de Jerusalém, o rei de Hebrom, o rei de Jarmute, o rei de Laquis, o rei de Eglom, eles e todos os seus exércitos; e sitiaram a Gibeom e pelejaram contra ela.

6 Enviaram, pois, os homens de Gibeom a Josué, ao arraial de Gilgal, dizendo: Não retires as tuas mãos de teus servos; sobe apressadamente a nós, e livra-nos e ajuda-nos, porquanto todos os reis dos amorreus, que habitam na montanha, se ajuntaram contra nós.

7 Então subiu Josué, de Gilgal, ele e toda a gente de guerra com ele, e todos os homens valorosos.

8 E o Senhor disse a Josué: Não os temas, porque os tenho dado na tua mão; nenhum deles te poderá resistir.

9 E Josué lhes sobreveio de repente, porque toda a noite veio subindo desde Gilgal.

10 E o Senhor os conturbou diante de Israel, e os feriu com grande matança em Gibeom; e perseguiu-os pelo caminho que sobe a Bete-Horom, e feriu-os até Azeca e a Maquedá.

11 E sucedeu que fugindo eles de diante de Israel, à descida de Bete-Horom, o Senhor lançou sobre eles, do céu, grandes pedras, até Azeca, e morreram; e foram muitos mais os que morreram das pedras da saraiva do que os que os filhos de Israel mataram à espada.

12 Então Josué falou ao Senhor, no dia em que o Senhor deu os amorreus nas mãos dos filhos de Israel, e disse na presença dos israelitas: Sol, detém-te em Gibeom, e tu, lua, no vale de Ajalom.

13 E o sol se deteve, e a lua parou, até que o povo se vingou de seus inimigos. Isto não está escrito no livro de Jasher? O sol, pois, se deteve no meio do céu, e não se apressou a pôr-se, quase um dia inteiro.

14 E não houve dia semelhante a este, nem antes nem depois dele, ouvindo o Senhor assim a voz de um homem; porque o Senhor pelejava por Israel.

15 E voltou Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, ao arraial, em Gilgal.

16 Aqueles cinco reis, porém, fugiram, e se esconderam numa cova em Maquedá.

17 E foi anunciado a Josué, dizendo: Acharam-se os cinco reis escondidos numa cova em Maquedá.

18 Disse, pois, Josué: Arrastai grandes pedras à boca da cova, e ponde sobre ela homens que os guardem;

19 Porém vós não vos detenhais; persegui os vossos inimigos, e atacai os que vão ficando atrás; não os deixeis entrar nas suas cidades, porque o Senhor vosso Deus já vo-los deu na vossa mão.

20 E sucedeu que, acabando Josué e os filhos de Israel de os ferir com grande matança, até consumi-los, e os que ficaram deles se retiraram às cidades fortificadas,

21 Todo o povo voltou em paz a Josué, ao arraial em Maquedá; não havendo ninguém que movesse a sua língua contra os filhos de Israel.

22 Depois disse Josué: Abri a boca da cova, e trazei-me para fora aqueles cinco reis.

23 Fizeram, pois, assim, e trouxeram-lhe aqueles cinco reis para fora da cova: o rei de Jerusalém, o rei de Hebrom, o rei de Jarmute, o rei de Laquis e o rei de Eglom.

24 E sucedeu que, trazendo aqueles reis a Josué, este chamou todos os homens de Israel, e disse aos capitães dos homens de guerra, que foram com ele: Chegai, ponde os vossos pés sobre os pescoços destes reis. E chegaram, e puseram os seus pés sobre os pescoços deles.

25 Então Josué lhes disse: Não temais, nem vos espanteis; esforçai-vos e animai-vos; porque assim o fará o Senhor a todos os vossos inimigos, contra os quais pelejardes.

26 E, depois disto, Josué os feriu, e os matou, e os enforcou em cinco madeiros; e ficaram enforcados nos madeiros até à tarde.

27 E sucedeu que, ao pôr do sol, deu Josué ordem que os tirassem dos madeiros; e lançaram-nos na cova onde se esconderam; e puseram grandes pedras à boca da cova, que ainda ali estão até o dia de hoje.

28 E naquele mesmo dia tomou Josué a Maquedá, e feriu-a a fio de espada, bem como ao seu rei; totalmente a destruiu com todos que nela havia, sem nada deixar; e fez ao rei de Maquedá como fizera ao rei de Jericó.

29 Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, passou de Maquedá a Libna e pelejou contra ela.

30 E também o Senhor a deu na mão de Israel, a ela e a seu rei, e a feriu a fio de espada, a ela e a todos que nela estavam; sem nada deixar; e fez ao seu rei como fizera ao rei de Jericó.

31 Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, passou de Libna a Laquis; e a sitiou, e pelejou contra ela;

32 E o Senhor deu a Laquis nas mãos de Israel, e tomou-a no dia seguinte e a feriu a fio de espada, a ela e a todos os que nela estavam, conforme a tudo o que fizera a Libna.

33 Então Horão, rei de Gezer, subiu a ajudar a Laquis, porém Josué o feriu, a ele e ao seu povo, até não lhe deixar nem sequer um.

34 E Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, passou de Laquis a Eglom, e a sitiaram, e pelejaram contra ela.

35 E no mesmo dia a tomaram, e a feriram a fio de espada; e a todos os que nela estavam, destruiu totalmente no mesmo dia, conforme a tudo o que fizera a Laquis.

36 Depois Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, subiu de Eglom a Hebrom, e pelejaram contra ela.

37 E a tomaram, e a feriram ao fio de espada, assim ao seu rei como a todas as suas cidades; e a todos os que nelas estavam, a ninguém deixou com vida, conforme a tudo o que fizera a Eglom; e a destruiu totalmente, a ela e a todos os que nela estavam.

38 Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, tornou a Debir, e pelejou contra ela.

39 E tomou-a com o seu rei, e a todas as suas cidades, e as feriu a fio de espada, e a todos os que nelas estavam destruiu totalmente; nada deixou; como fizera a Hebrom, assim fez a Debir e ao seu rei, e como fizera a Libna e ao seu rei.

40 Assim feriu Josué toda aquela terra, as montanhas, o sul, e as campinas, e as descidas das águas, e a todos os seus reis; nada deixou; mas tudo o que tinha fôlego destruiu, como ordenara o Senhor Deus de Israel.

41 E Josué os feriu desde Cades-Barnéia, até Gaza, como também toda a terra de Gósen, e até Gibeom.

42 E de uma vez tomou Josué todos estes reis, e as suas terras; porquanto o Senhor Deus de Israel pelejava por Israel.

43 Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, voltou ao arraial em Gilgal.

1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed "it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies.

2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.

3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon.

4 "Come up and help me attack Gibeon," he said, "because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites."

5 Then the five kings of the Amorites —the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon —joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us."

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.

8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.

10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."

13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on "its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

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

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

17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah,

18 he said, "Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it.

19 But don't stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don't let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand."

20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.

21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

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

23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave —the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight."

26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

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

30 The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel's hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it.

32 The LORD gave Lachish into Israel's hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah.

33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army —until no survivors were left.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it.

35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

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

37 They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.

39 They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.

41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon.

42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

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