1 Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, soube que Josué havia capturado e destruído completamente a cidade de Ai e matado seu rei, assim como tinha destruído a cidade de Jericó e matado seu rei. Também soube que os gibeonitas haviam feito um tratado de paz com Israel e agora viviam no meio deles. 2 Ele e seu povo tiveram muito medo, pois Gibeom era uma cidade grande como as cidades reais, ainda maior que a cidade de Ai, e os gibeonitas eram guerreiros valentes.

3 Por isso, Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, enviou mensageiros a vários outros reis: a Hoão, rei de Hebrom, a Piram, rei de Jarmute, a Jafia, rei de Laquis, e a Debir, rei de Eglom. 4 "Venham e ajudem-me a destruir Gibeom, pois seu povo fez um tratado de paz com Josué e os israelitas", pediu ele. 5 Então os cinco reis amorreus uniram seus exércitos para atacar juntos. Posicionaram suas tropas perto de Gibeom e avançaram contra ela.

6 Os homens de Gibeom enviaram mensageiros a Josué em seu acampamento em Gilgal. "Não abandone seus servos!", suplicaram. "Venha depressa e salve-nos! Ajude-nos, pois todos os reis amorreus que vivem na região montanhosa uniram forças para nos atacar!"

7 Josué e todo o seu exército, incluindo seus melhores guerreiros, partiram de Gilgal para Gibeom. 8 "Não tenha medo desses reis", disse o Senhor a Josué. "Eu os entreguei em suas mãos. Nenhum deles será capaz de resistir a você."

9 Josué marchou a noite toda desde Gilgal e pegou os exércitos amorreus de surpresa. 10 O Senhor trouxe pânico sobre os amorreus, e o exército de Israel massacrou muitos deles em Gibeom. Perseguiram o inimigo ao longo da subida para Bete-Horom, matando os amorreus até Azeca e Maquedá. 11 Enquanto os amorreus recuavam pelo caminho de Bete-Horom, o Senhor os destruiu com uma terrível chuva de pedras de granizo que ele enviou do céu e que continuou até chegarem a Azeca. As pedras eliminaram mais inimigos do que os israelitas mataram à espada.

12 No dia em que o Senhor deu aos israelitas vitória sobre os amorreus, Josué orou ao Senhor diante do povo e disse:

"Que o sol pare sobre Gibeom,

e a lua, sobre o vale de Aijalom!".

13 O sol parou e a lua ficou onde estava, até que o povo tivesse derrotado seus inimigos.

Acaso esse acontecimento não está registrado no Livro de Jasar? O sol parou no meio do céu e não se pôs por cerca de um dia inteiro. 14 Nunca antes nem depois houve um dia semelhante, quando o Senhor respondeu a uma oração como essa. Certamente o Senhor lutou por Israel naquele dia!

15 Então Josué e todo o exército de Israel voltaram ao acampamento em Gilgal.

16 Durante a batalha, os cinco reis fugiram e se esconderam numa caverna em Maquedá. 17 Quando Josué soube que eles haviam sido encontrados, 18 deu a seguinte ordem: "Fechem a entrada da caverna com pedras grandes e ponham guardas ali, para que os reis não saiam. 19 Quanto aos demais soldados, continuem a perseguir os inimigos e matem os da retaguarda. Não deixem que voltem às suas cidades, pois o Senhor, seu Deus, lhes deu vitória sobre eles".

20 Assim, Josué e o exército israelita continuaram a aniquilar o inimigo. Exterminaram os cinco exércitos, com exceção de uns poucos sobreviventes que conseguiram chegar às cidades fortificadas. 21 As tropas voltaram em segurança para Josué, no acampamento de Maquedá. Depois disso, ninguém se atreveu a dizer uma palavra contra o povo de Israel.

22 Então Josué ordenou: "Removam as pedras que estão na entrada da caverna e tragam os cinco reis para cá". 23 Eles tiraram da caverna os cinco reis das cidades de Jerusalém, Hebrom, Jarmute, Laquis e Eglom. 24 Os reis foram trazidos para fora, diante de Josué, e ele ordenou aos comandantes de seu exército: "Venham e coloquem o pé sobre o pescoço dos reis". E eles obedeceram.

25 "Não tenham medo nem desanimem", disse Josué. "Sejam fortes e corajosos, pois é isso que o Senhor fará com todos os inimigos que vocês enfrentarem." 26 Então Josué matou os cinco reis e os pendurou em cinco árvores, onde ficaram até a tarde.

27 Ao entardecer, Josué ordenou que os corpos fossem tirados das árvores e lançados na caverna onde os reis haviam se escondido. A entrada da caverna foi fechada com pedras grandes, que estão lá até hoje.

28 Naquele mesmo dia, Josué tomou a cidade de Maquedá e a destruiu. Matou todos os seus habitantes, incluindo o rei, sem deixar sobreviventes. Destruiu todos eles e matou o rei de Maquedá, como havia feito com o rei de Jericó. 29 Então Josué e todo o exército de Israel avançaram para Libna e a atacaram. 30 O Senhor entregou a cidade e seu rei nas mãos dos israelitas, que mataram todos os seus habitantes, sem deixar sobreviventes. Depois Josué matou o rei de Libna, como havia feito com o rei de Jericó.

31 De Libna, Josué e todo o exército israelita avançaram para Laquis e a atacaram. 32 O Senhor também entregou Laquis nas mãos de Israel. Josué a tomou no segundo dia e matou todos os seus habitantes, como havia feito com Libna. 33 Durante o ataque a Laquis, Horão, rei de Gezer, chegou com seu exército para ajudar a defender a cidade, mas os homens de Josué mataram o rei e seu exército, sem deixar sobreviventes.

34 Em seguida, Josué e todo o exército israelita avançaram para Eglom e a atacaram. 35 Tomaram a cidade naquele dia e mataram todos os seus habitantes. Destruíram todos, como haviam feito com Laquis. 36 De Eglom, Josué e todo o exército de Israel subiram para Hebrom e a atacaram. 37 Tomaram a cidade e mataram todos os seus habitantes, incluindo o rei, sem deixar sobreviventes. Fizeram o mesmo com todos os povoados vizinhos. Destruíram toda a população, como haviam feito com Eglom.

38 Então Josué e todo o exército israelita voltaram e atacaram Debir. 39 Tomaram a cidade, o rei e todos os povoados vizinhos. Destruíram todos, sem deixar sobreviventes. Fizeram com Debir e seu rei o mesmo que haviam feito com Hebrom, Libna e seus reis.

40 Assim, Josué conquistou toda a região: a região montanhosa, o Neguebe, as colinas do oeste e as encostas dos montes, derrotando todos os seus reis. Destruiu todos na terra, sem deixar sobreviventes, conforme o Senhor, o Deus de Israel, havia ordenado. 41 Josué os massacrou de Cades-Barneia a Gaza, e da região ao redor de Gósen até Gibeom. 42 Conquistou todos esses reis e suas terras numa só campanha, pois o Senhor, o Deus de Israel, lutou por Israel.

43 Então Josué e todo o exército israelita voltaram ao acampamento em Gilgal.

1 Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem 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 they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 "Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Gibeon; for they have 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, and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it. 6 The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, "Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us."

7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor. 8 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Don’t fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you."

9 Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night. 10 Yahweh confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah. 11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, Yahweh hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh in the day when Yahweh delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!"

13 The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man; for Yahweh fought for Israel.

15 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. 16 These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told, saying, "The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah."

18 Joshua said, "Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them; 19 but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand."

20 When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, "Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me."

23 They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: 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 those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, "Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings."

They came near, and put their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, "Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for Yahweh will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight."

26 Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening. 27 At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

28 Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 Yahweh delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. 32 Yahweh delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.

34 Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it. 35 They took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36 Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it. 37 They took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.

38 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. 39 He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king. 40 So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon. 42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.