1 Quando Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, soube como Josué tinha capturado e destruído Ai, e morto o seu rei, aliás tal como actuara contra Jericó, e também como o povo de Gibeão fizera a paz com os israelitas e cooperava agora com eles, ficou extremamente atemorizado. Porque Gibeão tratava-se duma grande cidade - era como as cidades reais, muito maior do que Ai - e os seus habitantes eram conhecidos como aguerridos combatentes.3 Por isso o rei Adoni-Zedeque, de Jerusalém, mandou embaixadores a alguns outros reis - a Hoão de Hebrom, a Pirá de Jarmute, a Jafia de Laquis e Debir de Eglom - com esta mensagem: Venham ajudar-me a destruir Gibeão, visto que fizeram paz com Josué e com o povo de Israel. E assim aqueles cinco reis amorreus aliaram os seus exércitos com vistas a um ataque conjunto a Gibeão.6 O povo de Gibeão mandou urgentemente mensageiros a Josué, em Gilgal, com este rogo, Vem depressa ajudar os teus servos! Todos os reis amorreus que vivem nas colinas estão já aqui com os seus exércitos.7 O exército israelita, sob o comando de Josué, deixou Gilgal para ir salvar os gibeonitas.8 Não tenham medo deles, disse o Senhor a Josué. Eles estão já praticamente derrotados. Sou eu quem vo-los dou para que os destruam. Nenhum deles será capaz de vos resistir.9 Josué marchou toda a noite com os seus soldados desde Gilgal, e caiu de surpresa sobre os exércitos inimigos. O Senhor fez cair sobre estes um grande pânico, de tal forma que os israelitas puderam matar grande número deles ali mesmo em Gibeão, e perseguiu outros por todo o caminho que vai para Bete-Horom e para Azeca e Maqueda, acabando também por liquidar esses. Numa altura em que os adversários estavam a fugir pela ladeira de Bete-Horom, o Senhor começou a destruí-los com uma saraivada violentíssima que os foi seguindo até Azeca. Na realidade até foram mais os que morreram dessa chuva de pedras do que pelas armas dos israelitas.12 Aconteceu até que, quando Israel estava a perseguir e a aniquilar os seus inimigos, Josué fez este rogo em voz alta, Que o Sol se mantenha sobre Gibeão, e a Lua sobre o vale de Aijalom!13 E na verdade tanto o Sol como a Lua pararam enquanto o exército israelita destruía os seus inimigos. Isto aliás está escrito no Livro do Justo. E foi assim que o Sol parou no firmamento por quase um dia inteiro. Nunca houve um dia semelhante anteriormente, e nunca mais tornou a dar-se outro fenómeno igual a esse em que o Senhor fez parar o Sol e a Lua em resposta à oração de um homem. Porque era o Senhor quem lutava por Israel. Depois disso Josué e os israelitas regressaram a Gilgal.16 Durante a batalha os cinco reis conseguiram escapar-se e esconderam-se numa caverna em Maqueda. Quando vieram trazer a Josué a notícia de que tinham sido encontrados, ele mandou que uma grande pedra fosse posta contra a entrada da caverna e que fossem postos guardas para não os deixar escapar dali.19 Josué deu ordens ao resto do exército para continuar a perseguir os adversários e matá-los, Não os deixem regressar às suas cidades. O Senhor vos ajudará a destruí-los completamente.20 E assim Josué e o exército israelita continuou matando e castigando duramente os cinco exércitos inimigos, excepto um pequeno resto que conseguiu chegar às suas cidades fortificadas. Então os israelitas voltaram para o seu campo em Maqueda, sem ter perdido um só homem. Depois disso, mais ninguém ousou atacar Israel.22 Josué deu então ordens aos seus homens para que fossem remover a pedra da boca da caverna e que trouxessem para fora os cinco reis - de Jerusalém, de Hebrom, de Jarmute, de Laquis e de Eglom. Mandou formar todo o exército e disse aos generais para porem os pés nos pescoços daqueles reis.25 Nunca tenham medo nem se desencorajem, disse Josué aos seus homens. Sejam fortes e corajosos, porque é desta forma que o Senhor desfará todos os vossos inimigos.26 Após isso Josué matou com a espada cada um desses reis e pendurou-os em cinco árvores até ao anoitecer.27 Quando o Sol se pôs, deu ordens para que descessem os corpos e os pusessem na caverna onde se tinham escondido, tendo levantado uma grande pilha de pedregulhos à entrada, a qual ainda lá está hoje em dia.28 Nesse mesmo dia Josué destruiu a cidade de Maqueda, matando o seu rei e toda a gente que lá vivia. Nem uma só pessoa foi deixada com vida em toda a cidade. Depois os israelitas foram atacar Libna. Lá também o Senhor lhes entregou a cidade e o rei. Não foi deixado ninguém com vida, tal como aconteceu com Jericó.31 Dali dirigiram-se a Laquis e atacaram-na. Ao segundo dia de ataque o Senhor deu-a aos israelitas. E também aqui a população inteira foi morta, tal com acontecera em Libna.33 Durante o ataque a Laquis, o rei Horão de Gezer apareceu com o seu exército para tentar defender a cidade, mas os homens de Josué mataram-no e liquidaram os seus homens.34 As tropas israelitas capturaram Eglom logo no primeiro dia e tal como em Laquis abateram toda a população. Não foi deixada uma só pessoa com vida. Após Eglom, foram para Hebrom e conquistaram-na, assim como as localidades dos arredores, matando toda a gente. Então voltaram para Debir que capturaram muito rapidamente com todas as aldeias circunvizinhas, e mataram os habitantes, tal como acontecera em Libna.40 Assim Josué e o seu exército conquistaram toda a região - as nações e os reis da zona das colinas, do Negueve, da área das campinas e das montanhas escarpadas. Liquidaram toda a gente da terra segundo o mandado do Senhor Deus de Israel, desde Cades-Barneia até Gaza, e desde a terra de Gosen até Gibeão. Isto foi tudo realizado numa só campanha porque o Senhor Deus de Israel estava a lutar pelo seu povo.43 Só depois disso é que as tropas de Israel sob a chefia de Josué regressaram ao seu acampamento em Gilgal.

1 Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedec 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 of it were mighty.3 Wherefore Adoni-zedec king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,4 Come up to 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, assembled themselves, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains, are assembled 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 to Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.9 Joshua therefore came to 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 Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and to Makkedah.11 And it came to pass as they fled from before Israel, and were in the descent to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them to Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.12 Then spoke Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened to the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them:19 And stay you not, but pursue your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest who remained of them entered into fortified cities.21 And 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 said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of the cave.23 And they did so, and brought those five kings to him out of 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 it came to pass, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.25 And Joshua said to them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.27 And it came to pass at the time of the setting of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, and cast them into the cave in which they had been hid, and laid great stones upon the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were in it; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho.29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah:30 And the LORD delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were in it; he let none remain in it; but did to the king of it as he did to the king of Jericho.31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that 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 smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.34 And from Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it:37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and all the souls that were in them; he left none remaining (according to all that he had done to Eglon) but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were in it.38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:39 And he took it, and its king, and all its cities, and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were in them; he left none 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 smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time; because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp in Gilgal.