| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, | 1Now Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction—doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king—and that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living near them. |
| 2that they 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 mighty. | 2So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty. |
| 3Therefore 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, | 3Therefore 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, saying, |
| 4“Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” | 4“Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” |
| 5Therefore 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 together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. | 5So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and advanced with all their armies. They camped before Gibeon and made war against it. |
| 6And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” | 6Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.” |
| 7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. | 7So Joshua and his whole army, including all the mighty men of valor, came from Gilgal. |
| 8And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” | 8The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.” |
| 9Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. | 9After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise. |
| 10So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. | 10And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. |
| 11And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. | 11As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites. |
| 12Then Joshua spoke 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 still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” | 12On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” |
| 13So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. | 13So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” |
| 14And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. | 14There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel. |
| 15Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. | 15Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal. |
| 16But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. | 16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. |
| 17And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” | 17And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” |
| 18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. | 18So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. |
| 19And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” | 19But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” |
| 20Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities. | 20So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities. |
| 21And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. | 21The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites. |
| 22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.” | 22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” |
| 23And they did so, and brought out those five kings 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. | 23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. |
| 24So it was, 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 on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. | 24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. |
| 25Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” | 25“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.” |
| 26And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening. | 26After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening. |
| 27So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day. | 27At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day. |
| 28On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. | 28On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. |
| 29Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah; and they fought against Libnah. | 29Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. |
| 30And the LORD also delivered it and its king into the hand of Israel; he struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. | 30And the LORD also delivered that city and its king into the hand of Israel, and Joshua put all the people to the sword, leaving no survivors. And he did to the king of Libnah as he had done to the king of Jericho. |
| 31Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against it and fought against it. | 31And Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish. They laid siege to it and fought against it. |
| 32And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. | 32And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He put all the people to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. |
| 33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining. | 33At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors. |
| 34From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it. | 34So Joshua moved on from Lachish to Eglon, and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and fought against it. |
| 35They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; all the people who were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. | 35That day they captured Eglon and put it to the sword, and Joshua devoted to destruction everyone in the city, just as he had done to Lachish. |
| 36So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it. | 36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. |
| 37And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword—its king, all its cities, and all the people who were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it. | 37They captured it and put to the sword its king, all its villages, and all the people. Joshua left no survivors, just as he had done at Eglon; he devoted to destruction Hebron and everyone in it. |
| 38Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and they fought against it. | 38Finally Joshua and all Israel with him turned toward Debir and fought against it. |
| 39And he took it and its king and all its cities; they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king. | 39And they captured Debir, its king, and all its villages. They put them to the sword and devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. Joshua did to Debir and its king as he had done to Hebron and as he had done to Libnah and its king. |
| 40So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded. | 40So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes, together with all their kings—leaving no survivors. He devoted to destruction everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. |
| 41And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. | 41Joshua conquered the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far as Gibeon. |
| 42All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. | 42And because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel, Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign. |
| 43Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. | 43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal. |
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