35There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, cwith the women, the little ones, dand the strangers who were living among them. The Central and Southern Campaigns
Joshua 9
The Treaty with the Gibeonites
1And it came to pass when aall the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of bthe Great Sea toward Lebanon—cthe Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it,
2that they dgathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one 1accord.
3But when the inhabitants of eGibeon fheard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4they worked craftily, and went and 2pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and 3mended,
5old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
6And they went to Joshua, gto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a 4covenant with us.”
7Then the men of Israel said to the hHivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so ihow can we make a covenant with you?”
8But they said to Joshua, j“We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
9So they said to him: k“From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have lheard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt,
10“and mall that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
11“Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’
12“This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy.
13“And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
14Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; nbut they 5did not ask counsel of the LORD.
15So Joshua omade peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
16And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them.
17Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were pGibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim.
18But the children of Israel did not 6attack them, qbecause the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.
19Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.
20“This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest rwrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.”
21And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be swoodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had tpromised them.”
22Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, u‘We are very far from you,’ when vyou dwell near us?
23“Now therefore, you are wcursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God xcommanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore ywe were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25“And now, here we are, zin your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.”
26So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.
27And that day Joshua made them awoodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, bin the place which He would choose, even to this day.
Joshua 10
The Sun Stands Still
1Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem aheard how Joshua had taken bAi and had utterly destroyed it—cas he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to dAi and its king—and ehow the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,
2that they ffeared 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.
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,
4“Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for git has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”
5Therefore the five kings of the hAmorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, igathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.
6And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp jat 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.”
7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and kall the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.
8And the LORD said to Joshua, l“Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; mnot a man of them shall nstand before you.”
9Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.
10So the LORD orouted them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes pto Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as qAzekah and Makkedah.
11And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, rthat 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.
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:
s“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of tAijalon.”
13So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies. The Northern Campaign
uIs 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.
14And there has been vno day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for wthe LORD fought for Israel.
15xThen Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
The Amorite Kings Executed
16But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden 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.
19“And 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.”
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 ci
ties.
21And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace. yNo one 1moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.”
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.
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 zput their feet on their necks.
25Then Joshua said to 2them, a“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for bthus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
26And afterward Joshua struck 3them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they cwere hanging on the trees until evening.
27So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they dtook 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.
Conquest of the Southland
28On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly edestroyed 4them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah fas he had done to the king of Jericho.
29Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to gLibnah; and they 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.
31Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against 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.
33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining.
34From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against 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.
36So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to hHebron; and they 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.
38Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to iDebir; and they 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.
40So Joshua conquered all the land: the jmountain country and the 5South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and kall their kings; he left none remaining, but lutterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded.
41And Joshua conquered them from mKadesh Barnea as far as nGaza, oand all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon.
42All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, pbecause the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
43Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
Joshua 11
The Northern Conquest
1And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he asent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king bof Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
2and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of cChinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights dof Dor on the west,
3to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the eAmorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, fand the Hivite below gHermon hin the land of Mizpah.
4So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people ias the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
5And when all these kings had 1met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
6But the LORD said to Joshua, j“Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall khamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
7So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them.
8And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to 2Greater lSidon, to the 3Brook mMisrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining.
9So Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. Division of Land Among the Tribes
10Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms.
11And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, nutterly destroying them. There was none left obreathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
12So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, pas Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
13But as for the cities that stood on their 4mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned.
14And all the qspoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing.
15rAs the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so sMoses commanded Joshua, and tso Joshua did. 5He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
Summary of Joshua’s Conquests
16Thus Joshua took all this land: uthe mountain country, all the South, vall the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan 6plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands,
17wfrom 7Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured xall their kings, and struck them down and killed them.
18Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except ythe Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle.
20For zit was of the LORD 8to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, aas the LORD had commanded Moses.
21And at that time Joshua came and cut off bthe Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.
22None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only cin Gaza, in Gath, dand in Ashdod.
23So Joshua took the whole land, eaccording to all that the LORD had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel faccording to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land grested from war.
Joshua 12
The Kings Conquered by Moses
(cf. Num. 21:21–35)
1These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed on the other s
ide of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, afrom the River Arnon bto Mount Hermon, and all the eastern Jordan plain:
2One king was cSihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled half of Gilead, from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, from the middle of that river, even as far as the River Jabbok, which is the border of the Ammonites,
3and dthe eastern Jordan plain from the 1Sea of Chinneroth as far as the 2Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), ethe road to Beth Jeshimoth, and 3southward below fthe4 slopes of Pisgah.
4The other king was gOg king of Bashan and his territory, who was of hthe remnant of the giants, iwho dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5and reigned over jMount Hermon, kover Salcah, over all Bashan, las far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6mThese Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel had conquered; and nMoses the servant of the LORD had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
The Kings Conquered by Joshua
7And these are the kings of the country owhich Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as 5Mount Halak and the ascent to pSeir, which Joshua qgave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions,
8rin the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—sthe Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
9tthe king of Jericho, one; uthe king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10vthe king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12the king of Eglon, one; wthe king of Gezer, one;
13xthe king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15ythe king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 113