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The Book of Joshua

Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic

- Kapitel 10 -

1
When Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, had heard these things, specifically, that Joshua had seized Ai, and had overthrown it, (for just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so did he do to Ai and its king,) and that the Gibeonites had fled over to Israel, and were now their confederates,
2
he was very afraid. For Gibeon was a great city, and was one of the royal cities, and was greater than the town of Ai, and all its warriors were very strong.
3
Therefore, Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, sent to Hoham, the king of Hebron, and to Piram, the king of Jarmuth, and also to Japhia, the king of Lachish, and to Debir, the king of Eglon, saying:
4
“Ascend to me, and bring troops, so that we may fight against Gibeon. For it has fled over to Joshua and the sons of Israel.”
5
And so, having assembled, 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, together with their armies, went up and encamped around Gibeon, laying siege to it.
6
But the inhabitants of the city of Gibeon, when it was besieged, sent to Joshua, who was then staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him: “May you not draw back your hands from helping your servants. Come quickly, and free us, and bring troops. For all the kings of the Amorites, who live in the mountains, have gathered together against us.”
7
And Joshua ascended from Gilgal, and the entire army of warriors with him, very strong men.
8
And the Lord said to Joshua: “You should not fear them. For I have delivered them into your hands. None of them will be able to withstand you.”
9
And so Joshua, ascending from Gilgal throughout the night, rushed upon them suddenly.
10
And the Lord set them in disarray before the face of Israel. And he crushed them in a great defeat at Gibeon, and he pursued them along the way of the ascent to Beth-horon, and he struck them down, even as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
11
And while they were fleeing from the sons of Israel, and were on the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord cast great stones from heaven upon them, as far as Azekah. And many more were killed by the hailstones, than were struck down by the swords of the sons of Israel.
12
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord, on the day that he handed over the Amorite in the sight of the sons of Israel, and he said before them: “O sun, you shall not move toward Gibeon! O moon, you shall not move toward the valley of Aijalon!”
13
And the sun and the moon stood still, until the people had avenged themselves of their enemies. Has this not been written in the book of the just? And so the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and it did not hurry to its rest for the space of one day.(a) (b)
14
Never before and never after was there so long a day, as when the Lord obeyed the voice of a man, and fought for Israel.
15
And Joshua returned, with all of Israel, into the camp of Gilgal.

The Victory at Makkedah

16
For the five kings had fled, and had hidden themselves in a cave, near the city of Makkedah.
17
And it was reported to Joshua that the five kings had been found hidden in a cave, near the city of Makkedah.
18
And he instructed his companions and said: “Roll vast stones to the mouth of the cave, and station attentive men who will keep them closed.
19
But as for you, do not stay here; instead, pursue the enemies, and cut down the lattermost of those who are fleeing. You shall not permit those whom the Lord God has delivered into your hands to enter into the protection of their cities.”
20
Thus, the adversaries were struck down in a great defeat, and having been nearly consumed, even to utter annihilation, those who were able to escape from Israel entered into fortified cities.
21
And the entire army returned to Joshua at Makkedah, where they were then encamped, in good health and in their full numbers. And no one dared to move his tongue against the sons of Israel.
22
And Joshua instructed, saying, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forward to me the five kings, who are hidden within it.”
23
And the ministers did just as they had been ordered. And they led out to him the five kings from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon.
24
And when they had been led out to him, he called all the men of Israel, and he said to the leaders of the army who were with him, “Go, and place your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And when they had gone and had tread their feet upon the necks of those who were thrown down,
25
he spoke to them again: “Do not be afraid, and do not dread. Be strengthened and be steadfast. For so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.”
26
And Joshua struck them down and killed them, and he suspended them on five gallows. And they hung there until evening.
27
And when the sun had set, he instructed his assistants that they should take them down from the gallows. And having been taken down, they cast them into the cave, where they had lain hidden, and they set vast stones at its mouth, which remain, even to the present.
28
Also on the same day, Joshua seized Makkedah, and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and he put to death its king and all its inhabitants. He did not leave in it even the smallest remains. And he did to the king of Makkedah, just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Conquest of the Southern Cities

29
Then he went on, with all of Israel, from Makkedah to Libnah, and he fought against it.
30
And the Lord delivered it, with its king, into the hands of Israel. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, and all its inhabitants. They did not leave in it any remains. And they did to the king of Libnah, just as they had done to the king of Jericho.
31
From Libnah, with all of Israel, he went on to Lachish. And taking positions around it with his army, he besieged it.
32
And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hands of Israel, and he seized it on the following day, and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul that was in it, just as he had done to Libnah.
33
At that time, Horam, the king of Gezer, went up so that he might assist Lachish. And Joshua struck him with all his people, even unto utter annihilation.
34
And he went on from Lachish to Eglon, and he surrounded it.
35
And he also defeated it on the same day. And he struck all the souls that were in it with the edge of the sword, in accord with all that he had done to Lachish.
36
He also ascended, with all of Israel, from Eglon into Hebron, and he fought against it.
37
He seized it and struck it with the edge of the sword, likewise with its king, and all the towns of that region, and all the souls that were staying in it. He did not leave any remains in it. Just as he had done to Eglon, so also did he do to Hebron, consuming with the sword all that he found within it.(c)
38
Returning from there to Debir,
39
he seized it and laid waste to it, likewise with its king. And all the surrounding towns, he struck with the edge of the sword. He did not leave in it any remains. Just as he had done to Hebron and Libnah, and to their kings, so did he do to Debir and to its king.
40
And so Joshua struck the entire land, the mountains, and the south, and the plains, and the descending slopes, with their kings. He did not leave in it any remains, but he put to death all that was able to breathe, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had instructed him,(d)
41
from Kadesh-barnea, as far as Gaza, with all the land of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
42
And all their kings and their regions, he seized and destroyed with a single attack. For the Lord, the God of Israel, fought on his behalf.
43
And he returned, with all of Israel, to the place of the encampment at Gilgal.

Fußnoten

(a)10:13 It is contrary to the Catholic faith to claim that this passage describes an eclipse of the sun; that is not at all what the text says. But neither is it necessary to say that the passage implies that the earth is the center of the solar system, or that the sun, earth, and moon ceased to move for 24 hours. Some type of miracle occurred, so that the sun and moon appeared to remain in the same place in the sky, but we are not told exactly how this was accomplished. Also, one need not hold that the one day was 24 hours; it could have been some shorter length of time, since the Jews counted a partial day as one day.(Conte)
(b)10:13 The book of the just:In Hebrew Jasher: an ancient book long since lost.(Challoner)
(c)10:37 The king:Viz., the new king, who succeeded him that was slain, ver. 26.(Challoner)
(d)10:40 Any remains therein, but slew, etc:God ordered these people to be utterly destroyed, in punishment of their manifold abomination; and that they might not draw the Israelites into the like sins.(Challoner)
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
The LORD 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
The LORD 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, the LORD 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 the LORD in the day when the LORD 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 the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
15
Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

The Victory at Makkedah

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 the LORD 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 the LORD 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.

Conquest of the Southern Cities

29
Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.
30
The LORD 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
The LORD 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 the LORD, 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
43
Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.