10:16 The five Amorite kings 2 ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 10:17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. 3 10:19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! 4 Don’t allow them to retreat to 5 their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” 6 10:20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. 7 10:21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. 8 No one 9 dared threaten the Israelites. 10 10:22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings 11 out of the cave to me.” 10:23 They did as ordered; 12 they brought the five kings 13 out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, 14 Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 10:24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he 15 summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here 16 and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up 17 and put their feet on their necks. 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! 18 Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight. 10:26 Then Joshua executed them 19 and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 10:27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. 20 They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.) 21
10:28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho. 22
10:29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it. 23 10:30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel 24 put the sword to all who lived there; they 25 left no survivors. They 26 did to its king what they 27 had done to the king of Jericho. 28
10:31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops 29 and fought against it. 10:32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they 30 captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 10:33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army 31 until no survivors remained.
10:34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops 32 and fought against it. 10:35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they 33 annihilated it just as they 34 had done to Lachish.
10:36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 10:37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they 35 left no survivors. As they 36 had done at Eglon, they 37 annihilated it and all who lived there.
10:38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 10:39 They 38 captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they 39 left no survivors. They 40 did to Debir and its king what they 41 had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron. 42
10:40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, 43 the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 10:41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. 44 10:42 Joshua captured in one campaign 45 all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 10:43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.