[The text of Joshua, chapter 10:]
- When Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, had heard these things — namely, that Joshua had taken Ai and destroyed it (for as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he did to Ai and its king), and that the Gabaonites had gone over to Israel and were their confederates —
- he feared greatly. For Gabaon was a great city, and one of the royal cities, and greater than the town of Ai, and all its warriors most valiant.
- Therefore Adoni-zedek, 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:
- “Come up to me, and bring help, that we may storm Gabaon, because it has gone over to Joshua and to the children of Israel.”
- So the five kings of the Amorites, being assembled, went up — the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon — they and their armies; and they camped about Gabaon, laying siege to it.
- But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon, which was besieged, sent to Joshua, who was then abiding in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him: “Withdraw not thy hands from helping thy servants: come up quickly, and free us, and bring help; for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”
- And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the army of warriors with him, most valiant men.
- And the Lord said to Joshua: “Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thy hands; none of them shall be able to withstand thee.”
- So Joshua, going up from Gilgal the whole night, came upon them suddenly.
- And the Lord troubled them at the sight of Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gabaon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and cut them down as far as Azeca and Maceda.
- And when they were fleeing from the children of Israel, and were in the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord cast down upon them great stones from heaven, as far as Azeca; and many more were killed by the hailstones than were slain by the sword of the children of Israel.
- Then Joshua spoke to the Lord, in the day on which He delivered the Amorite in the sight of the children of Israel, and said before them: “Move not, O Sun, against Gabaon, nor thou, O Moon, against the valley of Aijalon.”
- And the Sun and the Moon stood still, until the nation should avenge itself on its enemies. Is not this written in the book of the Just? So the Sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to set for the space of one day.
- There was not before nor after so long a day, the Lord obeying the voice of a man, and fighting for Israel.
- And Joshua returned, with all Israel, into the camp at Gilgal.
- For the five kings had fled, and had hidden themselves in a cave of the city of Maceda.
- And it was told Joshua that the five kings were found hidden in a cave of the city of Maceda.
- And he commanded those who were with him, saying: “Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men to keep them shut in;
- but do not you stand still: pursue the enemy, and slay all the hindmost of the fugitives; and do not suffer those whom the Lord God has delivered into your hands to enter into their cities.”
- So the enemy being slain with a great slaughter, and almost consumed to the point of annihilation, those who were able to escape from Israel entered into fortified cities.
- And all the army returned to Joshua at Maceda, where the camp then was, safe and in whole number; and no one dared to mutter against the children of Israel.
- And Joshua commanded, saying: “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me the five kings who lie hidden in it.”
- And the ministers did as they had been commanded, and brought 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.
- And when they had been brought out to him, he called all the men of the army who were with him, and said to the chiefs: “Go, and set [your] feet on the necks of these kings.” And when they had gone, and were treading the necks of the prostrate [kings],
- he said again to them: “Fear not, nor be dismayed; take courage, and be strong; for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.”
- And Joshua struck and slew them, and hanged them upon five gibbets; and they hung until evening.
- And when the Sun had set, he commanded the soldiers to take them down from the gibbets. And, taken down, they cast them into the cave in which they had lain hidden, and placed huge stones at its mouth, which remain to this present day.
- The same day Joshua took Maceda, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and slew its king and all its inhabitants: he left not in it the least remnant; and he did to the king of Maceda as he had done to the king of Jericho.
- And he passed, with all Israel, from Maceda to Libnah, and fought against it;
- 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 left not in it any remnant; and they did to the king of Libnah as they had done to the king of Jericho.
- From Libnah he passed to Lachish, with all Israel; and investing it with his army, besieged it.
- And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hands of Israel, and he took it the next day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every soul that was in it, as he had done to Libnah.
- At that time Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him, with all his people, even to leaving none alive.
- And he passed from Lachish to Eglon, and surrounded it,
- and stormed it the same day; and he struck with the edge of the sword all the souls that were in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
- He went up also, with all Israel, from Eglon to Hebron, and fought against it,
- took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword — its king also, and all the towns of that region, and all the souls that dwelt in it; he left not in it any remnant: as he had done to Eglon, so he did also to Hebron, consuming with the sword all that he found in it.
- Returning thence to Debir,
- he took it and laid it waste — its king also, and all the surrounding towns he struck with the edge of the sword; he left not in it any remnant: as he had done to Hebron and Libnah and their kings, so he did to Debir and its king.
- So Joshua struck all the land — the hill-country and the south, the lowland and Asedoth [the slopes] — with their kings; he left not in it any remnant, but slew all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him,
- from Cadesbarne even to Gaza; all the land of Gosen even to Gabaon.
- And all their kings and their regions he took and laid waste at one onset; for the Lord God of Israel fought for him.
- And he returned, with all Israel, to the place of the camp at Gilgal.
COMMENTARY
The chapter has two parts. In the former, the fourth war of Joshua and the Israelites is described; in the latter, the fifth, and other [matters]. Now I call [this] fourth [war] the “Gabaonite,” because it was waged against them [the Israelites] by the five Chananaean Kings, and on their behalf by Joshua and the Israelites. I also call it the “Adoni-zedekian,” because the author and chief leader of this war was Adoni-zedek, the Chananaean King. And, first, his preparation for the siege of Gabaon, and the summoning and confederating of the four other Kings to himself, is set forth (verses 1, 2, 3, 4). Then, the siege of Gabaon itself (verse 5). Thirdly, the embassy of the Gabaonites to seek Joshua’s help (verse 6). Fourthly, the bringing of help (verses 7 & 8). Fifthly, the battle (verse 9) — accomplished indeed by a human hand, but much more by the divine [hand], two or three miracles being employed (verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14). Sixthly, the victory (verses 15, 19, 20, & 21). Seventhly, [the matter] of the Kings, who were conquered and captured: [their] punishments (verses 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27).
(col. 987)