Chapter 89
now therefore make a covenant with us.
51. And the inhabitants of Gibeon overreached the children of Israel, and the children of Israel made a covenant with them, and they made peace with them, and the princes of the congregation swore unto them, but afterward the children of Israel knew that they were neighbors to them and were dwelling amongst them.
52. But the children of Israel slew them not, for they had sworn to them by the Lord, and they became hewers of wood and drawers of water.
53. And Joshua said to them, why did you deceive me to do this thing to us? And they answered him, saying, because it was told to thy servants all that you had done to all the kings of the Amorites, and we were greatly afraid of our lives, and therefore we did this thing.
54. And Joshua appointed them on that day to hew wood and to draw water, and he divided them for slaves to all the tribes of Israel.
55. And when king Adonizedek of Jerusalem heard all that the children of Israel had done to Jericho and to Ai, he sent to king Hoham of Hebron and to king Piram of Jarmuth and to king Japhia of Lachish and to king Deber of Eglon, saying:
56. Come up to me and help me, that we may smite the children of Israel and the inhabitants of Gibeon who have made peace with the children of Israel.
57. And they gathered themselves together and the five kings of the Amorites went up with all their camps, a mighty people numerous as the sand of the seashore.
58. And all these kings came and encamped before Gibeon, and they began to fight against the inhabitants of Gibeon, and all the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua, saying, come up quickly to us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites have gathered together to fight against us.
59. And Joshua and all the fighting people went up from Gilgal, and Joshua came suddenly to them, and smote these five kings with a great slaughter.
60. And the Lord confounded them before the children of Israel, who smote them with a terrible slaughter in Gibeon, and pursued them along the way that goes up to Beth Boron unto Makkedah, and they fled from before the children of Israel.
61. And whilst they were fleeing, the Lord sent upon them hailstones from heaven, and more of them died by the hailstones, than by the slaughter of the children of Israel.
62. And the children of Israel pursued them, and they still smote them in the road, going on and smiting them.
63. And when they were smiting, the day was declining toward evening, and Joshua said in the sight of all the people, sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon, until the nation shall have revenged itself upon its enemies.
64. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Joshua, and the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and it stood still thirty six times, and the moon also stood still and hastened not to go down during the whole day.
65. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel. [This episode in the biblical account refers to the Book of Jasher, see Joshua ch. 10 v.
13. ]
1. THEN spoke Joshua this song, on the day that the Lord had given the Amorites into the hand of Joshua and the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of all Israel:
2. Thou hast done mighty things, O Lord. Thou hast performed great deeds. Who is like unto Thee? My lips shall sing to thy name.
3. My goodness and my fortress, my high tower, I will sing a new song unto thee. With thanksgiving will I sing to thee. Thou art the strength of my salvation.
4. All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, the princes of the world shall sing to Thee, the children of Israel shall rejoice in thy salvation, they shall sing and praise thy power.
5. To Thee, O Lord, did we confide. We said, Thou art our God, for Thou wast our shelter and strong tower against our enemies.
6. To Thee we cried and were not ashamed, in Thee we trusted and were delivered. When we cried unto Thee, Thou didst hear our voice, Thou didst deliver our souls from the sword, Thou didst show unto us thy grace, Thou didst give unto us thy salvation, Thou didst rejoice our hearts with thy strength.
7. Thou didst go forth for our salvation, with thine arm Thou didst redeem thy people, Thou didst answer us from the heavens of thy holiness, Thou didst save us from ten thousands of people.
8. The sun and moon stood still in heaven, and Thou didst stand in thy wrath against our oppressors and didst command thy judgments over them.
9. All the princes of the earth stood up, the kings of the nations had gathered themselves together, they were not moved at thy presence, they desired thy battles.
10. Thou didst rise against them in thine anger, and didst bring down thy wrath upon them, Thou didst destroy them in thine anger, and cut them off in thine heart.
11. Nations have been consumed 184 . by thy fury, kingdoms have declined because of thy wrath, Thou didst wound kings in the day of thine anger.
12. Thou didst pour out thy fury upon them, thy wrathful anger took hold of them, Thou didst turn their iniquity upon them, and didst cut them off in their wickedness.
13. They did spread a trap, they fell therein, in the net they hid their foot was caught.
14. Thine hand was ready for all thine enemies who said, through our sword we possess the land, through our arms we dwell in the city. Thou didst fill their faces with shame, Tthou didst bring their horns down to the ground, Thou didst terrify them in thy wrath and didst destroy them in thine anger.
15. The earth trembled and shook at the sound of thy storm over them. Thou didst not withhold their souls from death and didst bring down their lives to the grave.
16. Thou didst pursue them in thy storm, Thou didst consume them in thy whirlwind, Thou didst turn their rain into hail. They fell in deep pits so that they could not rise.
17. Their carcasses were like rubbish cast out in the middle of the streets.
18. They were consumed and destroyed in thine anger. Thou didst save thy people with thy might.
19. Therefore, our hearts rejoice in Thee, our souls exult in thy salvation.
20. Our tongues shall relate thy might, we will sing and praise thy wondrous works.
21. For Thou didst save us from our enemies, Thou didst deliver us from those who rose up against us, Thou didst destroy them from before us and depressed them beneath our feet.
22. Thus shall all thine enemies perish Lord, and the wicked shall be like chaff driven by the wind, and thy beloved shall be like trees planted by the waters.
23. So, Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp in Gilgal, after having smitten all the kings, so that not a remnant was left of them.
24. And the five kings fled alone on foot from battle, and hid themselves in a cave, and Joshua sought for them in the field of battle, and did not find them.
25. And it was afterward told to Joshua, saying, the kings are found and behold they are hidden in a cave.
26. And Joshua said, appoint men to be at the mouth of the cave, to guard them, lest they take themselves away, and the children of Israel did so.
27. And Joshua called to all Israel and said to the officers of battle, place your feet upon the necks of these kings, and Joshua said, so shall the Lord do to all your enemies.
28. And Joshua commanded afterward that they should slay the kings and cast them into the cave, and to put great stones at the mouth of the cave. 29 . And Joshua went afterward with all the people that were with him on that day to Makkedah, and he smote it with the edge of the sword.
30. And he utterly destroyed the souls and all belonging to the city, and he did to the king and people thereof as he had done to Jericho.
31. And he passed from there to Labnah and he fought against it, and the Lord delivered it into his hand, and Joshua smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls thereof, and he did to it and to the king thereof as he had done to Jericho.
32. And from there he passed on to Lachish to fight against it, and king Horam of Gaza, went up to assist the men of Lachish, and Joshua smote him and his people until there was none left to him.
33. And Joshua took Lachish and all the people thereof, and he did to it as he had done to Libnah.
34. And Joshua passed from there to Eglon, and he took that also, and he smote it and all the people ther of with the edge of the sword.
35. And from there he passed to Hebron and fought against it and took it and utterly destroyed it, and he returned from there with all Israel to Debir and fought against it and smote it with the edge of the sword.
36. And he destroyed every soul in it, he left none remaining, and he did to it and the king thereof as he had done to Jericho.
37. And Joshua smote all the kings of the Amorites from Kadesh-Barnea to Azah, and he took their country at once, for the Lord fought for Israel.
38. And Joshua with all Israel came to the camp to Gilgal.
39. When at that time king Jabin of Chazor heard all that Joshua had done to the kings of the Amorites, Jabin sent to king Jobat of Midian, and to king Laban of Shimron, to king Jephal of Achshaph, and to all the kings of the Amorites, saying:
40. Come quickly to us and help us, that we may smite the children of Israel before they come upon us and do unto us as they have done to the other kings of the Amorites.
41. And all these kings hearkened to the words of king Jabin of Chazor, and they went forth with all their camps, seventeen kings. And their people were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, together with horses and chariots innumerable, and they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, and they met to fight together against Israel.
42. And the Lord said to Joshua: Be not afraid of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver them up, all slain before you, thou shalt hock their horses and burn their chariots with fire.
43. And Joshua came with all the men of war suddenly upon them and smote them, and they fell into their hands, for the Lord had delivered them into the hands