1 Later, Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua's army had captured Ai town and had destroyed everything in the town. He heard that they had done to the people of Ai and to their king the same thing that they had done to the people of Jericho and their king. He also heard that the people of Gibeon city had made a peace treaty with the Israeli people, and that the people of Gibeon were now living near the Israelis and being protected by them. 2 Because of that, he and the people whom he ruled became very afraid, because Gibeon was an important city, like the other cities that had kings. And even though Gibeon was a larger city than Ai and all its soldiers were good fighters, they thought Joshua's army might defeat them. 3 So King Adonizedek sent a message to Hosham the king of Hebron city, to Piram the king of Jarmuth city, to Jarmuth the king of Lachish city, and to Debir the king of Eglon city. 4 In the message he said, “Please come up with your armies and help me to attack Gibeon, because the people of Gibeon have made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelis.”

5 So those five kings who ruled all the groups who were descendants of Amor—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Debir—came up with all of their soldiers and surrounded the city. Then they prepared to attack it.

6 So the people of Gibeon sent a message to Joshua while he was in the camp at Gilgal. They said, “We are your servants. So do not forsake us. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because the kings of all of the groups descended from Amor and their armies have joined their forces, and have come from the hilly area to attack us!”

7 So Joshua and all his army, including the soldiers who were his best fighting men, marched up from Gilgal. 8 Then Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of those armies! I will enable your army to defeat them [IDI]. None of them will be able to ◄resist/fight and defeat► your army.”

9 Joshua's army marched all night and arrived very early in the morning. 10 They attacked their enemies before anyone knew that they had come. Yahweh caused their enemies to ◄become very confused/start running in all directions► when they saw the Israeli army. As a result, the Israeli army defeated them very severely at Gibeon and killed many of them. The rest of them fled along the road that goes up to Beth-Horon. But the Israeli army pursued them and killed them all along the road that goes to Azekah and Makkedah towns. 11 As they fled in front of the Israeli army, Yahweh threw down huge hailstones from the sky. As a result, more of them died from hailstones falling on them than died as a result of the Israeli army killing them with swords.

12 On the day that Yahweh enabled the Israeli army to defeat the groups who were descendants of Amor, Joshua said to Yahweh while the Israeli people were listening, “Yahweh, cause the sun to stand still over Gibeon, And cause the moon to not move when it is over Aijalon Valley.” 13 And that is what happened. The sun stood still, And the moon did not move, Until the Israeli army defeated their enemies. That is what has been written in the book that Jashar wrote. The sun stopped while it was in the middle of the sky, and did not set/go down► for about a whole day. 14 There was never a day like that previously, and there has never been a day like that since, when Yahweh did such a miracle that someone asked him to do. Yahweh was certainly fighting for the Israeli people!

15 After Joshua's army defeated their enemies, they all returned to their camp at Gilgal.

16 While the enemy soldiers were fleeing from Joshua's army, their five kings also fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17 Then someone told Joshua, “We found those five kings, hiding in a cave at Makkedah!” 18 When Joshua heard that, he said, “Roll some very large rocks to the entrance of the cave so that the kings cannot escape, and leave some soldiers there to guard it. 19 But do not stay there! Pursue our enemies! Attack them from behind! Do not allow them to escape to their cities, because Yahweh, our God, will enable you to defeat/kill them [IDI].”

20 So Joshua's army did what he told them to do. They killed almost all of the enemy soldiers, but a few of them were able to reach their cities and be safe inside the walls of the cities. 21 Then Joshua's army returned to Joshua, who was still in their camp at Makkedah. No one in the land dared to criticize [MTY] the Israelis.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the entrance of the cave, and bring out to me those five kings!” 23 So the soldiers brought those five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When they brought those kings to Joshua and forced them to lie on the ground, he summoned all the Israeli soldiers, and then he said to the army commanders, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings!” So the commanders did that. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid of any of our enemies! Never be discouraged! Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all the enemies you will fight!” 26 Then Joshua each of the five kings with his sword and killed them, and told his soldiers to hang the bodies of the five kings on trees. So they did that, and they left the bodies hanging on the trees until sunset. 27 At sunset, Joshua told them to take the bodies down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. So the soldiers did that, and then they put those large rocks at the entrance of the cave again. Those rocks are still there.

28 That is how Joshua's army attacked and captured Makkedah. They killed the king and everyone else in the town. They did not leave anyone alive. They did to the king of Makkedah the same thing that they had done to the king of Jericho.