THE WAR AGAINST GIBEON.

Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king ofJerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king ofLachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, andwent up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon,and made war against it.

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to usquickly, and save us and help us: for all the kings of theAmorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered togetheragainst us.

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of warwith him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said untoJoshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand;there shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua thereforecame unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. Andthe Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with agreat slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way thatgoeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and untoMakkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel,and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast downgreat stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:they were more which died with hailstones than they whom thechildren of Israel slew with the sword.

Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lorddelivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and hesaid in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still,and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upontheir enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So thesun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to godown about a whole day. And there was no day like that before itor after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: forthe Lord fought for Israel.

And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp toGilgal. But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a caveat Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings arefound hid in a cave at Makkedah. And Joshua said, Roll greatstones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keepthem: and stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smitethe hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities;for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.

And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israelhad made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, tillthey were consumed, that the rest which remained of them enteredinto fenced cities. Joshua x, 5-20.