12. The day the Lord handed the Amorites over to the people of Israel, Joshua spoke to the Lord while Israel was watching,“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,and moon, stand still over the valley of Aijalon!”
13. The sun stood still,and the moon stoppeduntil a nation got revenge on its enemies.Isn’t this recorded in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and for nearly a day the sun was in no hurry to set.
14. Never before or after this day was there anything like it. The Lord did what a man told him to do, because the Lord fought for Israel.
15. Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16. The five kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah.
17. Someone told Joshua, “The five kings have been found. They are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
18. Joshua replied, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post a guard there.
19. But don’t stop. Chase your enemies! Cut off their rear guard. Don’t let them get back into their own cities, because the Lord your God has handed them over to you.”
20. Joshua and the Israelites defeated them decisively, almost destroying them. But some who survived got back into the fortified cities.
21. Then the whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a single person dared to speak against any of the Israelites.
22. Joshua said, “Open the cave, and bring me the five kings!”
23. So they brought him the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24. When they brought them to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel. He told the officers who had gone with him, “Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So that’s what they did.
25. Joshua told them, “Don’t be afraid or terrified! Be strong and courageous, because this is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you’re fighting against.”
26. After this, Joshua put them to death and hung their bodies on five poles until evening.
27. When the sun went down, Joshua gave the order to take them down from the poles. Then they threw them into the cave where they had been hiding and put large stones over the mouth of the cave. These stones are still there today.
28. That same day Joshua captured Makkedah, and the Israelites killed its people and king with swords. He claimed them for the Lord by destroying them. There were no survivors. He did the same thing to the king of Makkedah that he had done to the king of Jericho.