The Sun Stands Still

10 Now Adoni-Zedekt king of Jerusalemu heard that Joshua had taken Aiv and totally destroyeda w it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeonx had made a treaty of peacey with Israel and had become their allies. 2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. 3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron,z Piram king of Jarmuth,a Japhia king of Lachishb and Debirc king of Eglon.d 4 “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peacee with Joshua and the Israelites.”

5 Then the five kingsf of the Amoritesg—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal:h “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army,i including all the best fighting men. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraidj of them; I have given them into your hand.k Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”l

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into confusionm before Israel,n so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.o Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horonp and cut them down all the way to Azekahq and Makkedah.r 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstoness down on them,t and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the Lord gave the Amoritesu over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,

and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.v”

13 So the sun stood still,w

and the moon stopped,

till the nation avenged itself onb its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.x

The sun stoppedy in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fightingz for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.a