Joshua

But they said to Joshua: We are thy servants. Joshua said to them: Who are you? and whence came you?

And Joshua made peace with them, and entering into a league, promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the multitude swore to them.

Josue called the Gabaonites and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?

They answered: It was told us, thy servants, that the Lord thy God had promised his servant Moses, to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants thereof. Therefore we feared exceedingly and provided for our lives, compelled by the dread we had of you, and we took this counsel.

And he gave orders in that day, that they should be in the service of all the people, and of the altar of the Lord, hewing wood, and carrying water, until this present time, in the place which the Lord hath chosen.

When Adonisedec, king of Jerusalem, had heard these things, to wit, that Joshua had taken Hai, and had destroyed it, (for as he had done to Jericho and the king thereof, so did he to Hai and its king) and that the Gabaonites were gone over to Israel, and were their confederates,

Come up to me, and bring help, that we may take Gabaon, because it hath gone over to Joshua, and to the children of Israel.

But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon, which was besieged, sent to Joshua, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him: Withdraw not thy hands from helping thy servants: come up quickly, and save us, and bring us succour: for all the kings of the Amorrhites, who dwell in the mountains, are gathered together against us.

And Joshua went up from Galgal, and all the army of the warriors with him, most valiant men.

But the Lord said to Joshua: Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee.

So Joshua going up from Galgal all the night, came upon them suddenly.

Then Joshua spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before them: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon.

And Joshua returned, with all Israel, into the camp of Galgal.

And it was told Joshua, that the five kings were found hid in a cave of the city of Maceda.

And he commanded them that were with him, saying: Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men to keep them shut up:

So the enemies being slain with a great slaughter, and almost utterly consumed, they that were able to escape from Israel, entered into fenced cities.

And all the army returned to Joshua, in Maceda, where the camp then was, in good health, and without the loss of any one: and no man durst move his tongue against the children of Israel.

And Joshua gave orders, saying: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me the five kings that lie hid therein.

And when they were brought out to him, he called all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the army that were with him: Go, and set your feet on the necks of these kings. And when they had gone, and put their feet upon the necks of them lying under them,

He said again to them: Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage, and be strong: for so will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.

And Joshua struck, and slew them, and hanged them upon five gibbets; and they hung until the evening.

And when the sun was down, he commanded the soldiers to take them down from the gibbets. And after they were taken down, they cast them into the cave, where they had lain hid, and put great stones at the mouth thereof, which remain until this day.

The same day Joshua took Maceda, and destroyed it with the edge of the sword, and killed the king and all the inhabitants thereof: he left not in it the least remains. And he did to the king of Maceda, as he had done to the king of Jericho.

And he passed from Maceda with all Israel to Lebna, and fought against it:

From Lebna he passed unto Lachis, with all Israel: and investing it with his army, besieged it.