Joshua Commands the Sun To Stand Still
1 King Adonizedek of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured and destroyed the town of Ai, and then killed its king as he had done at Jericho. He also learned that the Gibeonites had signed a peace treaty with Israel. 2 This frightened Adonizedek and his people. They knew that Gibeon was a large town, as big as the towns that had kings, and even bigger than the town of Ai had been. And all of the men of Gibeon were warriors. 3 So Adonizedek sent messages to the kings of four other towns: King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon. The messages said, 4 “The Gibeonites have signed a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites. Come and help me attack Gibeon!”
5 When these five Amorite kings called their armies together and attacked Gibeon, 6 the Gibeonites sent a message to the Israelite camp at Gilgal: “Joshua, please come and rescue us! The Amorite kings from the hill country have joined together and are attacking us. We are your servants, so don't let us down. Please hurry!”
7 Joshua and his army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal. 8 “Joshua,” the Lord said, “don't be afraid of the Amorites. They will run away when you attack, and I will help you defeat them.”
9 Joshua marched all night from Gilgal to Gibeon and made a surprise attack on the Amorite camp. 10 The Lord made the enemy panic, and the Israelites started killing them right and left. They chased the Amorite troops up the road to Beth-Horon and kept on killing them, until they reached the towns of Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And while these troops were going down through Beth-Horon Pass, the Lord made huge hailstones fall on them all the way to Azekah. More of the enemy soldiers died from the hail than from the Israelite weapons.
12-13 The Lord was helping the Israelites defeat the Amorites that day. So about noon, Joshua prayed to the Lord loud enough for the Israelites to hear:
“Our Lord, make the sun stop
in the sky over Gibeon,
and the moon stand still
over Aijalon Valley.”
So the sun and the moon
stopped and stood still
until Israel defeated its enemies.
This poem can be found in The Book of Jashar. The sun stood still and didn't go down for about a whole day. 14 Never before and never since has the Lord done anything like that for someone who prayed. The Lord was really fighting for Israel.
15 After the battle, Joshua and the Israelites went back to their camp at Gilgal.
Joshua Kills the Five Enemy Kings
16 While the enemy soldiers were running from the Israelites, the five enemy kings ran away and hid in a cave near Makkedah. 17 Joshua's soldiers told him, “The five kings have been found in a cave near Makkedah.”
18 Joshua answered, “Roll some big stones over the mouth of the cave and leave a few soldiers to guard it. 19 But you and everyone else must keep going after the enemy troops, because they will be safe if they reach their walled towns. Don't let them get away! The Lord our God is helping us get rid of them.” 20 So Joshua and the Israelites almost wiped out the enemy soldiers. Only a few safely reached their walled towns.
21 The Israelite army returned to their camp at Makkedah, where Joshua was waiting for them. No one around there dared say anything bad about the Israelites. 22 Joshua told his soldiers, “Now, move the rocks from the entrance to the cave and bring those five kings to me.”
23 The soldiers opened the entrance to the cave and brought out the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 After Joshua had called the army together, he forced the five kings to lie down on the ground. Then he called his officers forward and told them, “You fought these kings along with me, so put your feet on their necks.” The officers did this, 25 and Joshua continued, “Don't ever be afraid or discouraged. Be brave and strong. This is what the Lord will do to all your enemies.”
26 Joshua killed the five kings and told his men to hang each body on a tree. Then at sunset 27 he told some of his troops, “Take the bodies down and throw them into the cave where the kings were found. Cover the entrance to the cave with big rocks.”
Joshua's troops obeyed his orders, and those rocks are still there.
Joshua Continues the Fighting
28 Later that day, Joshua captured Makkedah and killed its king and everyone else in the town, just as he had done at Jericho.
29 Joshua and his army left Makkedah and attacked the town of Libnah. 30 The Lord let them capture the town and its king, and they killed the king and everyone else, just as they had done at Jericho.
31 Joshua then led his army to Lachish, and they set up camp around the town. They attacked, 32 and the next day the Lord let them capture the town. They killed everyone, as they had done at Libnah. 33 King Horam of Gezer arrived to help Lachish, but Joshua and his troops attacked and destroyed him and his army.
34 From Lachish, Joshua took his troops to Eglon, where they set up camp surrounding the town. They attacked, 35 captured it that same day, then killed everyone, as they had done at Lachish.
36 Joshua and his army left Eglon and attacked Hebron. 37 They captured the town and the nearby villages, then killed everyone, including the king. They destroyed Hebron in the same way they had destroyed Eglon.
38 Joshua and the Israelite army turned and attacked Debir. 39 They captured the town, and its nearby villages. Then they destroyed Debir and killed its king, together with everyone else, just as they had done with Hebron and Libnah.
40 Joshua captured towns everywhere in the land: In the central hill country and the foothills to the west, in the Southern Desert and the region that slopes down toward the Dead Sea. Whenever he captured a town, he would kill the king and everyone else, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 41 Joshua wiped out towns from Kadesh-Barnea to Gaza, everywhere in the region of Goshen, and as far north as Gibeon. 42-43 The Lord fought on Israel's side, so Joshua and the Israelite army were able to capture these kings and take their land. They fought one battle after another, then they went back to their camp at Gilgal after capturing all that land.
Ape Amora'bai te Ṛe
1 Adonizedeka 'bädri'ba Yerusalema ro eritate ekye Yosua ru Ai te ago perete riya ago fu 'bädri'ba na te, kpa oso nda koyebe Yeriko ndi 'bädri'ba na be ri ronye. Ago nda eri tase lidri Gibeona ro 'ba taliatokpe te Yisaraele'bai be ago kayite ori ànya lako ana tana kpate. 2 Adonizedeka ndi lidri ndaro be a'doyite turiro ndra ni ta ono ri tana Gibeona orivoya 'bakici 'desi yi oso 'bakicii azaka se 'bädri'ba be ronye; ago orivoya ndra ni Ai ri ago mànoago ànyaro orivoya kyilaoye'bai kado yi. 3 Ta'dota 'Bädri'ba Adonizedeka zo lazo te Hoama 'bädri'ba Eberona ro, Pirama 'bädri'ba Jaremuta ro, Jafia 'bädri'ba Lakisa ro, ndi Debira 'bädri'ba Egelona ro ri ekye: 4 “Nyìkyi ma opane màye kyila robe Gibeona be tana lidri na 'ba taliatokpe te Yosua be ndi lidri Yisaraele robe.” 5 'Dooko 'bädri'bai nji Amora'bai ro kwoi, 'bädri'bai Yerusalema ro, Eberona ro, Jaremuta ro, Lakisa ro, ndi Egelona robe, dro'beyi kyila'bai ànyaro te, oyi muyidri Gibeona rote, ago gotayite.
6 Ago lidri Gibeona ro zo lazo te Yosua ri gawa Gilegala ya ya ekye: “Nye'be ama ruindu'bai miro ko! Nyikyi ri ndri ama opane! Mipa ama! Tana 'bädri'bai cini Amora'bai ro se kayibe ori 'bädri luturo yasi iyi dro'beyi kyila'bai ànyaro te ago ikyi gotayi ama te!”
7 Ta'dota Yosua ndi kyila'bai cini ndaro be, tro kyila'bai kadopara ndaro yibe ŋgayite ni Gilegala yasi. 8 Ago OPI atate Yosua ri ekye: “Nyuturi ko ni ànyari. Tana mozo ànya te drì miro ya. Alo aza ànyaro unina ko edrene mimile.” 9 Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro yibe abayite ŋgäkyi raa ni Gilegala yasi ago ànya gotayi Amora'bai te ätruku'du. 10 OPI 'ba Amora'bai te a'done lä'bilä'biro kyila'bai Yisaraele ro mile. Ago Yisaraele'bai tufuyi ànya te amba Gibeona ya ago njayi ànya te le liti se kabe lävu Bete Orona ya ana ya, ago uguyi ànya tufute sagwo le Azeka ndi Makeda be ya. 11 Ondro Amora'bai kayite ugu umu ni kyila'bai Yisaraele ro ri lävuvo se Bete Orona ya ana yasi oko, OPI eda 'bu siya rote ànya dri ni kurusi liti yasi sagwo le Azeka ya, ago tufu ànya te. 'Bu siya tufu ànya te ndrani se Yisaraele'bai kutufuyibe drisi.
12 Tugi OPI ko'ba Yisaraele'bai kope Amora'bai be ṛe ana si, Yosua atate OPI ri. Nda atate lidri Yisaraele ro milesi ekye:
“Kitu, nyedre 'du Gibeona dri;
imba, nyedre 'du Vodelero Aijalona ro dri.”
13 Kitu edrete 'du, ago imba swe kote, madale Yisaraele'bai pe kyila'baazii ànyaro te ṛe. Egyi ta ono te Buku Jasara roya, ekye kitu edrete 'du kitoriya vukuru roya kitu zwi ago cu ci kote. 14 Tu käti aza ya, ca tu ono si ono, tu aza a'do kote oso ana ronye, se OPI eri ta lidri rote. OPI ye kyila te Yisaraele'bai resi!
15 Ono vosi Yosua ndi kyila'bai cini ndaro be egoyite gawa ya Gilegala ya.
Yosua Ru 'Bädri'bai Nji Amora'bai rote
16 'Bädri'bai se nji Amora'bai ro kai payivote ago da'doyi iyi te kugyi se Makeda ya ana ya. 17 Ago iti tate Yosua ri ekye usu 'bädri'bai se nji ana te ruda'dovoya kugyi Makeda roya. 18 Ndi Yosua atate ekye: “Nyèreṛi kuniŋwà 'desiro kala kugyi roya. Ago mì'ba a'ba kyila'bai azaka lau vookwane, 19 oko andivo amiro miri ko lau. Mìso kyila'baazii amiro vo, ago nyùgu ànya gota kundu yasi mì'ba ànya kosayi ko 'bakici ànyaro ya! Tana OPI Lu amiro ozo ànya te drì amiro ya.” 20 Yosua ndi kyila'bai Yisaraele robe kutufuyi ànya gica amba caoko azaka ànyaro pavote londroro ago ciyite tiṛi 'bakici ànyaro roya teinye ufuako. 21 Ago kyila'bai cini Yosua ro egoyite londroro ndare gawa ya Makeda ya.
'Diaza wari ana ro ojo kote ta koziro aza atane lidri Yisaraele ro lomvo alona.
22 'Dooko Yosua atate ekye: “Mìpi kala kugyi ro ago nyòlofo 'bädri'bai se nji kai mare ni kugyi yasi.” 23 Ta'dota äpi kala kugyi rote, ago olofo 'bädri'bai Yerusalema ro, Eberona ro, Jaremuta ro, Lakisa ro ndi 'bädri'ba Egelona robe te. 24 Ago ondro ezi ànya te Yosua re oko, Yosua zi lidri cini Yisaraele rote ndare, ago ozotate otaozo'bai kyila'bai ro se koyiyibe nda be ana ri ekye: “Nyèshwe ti ago mìto pa amiro kyembe 'bädri'bai se kwoi ro yasi.” Ndi ànya ishweyite ago yeyite inye. 25 'Dooko Yosua atate otaozo'bai kyila'bai ndaro ro ri ekye: “Nyà'do ko turiro ago nyòzovo ko. Nyà'do mbara ro ago agoagobe tana OPI ka oye ta oyene oso inye kyila'baazii cini amiro se nyàoyebe kyila oyene sina ri.” 26 'Dooko Yosua fu 'bädri'bai se kai te ago otoyi avo ànyaro te ice nji drisi. Ago avo ànyaro rite lau madale tandrolero. 27 Ondro kitu ocivoya oko, Yosua ozotate ago atri avo ànyaro te vuru ni ice drisi, ago avote kugyi se ànya kada'doyirube kigye käti ana ya. Ago adro kuniŋwà 'desiro te kugyi ana kala, kuniŋwà kai drigi 'du orivoya lau le tu ono ya.
Yosua Ru Amba Wari Amora'bai ro rote
28 Tu ana si Yosua ru Makeda te ndi 'bädri'ba na be. Nda tufu 'bädri'ba nate ndi 'dicini se 'bakici ana ya be; e'be 'diaza kote lidriidriro. Nda ye ta kpate 'bädri'ba Makeda ro ri oso nda koyebe 'bädri'ba Yeriko ro ri ronye.
29 Ta ono vosi Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be oyiyite ni Makeda yasi le Libena ya ago gotayite. 30 OPI ozo 'bakici se ana kpate ndi 'bädri'ba na be drì Yisaraele'bai roya. Ànya tufuyi 'dise cini kigye ana te ago e'beyi 'diaza kote lidriidri ro. Ànya yeyi ta kpate 'bädri'ba na ri oso ànya koyeyibe 'bädri'ba Yeriko ro ri ronye.
31 'Do vosi, Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be oyiyite ni Libena yasi le Lakisa ya, muyi drina te ago gotayite. 32 OPI ozo Lakisa te drì Yisaraele'bai ro ya ago ruyite tu ṛiri kyila oyero si. Ànya tufuyi 'dise cini 'bakici ya te, kpa oso ànya koyeyibe Libena ya ronye.
33 'Dooko Orama 'bädri'ba Gezera ro ikyite Lakisa opane, oko Yosua pe nda te ṛe ndi kyila'bai ndaro be ago e'be alo aza ànyaro kote lidriidriro.
34 'Do vosi, Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be oyiyite ni Lakisa yasi le Egelona ya, muyi drina te ago gotayite. 35 Ànya ruyite tu gialo ana si ago tufuyi 'dise cini lau ana te, kpa oso ànya koyeyibe Lakisa ya ronye.
36 Ono vosi, Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be oyiyite ni Egelona yasi le Eberona ya, ago gotayite 37 ago ruyite. Ànya fuyi 'bädri'ba na te ndi 'dise cini 'bakici ya be ndi tro 'dise cini 'ba 'desi ya ana be. Yosua pere 'bakici ana te riya, kpa oso nda koyebe Egelona ri ronye. E'be 'diaza alona kote lidriidriro kigye.
38 'Dooko Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be oyiyite kovole Debira ya ago gotayite. 39 Nda rute ndi 'bädri'ba na be ndi 'ba'desii se cini lototi ana be. Ànya tufuyi 'dise cini lau ana te. E'be 'diaza alona kote lidriidriro. Yosua yetate Debira ndi 'bädri'ba na be ri kpa oso se nda koyebe Eberona ri ago Libena ndi 'bädri'bai na be ri ana ronye. 40 Yosua pe wari cini te. Nda pe 'bädri'bai se 'bädri lutu ro yasi, Negebe yasi, vodelero yasi, ago lutui yasi te ṛe, Nda e'be 'diaza kote alona lidriidriro nda tufu 'dicini te, oso se Opi Lu Yisaraele ro kota anya be ronye. 41 Yosua ru vo teni Kadesa Baranea yasi le Gaza ya ago ni wari cini Gosena ro yasi, ndi le Gibeona ya. 42 Yosua pe 'bädri'bai se cini kwoi te ṛe ago ru wari cini ànyaro te pere alodi kyila oyero si tana OPI Lu Yisaraele ro ye kyila ni Yisaraele ta. 43 Ono vosi, Yosua ndi kyila'bai ndaro be egoyite kovole gawa ya Gilegala ya.