Study Desk

They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard about Him and all He did in Egypt.

So our leaders and all the people of our country said to us, ‘Take what you need for traveling. Go to meet them and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make an agreement with us.'"

This is what we will do to them. We will let them live, or anger would be upon us for the promise we swore to them."

And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they cut wood and brought water for all the people, as the leaders had told them.

Now you are cursed. You will never stop being servants, cutting wood and bringing water, for the house of my God."

They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants that the Lord your God had told His servant Moses to give you all the land and kill all the people of the land in front of you. We were very much afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this thing.

But on that day Joshua made them cut wood and bring water for the people of Israel and for the altar of the Lord, at whatever place He chooses. That was to be their work to this day.

"Come and help me. Let us go fight against Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel."

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the tents at Gilgal, saying, "Do not leave your servants alone. Hurry and help us. For all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country have gathered against us."

The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. For I have given them into your hands. Not one of them will stand in front of you."

So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation punished those who fought against them. Is it not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the center of the sky. It did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.

There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel.

But do not stay there yourselves. Go after those who hate you. Follow after them and fight. Do not let them go into their cities. For the Lord your God has given them into your hand."

When they brought those kings out to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel. He said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came and put their feet on their necks.

Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or troubled. Be strong and have strength of heart. For the Lord will do this to all who hate you and fight against you."

Joshua took all these kings and their lands at the same time. Because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

"Do not be afraid," the Lord said to Joshua. "For tomorrow at this time I will have killed all of them for Israel. You will cut the legs of their horses and burn their war-wagons with fire."

Then Joshua turned back and took Hazor and killed its king with the sword. For Hazor had been the head of all these nations.

The sons of Israel took for themselves all the riches of these cities and the cattle. But they killed every man with the sword until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed.

Joshua made war against these kings for a long time.