Josh. 10:1-27
Full Lesson HERE
INTRODUCTION. When the king of Jerusalem heard what the Israelites had done to Jericho and Ai, he sent messages to the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to join him in an alliance against the Israelites. The five kings with their armies gathered together and went to besiege the city of Gibeon. The people of Gibeon had made a treaty with Joshua-they promised to serve the Israelites if Israel would protect them from their enemies. Therefore, when the Gibeonites informed Joshua they were being attacked, Joshua and his army went to their aid as promised.
The Lord assured Joshua He had delivered the five kings into the hands of the Israelites. Joshua and his army then marched by night to Gibeon, and with a surprise attack defeated the five kings and their armies, killing many of their number. As the remainder fled with the Israelites pursuing, the Lord sent great hailstones from heaven. More died from the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.
As the Israelites were succeeding in the defeat of the armies of the five kings, Joshua spoke to the Lord and asked that the sun and moon stand still. This request was in order to allow more daylight time for the Israelites to complete their victory.
The five kings fled to Makkedah, a city in southern Canaan, and hid in a cave. Joshua ordered that a stone be placed at the entrance of the cave so the kings could not escape. When the fleeing enemy had been completely destroyed, the Israelites returned to the cave, and Joshua commanded that the stone be removed. The kings were brought out of their cave prison and killed. The bodies were hung on five trees until evening, then removed and cast into the same cave. The cave was then sealed with great stones laid at the mouth.
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