Study Desk

Joshua said, "I don't know why you caused so much trouble for us, but now the Lord will bring trouble to you." Then all the people threw stones at Achan and his family until they died. Then the people burned them.

So Joshua led his whole army toward Ai. Then he chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.

So the people took their positions; the main camp was north of the city, and the other men were hiding to the west. That night Joshua went down into the valley.

The men in Ai were called to chase Joshua and his men, so they left the city and went after them.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold your spear toward Ai, because I will give you that city." So Joshua held his spear toward the city of Ai.

The men who were in ambush also came out of the city to help with the fight. So the men of Ai were caught between the armies of Israel. None of the enemy escaped. The Israelites fought until not one of the men of Ai was left alive, except

So all these kings gathered to fight Joshua and the Israelites.

So our elders and our people said to us, ‘Take food for your journey and go and meet the Israelites. Tell them, "We are your servants. Make a peace agreement with us."'

So Joshua agreed to make peace with the Gibeonites and to let them live. And the leaders of the Israelites swore an oath to keep the agreement.

So the Israelites went to where they lived and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

But the leaders answered, "We have given our promise before the Lord , the God of Israel, so we cannot attack them now.

So let them live, but they will cut wood and carry water for our people." So the leaders kept their promise to them.

So Joshua saved their lives by not allowing the Israelites to kill them,

So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent a message to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon. He begged them,

So Joshua marched out of Gilgal with his whole army, including his best fighting men.

The Lord confused those armies when Israel attacked, so Israel defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. They chased them along the road going up to Beth Horon and killed men all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the people defeated their enemies. These words are written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and waited to go down for a full day.

So he said, "Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks. Put some men there to guard it,

So Joshua and the Israelites killed the enemy, but a few were able to get back to their strong, walled cities.

So Joshua's men brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.