The Sun Stands Still at Gibeon

10 And it happened that when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua captured Ai and had utterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he did to Ai and its king) and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he[fn] became very afraid because Gibeon was a very large city, like one of the royal cities,[fn] and because it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty warriors. 3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hohman king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up and help me, and let us attack Gibeon, because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”[fn] 5 And the five kings of the Amorites,[fn] the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their forces, and they laid siege to Gibeon[fn] and made war against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not abandon[fn] your servant. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, for all the kings of the Amorites[fn] who dwell in the hill country have gathered against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting men[fn] with him, all the best warriors.[fn] 8 And Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have given them into your hand; no one will withstand you.[fn] 9 Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching up[fn] all night from Gilgal. 10 And Yahweh threw them into panic before Israel, who[fn] struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they were fleeing from Israel, they were on the slope of Beth-horon, and Yahweh threw huge stones from the heavens on them as far as Azekah; and more died by the hail stones than those whom the Israelites[fn] killed by the sword.

• 12 Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh, on the day Yahweh gave the Amorites[fn] over to the Israelites,[fn] and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun in Gibeon, stand still,
  • and moon, in the valley of Aijalon.”
  • 13  until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.

Is it not written in the scroll of Jashar? The sun stood still in the middle of the heaven and was not in haste to set for about a full day. 14 There has not been a day like this before it or after, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man; for Yahweh fought for Israel. 15 And Joshua returned and all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal.