Joshua’s army defeated the armies of five kings

16 While the enemy soldiers were fleeing from Joshua’s army, their five kings also fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah town. 17 Then someone told Joshua, “We found those five kings, hiding in a cave at Makkedah!” 18 When Joshua heard that, he said, “Roll some very large rocks to the entrance of the cave so that the kings cannot escape, and leave some soldiers there to guard it. 19 But do not stay there! Pursue our enemies! Attack them from behind! Do not allow them to escape to their cities, because Yahweh, our God, will enable you to defeat/kill them. [IDM]”

20 So Joshua’s army did what he told them to do. They killed almost all of the enemy soldiers, but a few of them were able to reach their cities and be safe inside the walls of the cities. 21 Then Joshua’s army returned to Joshua, who was still in their camp at Makkedah. No one in the land dared to criticize [MTY] the Israelis.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the entrance of the cave, and bring out to me those five kings!” 23 So the soldiers brought those five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When they brought those kings to Joshua and forced them to lie on the ground, he summoned all the Israeli soldiers, and then he said to the army commanders, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings!” So the commanders did that. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid of any of our enemies! Never be discouraged! Be strong and courageous. This is what Yahweh will do to all the enemies you will fight!” 26 Then Joshua killed each of the five kings with his sword, and told his soldiers to hang the bodies of the five kings on trees. So they did that, and they left the bodies hanging on the trees until sunset. 27 At sunset, Joshua told them to take the bodies down from the trees and throw them into the cave where they had been hiding. So the soldiers did that, and then they put those large rocks at the entrance of the cave again. Those rocks are still there.

28 That is how Joshua’s army attacked and captured Makkedah. They killed the king and everyone else in the town. They did not leave anyone alive. They did to the king of Makkedah the same thing that they had done to the king of Jericho.