O Dia em que o Sol Parou
1Sucedeu que Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, soube que Josué tinha conquistado Ai e a tinha destruído totalmente, fazendo com Ai e seu rei o que fizera com Jericó e seu rei, e que o povo de Gibeom tinha feito a paz com Israel e estava vivendo no meio deles. 2Ele e o seu povo ficaram com muito medo, pois Gibeom era tão importante como uma cidade governada por um rei; era maior do que Ai, e todos os seus homens eram bons guerreiros. 3Por isso Adoni-Zedeque, rei de Jerusalém, fez o seguinte apelo a Hoão, rei de Hebrom, a Piram, rei de Jarmute, a Jafia, rei de Laquis, e a Debir, rei de Eglom: 4“Venham para cá e ajudem-me a atacar Gibeom, pois ela fez a paz com Josué e com os israelitas”.
5Então os cinco reis dos amorreus, os reis de Jerusalém, de Hebrom, de Jarmute, de Laquis e de Eglom reuniram-se e vieram com todos os seus exércitos. Cercaram Gibeom e a atacaram.
6Os gibeonitas enviaram esta mensagem a Josué, no acampamento de Gilgal: “Não abandone os seus servos. Venha depressa! Salve-nos! Ajude-nos, pois todos os reis amorreus que vivem nas montanhas se uniram contra nós!”
7Josué partiu de Gilgal com todo o seu exército, inclusive com os seus melhores guerreiros. 8E disse o Senhor a Josué: “Não tenha medo desses reis; eu os entreguei nas suas mãos. Nenhum deles conseguirá resistir a você”.
9Depois de uma noite inteira de marcha desde Gilgal, Josué os apanhou de surpresa. 10O Senhor os lançou em confusão diante de Israel, que lhes impôs grande derrota em Gibeom. Os israelitas os perseguiram na subida para Bete-Horom e os mataram por todo o caminho até Azeca e Maquedá. 11Enquanto fugiam de Israel na descida de Bete-Horom para Azeca, do céu o Senhor lançou sobre eles grandes pedras de granizo, que mataram mais gente do que as espadas dos israelitas.
12No dia em que o Senhor entregou os amorreus aos israelitas, Josué exclamou ao Senhor, na presença de Israel:
“Sol, pare sobre Gibeom!
E você, ó lua, sobre o vale de Aijalom!”
13O sol parou,
e a lua se deteve,
até a nação vingar-se dos10.13 Ou derrotar os seus inimigos,
como está escrito no Livro de Jasar.
O sol parou no meio do céu e por quase um dia inteiro não se pôs. 14Nunca antes nem depois houve um dia como aquele, quando o Senhor atendeu a um homem. Sem dúvida o Senhor lutava por Israel!
15Então Josué voltou com todo o Israel ao acampamento em Gilgal.
Os Cinco Reis Amorreus São Mortos
16Os cinco reis fugiram e se esconderam na caverna de Maquedá. 17Avisaram a Josué que eles tinham sido achados numa caverna em Maquedá. 18Disse ele: “Rolem grandes pedras até a entrada da caverna, e deixem ali alguns homens de guarda. 19Mas não se detenham! Persigam os inimigos. Ataquem-nos pela retaguarda e não os deixem chegar às suas cidades, pois o Senhor, o seu Deus, os entregou em suas mãos”.
20Assim Josué e os israelitas os derrotaram por completo, quase exterminando-os. Mas alguns conseguiram escapar e se refugiaram em suas cidades fortificadas. 21O exército inteiro voltou então em segurança a Josué, ao acampamento de Maquedá, e, depois disso, ninguém mais ousou abrir a boca para provocar os israelitas.
22Então disse Josué: “Abram a entrada da caverna e tragam-me aqueles cinco reis”. 23Os cinco reis foram tirados da caverna. Eram os reis de Jerusalém, de Hebrom, de Jarmute, de Laquis e de Eglom. 24Quando os levaram a Josué, ele convocou todos os homens de Israel e disse aos comandantes do exército que o tinham acompanhado: “Venham aqui e ponham o pé no pescoço destes reis”. E eles obedeceram.
25Disse-lhes Josué: “Não tenham medo! Não desanimem! Sejam fortes e corajosos! É isso que o Senhor fará com todos os inimigos que vocês tiverem que combater”. 26Depois Josué matou os reis e mandou pendurá-los em cinco árvores, onde ficaram até a tarde.
27Ao pôr do sol, sob as ordens de Josué, eles foram tirados das árvores e jogados na caverna onde haviam se escondido. Na entrada da caverna colocaram grandes pedras, que lá estão até hoje.
28Naquele dia Josué tomou Maquedá. Atacou a cidade e matou o seu rei à espada e exterminou todos os que nela viviam, sem deixar sobreviventes. E fez com o rei de Maquedá o que tinha feito com o rei de Jericó.
A Conquista das Cidades do Sul
29Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, avançou de Maquedá para Libna e a atacou. 30O Senhor entregou também aquela cidade e seu rei nas mãos dos israelitas. Josué atacou a cidade e matou à espada todos os que nela viviam, sem deixar nenhum sobrevivente ali. E fez com o seu rei o que fizera com o rei de Jericó.
31Depois Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, avançou de Libna para Laquis, cercou-a e a atacou. 32O Senhor entregou Laquis nas mãos dos israelitas, e Josué tomou-a no dia seguinte. Atacou a cidade e matou à espada todos os que nela viviam, como tinha feito com Libna. 33Nesse meio-tempo Horão, rei de Gezer, fora socorrer Laquis, mas Josué o derrotou, a ele e ao seu exército, sem deixar sobrevivente algum.
34Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, avançou de Laquis para Eglom, cercou-a e a atacou. 35Eles a conquistaram naquele mesmo dia, feriram-na à espada e exterminaram os que nela viviam, como tinham feito com Laquis.
36Então Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, foi de Eglom para Hebrom e a atacou. 37Tomaram a cidade e a feriram à espada, como também o seu rei, os seus povoados e todos os que nela viviam, sem deixar sobrevivente algum. Destruíram totalmente a cidade e todos os que nela viviam, como tinham feito com Eglom.
38Depois Josué, e todo o Israel com ele, voltou e atacou Debir. 39Tomaram a cidade, seu rei e seus povoados e os mataram à espada. Exterminaram os que nela viviam, sem deixar sobrevivente algum. Fizeram com Debir e seu rei o que tinham feito com Libna e seu rei e com Hebrom.
40Assim Josué conquistou a região toda, incluindo a serra central, o Neguebe, a Sefelá e as vertentes, e derrotou todos os seus reis, sem deixar sobrevivente algum. Exterminou tudo o que respirava, conforme o Senhor, o Deus de Israel, tinha ordenado. 41Josué os derrotou desde Cades-Barneia até Gaza, e toda a região de Gósen, e de lá até Gibeom. 42Também subjugou todos esses reis e conquistou suas terras numa única campanha, pois o Senhor, o Deus de Israel, lutou por Israel.
43Então Josué retornou com todo o Israel ao acampamento em Gilgal.
1Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.10.2 royal…: Heb. cities of the kingdom 3Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
6¶ And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8¶ And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12¶ Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.10.12 stand…: Heb. be silent 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.10.13 Jasher: or, the upright? 14And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
15¶ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 16But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.10.19 smite…: Heb. cut off the tail 20And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 23And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 26And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. 27And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
28¶ And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho. 29Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 30And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
31¶ And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: 32And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33¶ Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
34¶ And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: 35And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it: 37And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
38¶ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it: 39And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
40¶ So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 41And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. 42And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
