The Book of Joshua

Bible Timeline
 
Here is a good timeline to see the book of Joshua in the history of the Bible
http://www.sundayschoolresources.com/timeline.htm

Joshua 8

The second war with Ai.

The first time that the Israelites had a war with the city of Ai, the Israelites were afraid, and they ran away.
 

God told Joshua that he shouldn't feel afraid or depressed. He should take soldiers and go back to the city of Ai.  God will help them defeat Ai, Ai's people, Ai's king, and all of Ai's land
[1] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:


The Israelites will destroy Ai and Ai's king the same as they destroyed Jericho. But this time, God said the Israelites can keep the animals and anything they want. God told Joshua to plan an ambush behind the city (a surprise attack that the enemy won't know about).
[2] And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.


Joshua and the soldiers got ready to go fight Ai.  Joshua chose 30,000 soldiers and sent them to Ai at night. He told them to hide near the city but to stay behind it.
[3] So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
[4] And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
 

Joshua and his part of the army will go to the front of the city.  When the king of Ai sees the Israelites, he will bring his army out to fight them. The king of Ai will think it is the same as before. He will think the Israelites are running away.  The army of Ai will chase the Israelites. Then the Israelites who are hiding behind the city will come out. They will attack the city.
[5] And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
[6] (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
[7] Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.


After they capture the city, they should set the city on fire. This is what God told them to do.
[8] And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.


Joshua sent 5,000 soldiers to hide on the west side (back side) of Ai.  Joshua stayed that night with the other Israelites in the camp.
[9] Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.


The next morning, Joshua, the elders of Israel, and more soldiers went near to Ai.  They made a camp near Ai. The first 5,000 soldiers were still hiding on the other side of Ai.
[10] And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
[11] And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
[12] And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

All of the Israelite soldiers were ready to fight--the soldiers with Joshua and the soldiers hiding behind Ai. That night Joshua went into a valley near Ai.  The king of Ai saw Joshua in the valley. In the morning, the king quickly got his army ready to go fight the Israelites.  But the king didn't know about the Israelites who were hiding behind the city.
[13] And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
[14] And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
 

When the army of Ai came out, Joshua and the Israelites pretended to run away. The Ai soldiers chased the Israelites away from Ai.
[15] And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
[16] And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.


All of the soldiers in Ai and Bethel (another city near Ai) chased the Israelites. There were no soldiers left in the city. The city was open.
[17] And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.


God told Joshua to point his spear (sword) toward Ai.  Now God will give Ai to the Israelites. Joshua obeyed God, and he pointed his spear toward Ai.
[18] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.


As soon as Joshua pointed his spear toward Ai, the soldiers who were hiding attacked the city of Ai. They set the city on fire.
[19] And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

The Ai soldiers looked back, and they saw the city burning. They were trapped. They could not go back to the city because Israelite soldiers were there. They could not go forward because Israelite soldiers were there, too. Then the Israelites looked back at the city. They saw the smoke. Then Joshua and the Israelite soldiers stopped pretending to run away.  They attacked the Ai soldiers.  They killed all of the Ai soldiers. They caught the king of Ai. None of the Ai soldiers escaped. The Israelite soldiers brought the king of Ai to Joshua.
[20] And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
[21] And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
[22] And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
[23] And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.


After the Ai soldiers were dead, the Israelite soldiers went to the city of Ai.  They killed everyone in the city.  All 12,000 men and women in Ai died that day.
[24] And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
[25] And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.


Joshua continued to point his spear at Ai until everyone was killed.
[26] For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.


The Israelite soldiers kept the animals and everything else from Ai. At Jericho, they could not keep anything, but God told them they could keep things from Ai.  Joshua and his army destroyed the city of Ai.  When this book of the Bible was written, the city had never been rebuilt.
[27] Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
[28] And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.


The Israelites hanged the king of Ai on a tree. In the evening, they took his body off the tree. They threw his body down at the gate of Ai. They covered it with a big pile of rocks.  When this book of the Bible was written, the pile of rocks was still there.
[29] And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
 

Joshua builds a special altar at Mt. Ebal.
 

Joshua built a special altar for God at Mt. Ebal. He used rocks that had never been cut with iron tools. Then he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
[30] Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
[31] As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.


Then Joshua wrote God's laws on big stone tablets. All of the Israelites watched him write the laws.
[32] And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
 

All of the Israelites, the leaders, the judges, and people from other places who lived with the Israelites were there. They divided into 2 groups.  Some of the priests stood in the middle. The priests held the Ark of the Covenant.  1 group stood  near Mt. Gerizim with their backs to the mountain. The other group stood near Mt. Ebal with their backs to the mountain. This was what Moses told them to do back in Deuteronomy 11 (click here to read about that part again.)
[33] And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.


Then Joshua read God's laws. He read about the blessings (good things) and curses (bad things).  Joshua read every word that Moses had told him to read. All of the Israelite men, women, and children heard him.
[34] And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
[35] There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
 

Joshua 9

All of the groups of people living in Canaan hear about the Israelites.

The leaders of the other people heard about Joshua and the Israelites. Some of the other groups of people were called:  the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These groups of people lived west of the Jordan River as far north as Lebanon. They lived in in the big hills, in the small hills, and in the flat land near the Mediterranean Sea. The leaders of these groups decided to work together to fight Joshua and the Israelites.
[1] And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
[2] That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

The people from Gibeon trick the Israelites.


The people who lived in the area called Gibeon heard about Joshua. They heard how Joshua and the Israelites defeated Jericho and Ai.
[3] And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
 

They made a plan to trick the Israelites. Some of them pretended that they traveled from a place far away. They got a lot of old things. They put old sacks (bags) on their donkeys. They got old, torn wineskins and sewed them back together.
[4] They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;


They put on old clothes and shoes. They carried old, moldy bread.
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
 

They went to see Joshua at Gilgal. They lied and told Joshua they lived in a country far away. They said they wanted to make a peace treaty (promise for no war) with the Israelites.
[6] And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.


The Israelite men said maybe they really lived in Canaan. If they lived in Canaan, the Israelites could not make a peace treaty with them.
[7] And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
 

The Gibeon men told Joshua that they would be the Israelites' servants (workers). Joshua asked them who they were and where they came from.
[8] And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?


The Gibeon men lied again. They said they came from a country far away. They said they heard about how God was helping the Israelites. They heard about what happened in Egypt.  They heard that the Israelites won wars with the Amorites, King Og, and King Sihon.
[9] And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
[10] And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

They said their leaders told them to take food and travel to meet the Israelites. They said their leaders said to tell the Israelites they want to make a peace treaty. They said they want to work for the Israelites.
[11] Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.


They showed the Israelites their food. They said they made the bread fresh at home. But they traveled a long time, and the bread got moldy. They said the wineskins were new, but now they are old and torn. They also said they traveled a long time, and their clothes got old.  
[12] This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
[13] And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.


The Israelite men accepted some of the food. But they didn't pray and ask God about this situation.
[14] And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.


Joshua made a peace treaty with the men. He promised to let their people live. The leaders of the Israelites made the promise, too.
[15] And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.


But 3 days later, the Israelites learned that the men had lied. They did not live far away. They really lived close in Canaan.
[16] And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
 

The Israelite army traveled to the Gibeonites' home. The Israelites arrived at the men's cities in just 3 days.  The names of their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
[17] And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.


But the Israelites did not kill the Gibeonite people. They could not kill them because the Israelite leaders made a peace treaty with them. They made a promise in God's name to have peace with the people. They cannot kill them now and break their promise. The Israelite people complained about the peace treaty.
[18] And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.


But the Israelite leaders told them they cannot kill the Gibeon people. They made a promise in God's name.
[19] But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.


The Israelite leaders said they cannot break the treaty promise If they break it, something bad will happen. They must let the Gibeon people live. 
[20] This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.


The Israelite leaders said the Gibeonite people can live. But they must work for the Israelites.  They must cut wood and carry water for the Israelites.
[21] And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.


Joshua called the Gibeon men. He asked them why they lied about living far away.  Now they are cursed. They will always work for the Israelites.  They will always cut wood and carry water for God's special place of worship.
[22] And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
[23] Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.


The Gibeon men answered Joshua.  They said they lied because they were afraid. They heard how God told the Israelites to destroy everyone in Canaan and take all of the land.
[24] And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.


The Gibeon people accepted that they will now cut wood and carry water. The Israelites did not kill them. When this book of the Bible was written, they were still working for the Israelites. They work in the special place that God chose for His worship place.
[25] And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
[26] And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
[27] And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
 

Joshua 10


Joshua defeats 5 Amorite kings


Jerusalem was a big city. The king of Jerusalem was Adoni-zedek.  He heard about how Joshua had defeated the city of Ai. He also heard about how Joshua defeated the city of Jericho.  Adoni-zedek heard that Joshua killed the kings of Ai and Jericho. He heard that Gibeon made a peace treaty with the Israelites. He knew the Gibeon people were now living in peace with the Israelites.
[1] Now 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;


Adoni-zedek knew that Gibeon was a big and strong city. It was a bigger city than Ai. It was as big as cities that had kings. The Gibeon soldiers were good fighters.
[2] That 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.


Adoni-zedek didn't like that Gibeon made a peace treaty with the Israelites.

Jerusalem's king Adoni-zedek sent messages to 4 other Amorite kings:
Hoham, the king of Hebron,
Piram, the king of Jarmuth,
Japhia, the king of Lachish,
Debir, the king of Eglon.

He told them to come and help him fight Gibeon. He told them about Gibeon's peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites. 
[3] Wherefore 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,
[4] Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.


The 5 kings and their armies traveled to Gibeon and attacked it.
[5] Therefore 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.


The men in Gibeon sent a message to Joshua. They told Joshua that the kings of the Amorites were attacking them. They asked Joshua to come and save them.
[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.


Joshua and his army started traveling to Gibeon. God told Joshua that he should not be afraid. God will give the Israelites victory--they will defeat the Amorite kings. All of the Amorite soldiers will die.
[7] So 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.


Joshua and his army marched all night. They made a surprise attack on the Amorite kings in the morning. God made the Amorite army panic (very afraid). The Israelites killed many Amorites at Gibeon, The Amorite army ran away. The Israelite army chased the Amorite army to places called Beth-horon, Azekah, and Makkedah.
[9] Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
[10] And 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.
 

While the Amorites were running away, God made big hailstones (big rocks of ice) fall down on them.   Many Amorites died.  The number of Amorites who died from hailstones was higher than the number killed by the Israelites.
[11] And 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.


God was helping the Israelites defeat the Amorites. Joshua prayed to God. Then, Joshua talked to the sun and moon. He told the sun to stand still (stop moving) over Gibeon. Joshua told the moon to stand still over Ajalon. The Israelites could hear Joshua.
[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.


 

The sun and moon stood still. They made bright light until the Israelite army finished defeating the Amorites.  Someone wrote about this in another book called the Book of Jasher.  The sun did not go down at the normal time. This had never happened before. It has not happened since that time. God listened to Joshua's prayers.  God was fighting for Israel.
[13] And 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.
[14] And 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.


Joshua and the Israelites went back to their camp at Gilgal. The 5 Amorite kings ran away. The kings hid in caves at the place called Makkedah.
[15] And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
[16] But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.


Someone told Joshua that the 5 Amorite kings were hiding in a cave.  Joshua told his soldiers to put big rocks in front of the door of the cave. Then a few soldiers should stay by the cave.
[17] And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
[18] And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:


The other Israelite soldiers should continue chasing the other Amorite soldiers. They should kill all of them. They should not let any Amorite soldiers escape back to their home cities. God is helping the Israelites defeat the Amorites.
[19] And 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.


The Israelite army killed most of the Amorite soldiers. Just a few of the Amorite soldiers escaped to their home cities.
[20] And 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.


The Israelite soldiers went back to the camp by the cave at Makkedah.  No one who lived around that area said anything bad about the Israelites.
[21] And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.


Joshua told his men to open the cave and bring out the 5 Amorite kings.
[22] Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
 

The soldiers brought the 5 kings out of the caves.  They were the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
[23] And 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.


Joshua called the leaders of the Israelite army. He told the army leaders that they helped in this war. He told them to come and stand on the necks of the Amorite kings. The leaders obeyed Joshua. They put their feet on the kings' necks.
[24] And 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.


Joshua told the leaders they should not be afraid. They should be strong and brave. The Lord God will help them do the same to all of their enemies.
[25] And 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.


Then Joshua killed the 5 kings. He hanged their bodies on 5 trees.  The bodies hung on the trees until evening.
[26] And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.


In the evening, at sunset when the sun went down, Joshua told the soldiers to take the bodies off the trees.  They put the bodies in the same cave where the Amorite kings were hiding before. Then they put big rocks to cover the cave door.  When this book of the Bible was written, the rocks were still there.
[27] And 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.

Joshua and the Israelite army defeat many more cities and kings.


On the same day, Joshua and the Israelite army defeated the city of Makkedah. He killed all of the people who lived there. No one was left alive. He did the same to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho.
[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.


After Joshua defeated the city of Makkedah, the army traveled to the city of Libnah.  They had a war, and God gave Libnah to the Israelites.  The Israelites killed every person in Libnah. They killed the king the same as they killed the king of Jericho.
[29] Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
[30] And 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.


Then Joshua and the Israelite army traveled to the city of Lachish.  They camped near Lachish and then fought a war.  God gave Lachish to the Israelites. The defeated Lachish in 2 days.  They killed everyone in Lachish the same as they killed everyone in Libnah.
[31] And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
[32] And 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.


The king of the city of Gezer was named Horam.  Horam came to help the city of Lachish. Joshua killed Horam and all of his people. No one was left alive.
[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.


Then Joshua and the Israelite army traveled to the city of Eglon. They camped there and had a war with Eglon.  They defeated Eglon in one day and killed everyone in the city. He defeated the city the same as he defeated Lachish. 
[34] And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
[35] And 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.


Then Joshua and his army went to the city of Hebron. They fought a war there and defeated Hebron and the smaller towns around it. They killed everyone in Hebron, the same as they killed everyone in Eglon.
[36] And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:
[37] And 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.


Joshua turned and went to the city of Debir. They fought a war there and defeated Debir and the smaller towns around it.  They killed everyone. They killed the king the same as they did in Libnah.
[38] And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
[39] And 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.

 

Joshua defeated all of the towns, cities, and kings in this area. This was the southern part of Canaan. This part of Canaan had hills and valleys.  It also had many springs (water coming up from the ground). Joshua killed all of the people and the kings.  This is what God told Joshua to do.  
[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.




Joshua defeated the people in the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from Goshen to Gibeon. Joshua defeated them in one campaign (many wars fought during the same time). God fought for Israel.  Then Joshua and his army went back to their camp at Gilgal.
[41] And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
[42] And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
[43] And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.