Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 28
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
10:11-27
Makkedah. As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the
Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the
Israelites killed with the sword.
On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites,
Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said,
“Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,
and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel
had defeated its enemies.
Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the
middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never
been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a
prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day!
Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
During the battle the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah.
When Joshua heard that they had been found, he issued this command:
“Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks, and place guards at the entrance to keep the kings inside. The rest of you continue chasing the enemy
and cut them down from the rear. Don’t give them a chance to get back
to their towns, for the Lord your God has given you victory over them.”
So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and completely
crushed the enemy. They totally wiped out the five armies except for a tiny
remnant that managed to reach their fortified towns. Then the Israelites
returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. After that, no one
dared to speak even a word against Israel.
Then Joshua said, “Remove the rocks covering the opening of the
cave, and bring the five kings to me.” So they brought the five kings out
of the c ave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eg
lon. When they brought them out, Joshua told the commanders of his
army, “Come and put your feet on the kings’ necks.” And they did as they
were told.
“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong
and courageous, for the Lord is going to do this to all of your enemies.”
Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and impaled them on five sharpened poles, where they hung until evening.
As the sun was going down, Joshua gave instructions for the bodies of
the kings to be taken down from the poles and thrown into the cave where
they had been hiding. Then they covered the opening of the cave with a
pile of large rocks, which remains to this very day.