19. But don’t stay there yourselves. Continue chasing the enemy. Continue attacking them from behind. Don’t let them get to their cities safely. The Lord your God has given you the victory over them.”
20. So Joshua and the Israelites killed the enemy. But a few were able to get back to their strong, walled cities.
21. After the fighting, Joshua’s men came back safely to him at Makkedah. No one was brave enough to say a word against the Israelites.
22. Joshua said, “Move the rocks that are covering the opening to the cave. Bring those five kings out to me.”
23. So Joshua’s men brought the five kings out of the cave. They were the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.
24. They brought the five kings out to Joshua. He called all his men to come to that place. He said to the commanders of his army, “Come here! Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came close and put their feet on their necks.
25. Then Joshua said to his men, “Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid. I will show you what the Lord will do to the enemies you will fight in the future.”
26. Then Joshua killed the five kings. He hung their bodies on five trees. And he left them hanging on the trees until evening.
27. At sunset Joshua told his men to take the bodies down from the trees. Then they threw their bodies into the same cave where they had been hiding. They covered the opening to the cave with large rocks. They are still there today.
28. That day Joshua defeated Makkedah. He killed the king and completely destroyed all the people in that city. He killed them as an offering to the Lord. There was no one left alive. He did the same thing to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
29. Then Joshua and all the Israelites traveled from Makkedah. They went to Libnah and attacked it.
30. The Lord allowed them to defeat it and its king. They killed every person in the city. No one was left alive. And they did the same thing to that king as they had done to the king of Jericho.
31. Then Joshua and all the Israelites left Libnah and went to Lachish. They camped around Lachish and attacked it.
32. The Lord allowed them to defeat Lachish. On the second day Joshua defeated it. The Israelites killed everyone in that city. This was the same thing they had done to Libnah.
33. During this same time Horam king of Gezer came to help Lachish. But Joshua also defeated him and his army. There was no one left alive.
34. Then Joshua and all the Israelites went from Lachish to Eglon. They camped around Eglon and attacked it.