5. The kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon gathered their armies together. Those five Amorite kings moved all of their troops into position to fight against Gibeon. Then they attacked it.
6. Joshua was in the camp at Gilgal. The people of Gibeon sent a message to him there. It said, "Don't desert us. We serve you. Come up to us quickly! Save us! Help us! All of the Amorite kings from the central hill country have gathered their armies together to fight against us."
7. So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his whole army. The army included all of his best fighting men.
8. The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to fight against you and win."
9. Joshua marched all night from Gilgal. He took the Amorite armies by surprise.
10. The Lord threw them into a panic as Israel marched toward them. Then Israel won a great battle over them at Gibeon. They chased them along the road that goes up to Beth Horon. They struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
11. The Amorites ran away as Israel marched toward them. They ran down the road from Beth Horon to Azekah. As they ran, the Lord threw large hailstones down on them from the sky. The hailstones killed more of them than the swords of the men of Israel did.
12. So the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel. On that day Joshua spoke to the Lord while the people of Israel were listening. He said, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon. Moon, stand still over the Valley of Aijalon."
13. So the sun stood still. The moon stopped. They didn't move again until the nation won the battle over its enemies. You can read about it in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky. It didn't go down for about a full day.
14. There has never been a day like it before or since. It was a day when the Lord listened to a mere man. You can be sure that the Lord was fighting for Israel!
15. Joshua and his whole army returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16. The five Amorite kings had run away. They had hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
17. Joshua was told that the five kings had been found. He was also told that they were hiding in the cave at Makkedah.