21. Then the Israelites returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak even a word against Israel.
22. Then Joshua said, “Remove the rocks covering the opening of the cave, and bring the five kings to me.”
23. So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
24. 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.
25. “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.”
26. Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and impaled them on five sharpened poles, where they hung until evening.
27. 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.
28. That same day Joshua captured and destroyed the town of Makkedah. He killed everyone in it, including the king, leaving no survivors. He destroyed them all, and he killed the king of Makkedah as he had killed the king of Jericho.
29. Then Joshua and the Israelites went to Libnah and attacked it.
30. There, too, the lord gave them the town and its king. He killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah as he had killed the king of Jericho.
31. From Libnah, Joshua and the Israelites went to Lachish and attacked it.
32. Here again, the lord gave them Lachish. Joshua took it on the second day and killed everyone in it, just as he had done at Libnah.
33. During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer arrived with his army to help defend the town. But Joshua’s men killed him and his army, leaving no survivors.