A reading from the book of Joshua.

As soon as Adonizedek, King of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured I, and had devoted

it to destruction, doing to I and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how

the inhabitants of Gibbon had made peace with Israel and were among them,

he feared greatly, because Gibbon was a great city, like one of the royal cities,

and because it was greater than I, and all its men were warriors.

So Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, sent to Hoham, king of Hebron, to Pyrrham, King of Jarmath, to Jaffia

King of Lakesh, and to Deber King of Eglin, saying,

Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibbon, for it has made peace with Joshua

and with the people of Israel.

Then the five kings of the Emirates, the King of Jerusalem, the King of Hebron, the King of Jarmath,

the King of Lachish, and the King of Eglon gathered their forces and went up with all their armies

and encamped against Gibian and made war against it.

And the men of Gibian sent to Joshua at the camp in

Gilgale, saying, do not relax your hand from your servants, come up to us quickly and save us and help us,

for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.

So Joshua went up from Gilgale, he and all the people of war

with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, do not fear them,

for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you. So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal, and the Lord

threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibbon, and

chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-Horan, and struck them far as Azeika and Makida. And as they fled

before Israel while they were going down the ascent of Bethoran, the Lord threw down large

...