22. Then Joshua said, “Open the entrance to the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
23. So the cave was opened, and the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon were brought out
24. and taken to Joshua. Joshua then called all the men of Israel to him and ordered the officers who had gone with him to come and put their feet on the necks of the kings. They did so.
25. Then Joshua said to his officers, “Don't be afraid or discouraged. Be determined and confident because this is what the Lord is going to do to all your enemies.”
26. Then Joshua killed the kings and hanged them on five trees, where their bodies stayed until evening.
27. At sunset Joshua gave orders, and their bodies were taken down and thrown into the same cave where they had hidden earlier. Large stones were placed at the entrance to the cave, and they are still there.
28. Joshua attacked and captured Makkedah and its king that day. He put everyone in the city to death; no one was left alive. He did to the king of Makkedah what he had done to the king of Jericho.
29. After this, Joshua and his army went on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it.
30. The Lord also gave the Israelites victory over this city and its king. They spared no one, but killed every person in it. They did to the king what they had done to the king of Jericho.
31. After this, Joshua and his army went on from Libnah to Lachish, surrounded it and attacked it.
32. The Lord gave the Israelites victory over Lachish on the second day of the battle. Just as they had done at Libnah, they spared no one, but killed every person in the city.
33. King Horam of Gezer came to the aid of Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army and left none of them alive.
34. Next, Joshua and his army went on from Lachish to Eglon, surrounded it and attacked it.
35. They captured it the same day and put everyone there to death, just as they had done at Lachish.
36. After this, Joshua and his army went from Eglon up into the hills to Hebron, attacked it
37. and captured it. They killed the king and everyone else in the city as well as in the nearby towns. Joshua condemned the city to total destruction, just as he had done to Eglon. No one in it was left alive.