Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) ¹  and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea ²  in the west. ³ 

All Jerusalem was terrified ¹  because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors.

Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. ¹ 

The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. ¹  These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans. ² 

When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us ¹  from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?” ² 

The Lord routed ¹  them before Israel. Israel ²  thoroughly defeated them ³  at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass ⁴  of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. ¹ 

(Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite. ¹ ) Then the land was free of war.

“The Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; no one has been able to resist you ¹  to this very day.

Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God. He then took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree near the Lord’s shrine.

When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, ¹  have the whole army give a loud battle cry. ²  Then the city wall will collapse ³  and the warriors should charge straight ahead.” ⁴ 

The rams’ horns sounded ¹  and when the army ²  heard the signal, ³  they gave a loud battle cry. ⁴  The wall collapsed ⁵  and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. ⁶ 

Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day ¹ ) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.

When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²  and all along the Mediterranean coast ³  as far as ⁴  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) –

As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from ¹  Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, ²  all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. ¹  They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.) ² 

Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. ¹  But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer ²  them, as the Lord promised.”

Joshua said to the family ¹  of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment.

He must remain ¹  in that city until his case is decided by the assembly ²  and the high priest dies. ³  Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.” ⁴ 

The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan and built there, near the Jordan, an impressive altar. ¹