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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Joshua 10


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1Now, it happened that Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem, learned that Joshua had conquered Ai and putthe town under the curse of destruction, treating Ai and its king as he had already treated Jericho and its king;and also that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living with them.2There was consternation at this, since Gibeon was as important a town as any of the royal townsthemselves (it was larger than Ai), while al its citizens were fighting men.3Consequently, Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king ofJarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon,4'Join me up here and help me to conquer Gibeon, since it has made peace with Joshua and theIsraelites.'5The five Amorite kings joined forces and went up there, that is, the king of Jerusalem, the king ofHebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon, they and al their armies; laying siege toGibeon, they attacked it.6The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, 'Do not desert your servants; come uphere quickly to save us and help us, since al the Amorite kings living in the highlands have al ied themselvesagainst us.'7Joshua came up from Gilgal, he, al the fighting men and all the bravest of his army.8Yahweh said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid of these people; I have put them at your mercy; not one ofthem wil put up any resistance.'9Having marched from Gilgal throughout the night, Joshua caught them unawares.10Yahweh threw them into disorder at the sight of Israel, defeating them completely at Gibeon;furthermore, he pursued them by way of the Descent of Beth-Horon and harassed them as far as Azekah (andas far as Makkedah).11And as they fled from Israel down the Descent of Beth-Horon, Yahweh hurled huge hailstones fromheaven on them all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died under the hailstones than under theswords of the Israelites.12Joshua then spoke to Yahweh, the day Yahweh delivered the Amorites to the Israelites. In thepresence of Israel, Joshua said: Sun, stand stil over Gibeon, and, moon, you too, over the Vale of Aijalon!13And the sun stood stil , and the moon halted, until the people had taken vengeance on their enemies.Is this not written in the Book of the Just? The sun stood still in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting foralmost a whole day.14There was never a day like that before or since, when Yahweh obeyed the voice of a man -- forYahweh was fighting for Israel.15Joshua, and al Israel with him, then went back to the camp at Gilgal.16As regards the five kings, these had fled and hidden in the cave of Makkedah,17and news of this was brought to Joshua. 'The five kings have been found hiding in the cave atMakkedah.'18Joshua said, 'Rol great stones over the mouth of the cave and post men there to keep guard.19You yourselves, do not stay there doing nothing; pursue the enemy, cut off their line of retreat and donot let them enter their towns, for Yahweh your God has put them at your mercy.'20When Joshua and the Israelites had finished inflicting a very great defeat on them, to the point ofdestroying them, those who had escaped alive took refuge in their fortresses.21The people came back to Joshua's camp at Makkedah; they were all safe and sound, and no onedared to attempt anything against the Israelites.22Joshua then said, 'Clear the mouth of the cave and bring the five kings out to me.'23They did so, and brought the five kings out of the cave to take them to him: the king of Jerusalem, theking of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon.24When these kings had been brought out, Joshua assembled al the men of Israel and said to thechiefs of the warriors who had fought with him, 'Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings!'They came forward and put their feet on their necks.25'Be fearless and undaunted,' Joshua went on, 'be strong and stand firm, for this is how Yahweh wildeal with al the enemies you fight.'26With this, Joshua struck and killed them and had them hanged on five trees; they hung there tillevening.27At the hour of sunset, on Joshua's orders, they were taken down from the trees and thrown into thecave where they had been hiding. Great stones were laid over the mouth of the cave, and these are stil there tothis very day.28The same day Joshua captured Makkedah, putting it and its king to the sword; he delivered themover to the curse of destruction, with every living creature there, and let no one escape, and he treated the kingof Makkedah as he had treated the king of Jericho.29Joshua, and al Israel with him, went on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it30and Yahweh put this, too, and its king at Israel's mercy; and Israel put every living creature there tothe sword, and left none alive, and treated its king like the king of Jericho.31Joshua, and al Israel with him, went on from Libnah to Lachish and besieged it and attacked it.32Yahweh put Lachish at Israel's mercy, and Israel took it on the second day and put it and every livingcreature in it to the sword, as they had treated Libnah.33Horam king of Gezer then marched up to help Lachish, but Joshua beat him and his people until notone was left alive.34Joshua, and al Israel with him, went on from Lachish to Eglon. They besieged it and attacked it.35The same day they took it and put it to the sword. That day he delivered over to the curse ofdestruction every living creature there, treating it as he had treated Lachish.36Joshua, and al Israel with him, went on up from Eglon to Hebron. They attacked it,37took it and put it to the sword, with its king, its dependencies and every living creature in it. As he hadtreated Eglon, so here, he left no one alive. He delivered it over to the curse of destruction, with every livingcreature in it.38Joshua, and al Israel with him, then turned back on Debir and attacked it.39He took it and its king and al the places belonging to it; they put them to the sword, and every livingcreature there they delivered over to the curse of destruction. He left no one alive. As he had treated Hebron, ashe had treated Libnah and its king, so he treated Debir and its king.40Thus Joshua subjugated the whole country: the highlands, the Negeb, the lowlands and wateredfoothil s, and al their kings. He left not one survivor and put every living thing under the curse of destruction, asYahweh, God of Israel, had commanded.41Joshua conquered them from Kadesh-Barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far asGibeon.42Al these kings and their territory Joshua captured in a single campaign, because Yahweh, God ofIsrael, fought for Israel.43And then Joshua, and al Israel with him, went back to the camp at Gilgal.