XVI THE RELIEF OF GIBEON

IGH among the hills of the Promised Land lay a town called Gibeon. Men who ran away from the defeat at Ai came straggling into Gibeon, and told the news. “The Children of Israel,” they said, “are coming with a great army. They have destroyed Jericho and Ai, and are on the march for Gibeon.” Then the Gibeonites held a council and considered what to do. And they took men and dressed them in the oldest clothes which they could find, all rags and tatters, and put upon their feet the oldest shoes, all holes and patches, and gave them baskets in which were loaves of dry and mouldy bread. And they said, “Go down now to the camp of Israel and find Joshua and tell him thus and so.”

So down they went, and came into the camp, walking very slowly, as if their feet were sore after a long journey, and as if they were too tired to go another step.

And they said, “We come from a far country to ask you to make a league of peace with us.”

And the men of Israel said, “How do we know that you are telling us the truth? It may be that you are our neighbors.” And they brought them to Joshua, and Joshua said, “Who are you, and from whence do you come?”

And the men of Gibeon answered, “From a very far country. Why, these shoes we put on new the day we came away; and see them now. These clothes we had made for this journey, and we have worn them out on the way. This bread was fresh baked; it was taken hot out of the oven as we started; and now it is all dry and mouldy. The land where we live is over the hills and far away, but even there we have heard about you, and we have come to ask you to give us a promise of peace.”

Then Joshua believed that what they said was true, and he made them a solemn promise that there should be peace between the men of Israel and the men of Gibeon. So they journeyed on together and after three days they came to a town among the hills, and Joshua said, “What town is this?” And the men of Gibeon answered, “This is Gibeon, where we live. But you have promised that you will be at peace with us. You must not destroy Gibeon as you destroyed Jericho and Ai.” And the Children of Israel were very angry, and they said, “Come, let us kill them, and let us burn their city, for they lied to us.” But Joshua answered, “No, we have given them our promise, and we must do as we said.” So they let them live; but they made them their servants, to cut wood and draw water.

Now the kings of five neighboring cities, when they heard that the men of Gibeon had made peace with the men of Israel, were much displeased. And they gathered their armies together and came up against Gibeon. And the Gibeonites sent messengers to Joshua, saying, “Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for now that we have become your friends all of our neighbors have become our enemies.” So Joshua gathered together all the people of war and all the mighty men of valor to fight with the kings who were encamped about the walls of Gibeon. All night they climbed the hills, and came upon the kings suddenly in the early morning, while all the camp was sleeping. And the kings and all their men waked up in a great fright when they heard the trumpets blowing and the men of Israel shouting, and they ran away, and the men of Israel ran after them. And there was a great storm that day of rain and hail, and the hailstones beat in the faces of the kings’ men. As for the five kings, they hid themselves in a cave.

So Joshua and his soldiers chased the enemy down the long valley. And somebody told Joshua where the kings had gone, and he had his men block up the mouth of the cave and leave a guard there, while the rest of the army fought the battle. Now in the afternoon, as the sun began to go down and the moon began to shine with a faint light, like a dim ball of gray silver, Joshua wished that the day might last all night. For he knew that as soon as it became dark the battle would be over and the enemy would escape. So he cried aloud and said. “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” And it seemed as if the sun and moon stood still, that day was so long and the victory was so great. And long after, the soldiers sang about it in their war songs: how the stars in the sky fought on the side of Israel, and the sun and moon stood still to see the battle.

But at last the soldiers came back from following the enemy. And Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings unto me out of the cave.” So they took away the great stones and brought the five kings. And Joshua made the five kings lie upon the ground before all the army, and he called his captains and said, “Come near, and put your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said, “Fear not, be strong and of good courage; for thus shall the Lord do unto all your enemies against whom ye fight.”