Yehoshua's Miracles: Sun, Stones, and Conquests

Hashem Causes Chaos Among the Kings

Hashem caused chaos and stress for the kings. Hashem brought a huge מכה in Givon.

Rocks and Hail from the Sky

As they were trying to run away through a very narrow path, large rocks came from the sky.

1. Rocks were from space.
2. Hail with rocks.

Many people were killed first by stones and then by swords.

Yehoshua Prays; Sun and Moon Stop

אז — something positive: Yehoshua began speaking to Hashem. The sun stopped in Givon and the ירח stopped in עמקאילהאן.

Hashem stopped the sun twice.

1. At noon for 24 hours.
2. When the sun was setting, He stopped it for 24 hours.

(The moon was also shining at the same time.) A total of 48 hours of daylight.

There was never a day like this before, and never will be, because Hashem is fighting for Bnei Yisrael.

Return to Camp and the Cave at Makkedah

Yehoshua went back to his camp at Gilgal.

Five kings ran away to a cave in מכדה (Makkedah).

Then Yehoshua found out they were hiding there.

Yehoshua told the people to roll huge rocks to the mouth of the cave and to have people stand guard.

He told another group to chase after and kill the other people.

There were some survivors who ran to fortified cities.

Yehoshua and his people returned to their camp in peace.

Opening the Cave and the Five Kings

Yehoshua told the people to open the cave.

They took the five kings.

He told his people to put their feet on their necks.

Yehoshua told the people not to be afraid, because that is what Hashem will do to our enemies.

Yehoshua killed and hanged each king until the evening.

When the sun set, Yehoshua took the bodies, placed them in the cave, and rolled the rock to cover it.

Yehoshua destroyed everything in מכדה (Makkedah) and killed the king.

The King of Hatzor and the Northern Kings

The king of Hatzor, Yavin, one of the larger kingdoms in the north, heard that Yehoshua had conquered the southern kings.

1. He called his allies, the kings of the northern territories.
2. He named the cities in the north.
3. All of the kings marched out with their camps; they formed a huge force (compared to the sand on the shore). They also had chariots and weapons.
4. All the kings gathered together in the city of Me Merom to fight Israel.
5. Hashem told Yehoshua not to worry because He was with him. "Tomorrow at this time, I will give the northern kings to Yehoshua. They will be able to uproot their horses' feet and burn the chariots," He said.

Uprooting the Horses' Feet

a. Uproot the horses' feet?

• Cut off their legs.
• Take off their horseshoes.

Yehoshua's Campaign at Me Merom

1. Yehoshua and his own army (30,000) went to Me Merom suddenly and attacked the cities.
2. Hashem gave them into the hands of Israel. They chased the northern kings and killed them until there was nobody left.
3. Yehoshua did what Hashem had commanded regarding the horses and chariots.
4. Yehoshua returned to Hatzor after he conquered the land and killed Yavin. (Yavin had run away.) Once he killed Yavin, he removed any future threats from the other kings.
5. He killed all the nefesh by the sword; there was not one neshama left. He burned the city of Hatzor.