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The Five Kings in the Cave at Makkedah

The five Amorite kings fled and hid in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua ordered large stones rolled to block the entrance and set guards, while the army pursued the enemy. After the victory, the kings were brought forward, and the commanders placed their feet on their necks. Joshua struck them down, hung them on five trees until evening, and threw them into the cave with large stones blocking the entrance Joshua 10:16-27.

Josué 10,16-27

16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
וַיָּנֻ֕סוּ חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּחָבְא֥וּ בַמְּעָרָ֖ה בְּמַקֵּדָֽה׃ ‬
17When Joshua was told, "The five kings have been found, hiding in the cave at Makkedah,"
וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ לֵאמֹ֑ר נִמְצְאוּ֙ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת הַמְּלָכִ֔ים נֶחְבְּאִ֥ים בַּמְּעָרָ֖ה בְּמַקֵּדָֽה׃ ‬
18he said, "Roll large stones up to the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ גֹּ֛לּוּ אֲבָנִ֥ים גְּדֹל֖וֹת אֶל־פִּ֣י הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהַפְקִ֧ידוּ עָלֶ֛יהָ אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לְשָׁמְרָֽם׃ ‬
19But you—do not stop. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand."
וְאַתֶּם֙ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֔דוּ רִדְפוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֔ם וְזִנַּבְתֶּ֖ם אוֹתָ֑ם אַֽל־תִּתְּנ֗וּם לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֧י נְתָנָ֛ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃ ‬
20When Joshua and the Israelites had finished inflicting a crushing defeat on them, until they were wiped out—though a few survivors escaped to the fortified cities—
וַיְהִי֩ כְּכַלּ֨וֹת יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְהַכּוֹתָ֛ם מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה־מְאֹ֖ד עַד־תֻּמָּ֑ם וְהַשְּׂרִידִים֙ שָׂרְד֣וּ מֵהֶ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָֽר׃ ‬
21the whole army returned safely to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah, and no one dared say a word against the Israelites.
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ֩ כָל־הָעָ֨ם אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶ֧ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ מַקֵּדָ֖ה בְּשָׁל֑וֹם לֹֽא־חָרַ֞ץ לִבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לְאִ֖ישׁ אֶת־לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃ ‬
22Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ פִּתְח֖וּ אֶת־פִּ֣י הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהוֹצִ֣יאוּ אֵלַ֗י אֶת־חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת הַמְּלָכִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִן־הַמְּעָרָֽה׃ ‬
23So they did, bringing the five kings out of the cave to him—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
וַיַּ֣עֲשׂוּ כֵ֔ן וַיֹּצִ֣יאוּ אֵלָ֗יו אֶת־חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת הַמְּלָכִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִן־הַמְּעָרָ֑ה אֵ֣ת ׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ חֶבְרוֹן֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ יַרְמ֔וּת אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ לָכִ֖ישׁ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ עֶגְלֽוֹן׃ ‬
24When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who had gone with him, "Come here, put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and put their feet on their necks.
וַ֠יְהִי כְּֽהוֹצִיאָ֞ם אֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵלֶּה֮ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֒ וַיִּקְרָ֨א יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ אֶל־כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אֶל־קְצִינֵ֞י אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ הֶהָלְכ֣וּא אִתּ֔וֹ קִרְב֗וּ שִׂ֚ימוּ אֶת־רַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם עַֽל־צַוְּארֵ֖י הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַֽיִּקְרְב֔וּ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ אֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־צַוְּארֵיהֶֽם׃ ‬
25Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for this is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you fight."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ וְאַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ כִּ֣י כָ֗כָה יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לְכָל־אֹ֣יְבֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם נִלְחָמִ֥ים אוֹתָֽם׃ ‬
26Then Joshua struck the kings down and killed them, and hung them on five trees, where they remained until evening.
וַיַּכֵּ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ וַיְמִיתֵ֔ם וַיִּתְלֵ֕ם עַ֖ל חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה עֵצִ֑ים וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ תְּלוּיִ֥ם עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ ‬
27At sunset Joshua gave the order, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. Then they placed large stones over the mouth of the cave, and those stones remain there to this very day.
וַיְהִ֞י לְעֵ֣ת ׀ בּ֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ צִוָּ֤ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ וַיֹּֽרִידוּם֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָעֵצִ֔ים וַיַּ֨שְׁלִכֻ֔ם אֶל־הַמְּעָרָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֶחְבְּאוּ־שָׁ֑ם וַיָּשִׂ֜מוּ אֲבָנִ֤ים גְּדֹלוֹת֙ עַל־פִּ֣י הַמְּעָרָ֔ה עַד־עֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ פ ‬