Japhia
The King of Lachish
Aussi appelé : Japhia
Japhia was the king of Lachish, one of the five Amorite kings who formed an alliance against Gibeon after the Gibeonites had made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites. He was defeated and killed by Joshua during the conquest of Canaan.
Événements clés
The Alliance Against Gibeon
Japhia joined a coalition of five Amorite kings led by Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, to attack Gibeon because the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel.
3So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon:
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֲדֹנִי־צֶ֜דֶק מֶ֣לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אֶל־הוֹהָ֣ם מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶ֠בְרוֹן וְאֶל־פִּרְאָ֨ם מֶֽלֶךְ־יַרְמ֜וּת וְאֶל־יָפִ֧יעַ מֶֽלֶךְ־לָכִ֛ישׁ וְאֶל־דְּבִ֥יר מֶֽלֶךְ־עֶגְל֖וֹן לֵאמֹֽר׃
5Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and marched up with all their armies. They took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.
וַיֵּאָסְפ֨וּ וַֽיַּעֲל֜וּ חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֗י מֶ֣לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶבְר֤וֹן מֶֽלֶךְ־יַרְמוּת֙ מֶֽלֶךְ־לָכִ֣ישׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־עֶגְל֔וֹן הֵ֖ם וְכָל־מַֽחֲנֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ עַל־גִּבְע֔וֹן וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ עָלֶֽיהָ׃
Gibeon's Call for Help
The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua and asked for help against the five kings who were besieging their city, including Japhia of Lachish.
6The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly, save us, and help us, for all the Amorite kings of the hill country have joined forces against us."
וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ גִבְע֨וֹן אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֣לָה לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־תֶּ֥רֶף יָדֶ֖יךָ מֵֽעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ עֲלֵ֧ה אֵלֵ֣ינוּ מְהֵרָ֗ה וְהוֹשִׁ֤יעָה לָּ֙נוּ֙ וְעָזְרֵ֔נוּ כִּ֚י נִקְבְּצ֣וּ אֵלֵ֔ינוּ כָּל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָאֱמֹרִ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָהָֽר׃
7So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his whole army, all his best fighting men.
וַיַּ֨עַל יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ מִן־הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל ה֚וּא וְכָל־עַ֤ם הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל גִּבּוֹרֵ֥י הֶחָֽיִל׃ פ
The Lord's Intervention in the Battle
God threw the Amorite armies into confusion and sent hail upon them as they fled, so that more died from the hail than from the swords of the Israelites.
10The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who struck them down in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the road up to Beth-horon, and cut them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
וַיְהֻמֵּ֤ם יְהוָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּכֵּ֥ם מַכָּֽה־גְדוֹלָ֖ה בְּגִבְע֑וֹן וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵ֗ם דֶּ֚רֶךְ מַעֲלֵ֣ה בֵית־חוֹרֹ֔ן וַיַּכֵּ֥ם עַד־עֲזֵקָ֖ה וְעַד־מַקֵּדָֽה׃
11As they fled before Israel down the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD hurled great hailstones on them from the sky all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hailstones than from the swords of the Israelites.
וַיְהִ֞י בְּנֻסָ֣ם ׀ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הֵ֞ם בְּמוֹרַ֤ד בֵּית־חוֹרֹן֙ וַֽיהוָ֡ה הִשְׁלִ֣יךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֩ אֲבָנִ֨ים גְּדֹל֧וֹת מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם עַד־עֲזֵקָ֖ה וַיָּמֻ֑תוּ רַבִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־מֵ֙תוּ֙ בְּאַבְנֵ֣י הַבָּרָ֔ד מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרְג֛וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ ס
The Five Kings Hide in a Cave at Makkedah
Japhia and the other four kings fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah, but they were discovered and captured.
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׃
The Execution of Japhia
Joshua ordered that the five kings, including Japhia, be brought out of the cave. He humiliated them and then killed them, hanging them on five trees as a sign of God's judgment.
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
The Conquest of Lachish
After Japhia's death, Joshua conquered the city of Lachish and struck it with the edge of the sword, just as the Lord had given it into Israel's hands.
31Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish. He laid siege to it and attacked it.
וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר יְ֠הוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עִמּ֛וֹ מִלִּבְנָ֖ה לָכִ֑ישָׁה וַיִּ֣חַן עָלֶ֔יהָ וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בָּֽהּ׃
32The LORD gave Lachish into Israel's hand, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He put it to the sword along with everyone in it, just as he had done to Libnah.
וַיִּתֵּן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶת־לָכִ֜ישׁ בְּיַ֣ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַֽיִּלְכְּדָהּ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וַיַּכֶּ֣הָ לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב וְאֶת־כָּל־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֑הּ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה לְלִבְנָֽה׃ פ