1 NOW it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
3 Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10 And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.
15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.
20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.
21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
30 And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
32 And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:
37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.
43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

1Now it came to passe when Adoni-zedek King of Ierusalem, had heard how Ioshua had taken Ai, and had vtterly destroyed it, ( as he had done to Iericho, and her King, so hee had done to Ai, and her King) and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them,

2That they feared greatly because Gibeon was a great citie, as one of the royall cities, and because it was greater then Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

3Wherefore Adoni-zedek King of Ierusalem, sent vnto Hoham King of Hebron, and vnto Piram, king of Iarmuth, and vnto Iaphia king of Lachish, and vnto Debir king of Eglon, saying,

4Come vp vnto me, and helpe me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Ioshua, and with the children of Israel.

5Therefore the fiue Kings of the Amorites, the king of Ierusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Iarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselues together, and went vp, they, and all their hostes, and encamped before Gibeon, and made warre against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent vnto Ioshua to the campe to Gilgal, saying, Slacke not thy hand from thy seruants, come vp to vs quickly, and saue vs, and helpe vs: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountaines, are gathered together against vs.

7So Ioshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of warre with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

8 And the Lord said vnto Ioshua, Feare them not: for I haue deliuered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

9Ioshua therefore came vnto them suddenly, and went vp from Gilgal all night.

10And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slewe them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth vp to Bethoron, and smote them to Azekah and vnto Makkedah.

11And it came to passe as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going downe to Bethoron, that the Lord cast downe great stones from heauen vpon them, vnto Azekah, and they died: they were moe which died with hailestones, then they whome the children of Israel slew with the sword.

12 Then spake Ioshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord deliuered vp the Amorites before the children of Israel, and hee said in the sight of Israel, Sunne, stand thou still vpon Gibeon, and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon.

13And the Sunne stood still, and the Moone stayed, vntill the people had auenged themselues vpō their enemies. Is not this written in the booke of Iasher? So the Sunne stood still in the midst of heauen, and hasted not to goe downe, about a whole day.

14And there was no day like that, before it, or after it, that the Lord hearkened vnto the voyce of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

15 And Ioshua returned, and all Israel with him, vnto the campe to Gilgal.

16But these fiue kings fled, and hid themselues in a caue at Makkedah.

17And it was told Ioshua, saying, The fiue kings are found hid in a caue at Makkedah.

18And Ioshua said, Roule great stones vpon the mouth of the caue, and set men by it, for to keepe them.

19And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them, suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath deliuered them into your hand.

20And it came to passe when Ioshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them, entred into fenced cities.

21And all the people returned to the campe to Ioshua at Makkedah in peace: none mooued his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

22Then said Ioshua, Open the mouth of the caue, and bring out those fiue kings vnto me out of the caue.

23And they did so, and brought forth those fiue kings vnto him out of the caue, the king of Ierusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Iarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

24And it came to passe when they brought out those kings vnto Ioshua, that Ioshua called for all the men of Israel, and saide vnto the captaines of the men of war which went with him, Come neere, put your feete vpon the neckes of these kings. And they came neere, and put their feet vpon the necks of them.

25And Ioshua said vnto them, Feare not, nor be dismaid, bee strong, and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord doe to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

26And afterward Ioshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on fiue trees: and they were hanging vpon the trees vntill the euening.

27And it came to passe at the time of the going downe of the Sunne, that Ioshua commanded, and they tooke them downe off the trees, and cast them into the caue, wherein they had beene hid, and laid great stones in the caues mouth, which remain vntil this very day.

28 And that day Ioshua tooke Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof hee vtterly destroyed, them, and all the soules that were therein, he let none remaine: and he did to the king of Makkedah, as hee did vnto the king of Iericho.

29Then Ioshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, vnto Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

30And the Lord deliuered it also and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel, and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the soules that were therein: He let none remaine in it, but did vnto the king therof, as he did vnto the king of Iericho.

31 And Ioshua passed from Libnah and all Israel with him, vnto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.

32And the Lord deliuered Lachish into the hande of Israel, which tooke it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the soules that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of Gezer, came vp to helpe Lachish, and Ioshua smote him and his people, vntill he had left him none remayning.

34 And from Lachish, Ioshua passed vnto Eglon, and all Israel with him, and they encamped against it, and fought against it.

35And they tooke it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the soules that were therein he vtterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36And Ioshua went vp from Eglon, and all Israel with him, vnto Hebron, and they fought against it.

37And they tooke it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the soules that were therein, he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon: but destroyed it vtterly, and all the soules that were therein.

38 And Ioshua returned, and all Israel with him to Debir, and fought against it.

39And hee tooke it, and the King thereof, and all the cities thereof, and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and vtterly destroyed all the soules that were therein, he left none remayning: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof, as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.

40 So Ioshua smote all the countrey of the hils, and of the South, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings, hee left none remayning, but vtterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.

41And Ioshua smote them from Kadesh-Barnea, euen vnto Gaza, and all the countrey of Goshen, euen vnto Gibeon.

42And all these Kings and their land did Ioshua take at one time: because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

43And Ioshua returned & al Israel with him, vnto the campe to Gilgal.

I == Josh 6:21 ; 8:22 , 26 , 28 ; 9:15

 

 

 

II == Ex 15:14-16 ; Deut 11:25

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV == Josh 9:15 ; 10:1

 

V == Josh 9:2

 

 

 

 

VI == Josh 5:10 ; 9:6

 

 

 

 

VII == Josh 8:1

 

 

 

 

 

X == Josh 15:35 ; 16:3 , 5 ; Judg 4:15 ; 1st Sam 7:10 , 12 ; Ps 18:14 ; Isa 28:21

 

 

XI == Ps 18:13-14 ; 77:17 ; Isa 30:30 ; Rev 16:21

 

 

 

XII == Judg 12:12 ; Isa 28:21 ; Hab 3:11

 

 

 

XIII == 2nd Sam 1:18

 

 

 

XIV == Deut 1:30 ; Josh 10:42 ; 23:3 ; Isa 30:8

XV == Josh 10:43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == Ex 11:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Ps 107:40 ; 110:5 ; 149:8-9 ; Isa 26:5-6 ; Mal 4:3

 

 

 

XXV == Deut 3:21 ; 7:19 ; 31:6 , 8 ; Josh 1:9

 

 

XXVI == Josh 8:29

 

 

XXVII == Deut 21:23 ; Josh 8:29

 

 

 

XXVIII == Josh 6:21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVI Josh 14:13 ; 15:13 ; Judg 1:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVIII == Josh 15:15 ; Judg 1:11

 

 

 

 

 

 

XL == Deut 20:16-17

 

 

XLI == Gen 10:19 ; Josh 11:16

 

XLII == Josh 10:14

1 Now Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that, in the capture and destruction of Ai, Joshua had done to that city and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king. He heard also that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made their peace with Israel, remaining among them,

2 and that there was great fear abroad, because Gibeon was large enough for a royal city, larger even than the city of Ai, and all its men were brave.

3 So Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, sent for Hoham, king of Hebron, Piram, king of Jarmuth, Japhia, king of Lachish, and Debir, king of Eglon,

4 to come to his aid for an attack on Gibeon, since it had concluded peace with Joshua and the Israelites.

5 The five Amorite kings, of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, united all their forces and marched against Gibeon, where they took up siege positions.

6 Thereupon, the men of Gibeon sent an appeal to Joshua in his camp at Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up here quickly and save us. Help us, because all the Amorite kings of the mountain country have joined forces against us."

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his picked troops and the rest of his soldiers.

8 Meanwhile the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your power. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."

9 And when Joshua made his surprise attack upon them after an all-night march from Gilgal,

10 the LORD threw them into disorder before him. The Israelites inflicted a great slaughter on them at Gibeon and pursued them down the Beth-horon slope, harrassing them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

11 While they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon, the LORD hurled great stones from the sky above them all the way to Azekah, killing many. More died from these hailstones than the Israelites slew with the sword.

12 On this day, when the LORD delivered up the Amorites to the Israelites,
Joshua prayed to the LORD,
and said in the presence of Israel:
Stand still, O sun, at Gibeon,
O moon, in the valley of Aijalon!

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
while the nation took vengeance on its foes.
Is this not recorded in the Book of Jashar? The sun halted in the middle of the sky; not for a whole day did it resume its swift course.

14 Never before or since was there a day like this, when the LORD obeyed the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.

15 (Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.)

16 Meanwhile the five kings who had fled, hid in a cave at Makkedah.

17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been discovered hiding in a cave at Makkedah,

18 he said, "Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave and post men over it to guard them.

19 But do not remain there yourselves. Pursue your enemies, and harry them in the rear. Do not allow them to escape to their cities, for the LORD, your God, has delivered them into your power."

20 Once Joshua and the Israelites had finally inflicted the last blows in this very great slaughter, and the survivors had escaped from them into the fortified cities,

21 all the army returned safely to Joshua and the camp at Makkedah, no man uttering a sound against the Israelites.

22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me."

23 Obediently, they brought out to him from the cave the five kings, of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

24 When they had done so, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the soldiers who had marched with him, "Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings." They came forward and put their feet upon their necks.

25 Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed, be firm and steadfast. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight."

26 Thereupon Joshua struck and killed them, and hanged them on five trees, where they remained hanging until evening.

27 At sunset they were removed from the trees at the command of Joshua and cast into the cave where they had hidden; over the mouth of the cave large stones were placed, which remain until this very day.

28 Makkedah, too, Joshua captured and put to the sword at that time. He fulfilled the doom on the city, on its king, and on every person in it, leaving no survivors. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah what he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Joshua then passed on with all Israel from Makkedah to Libnah, which he attacked.

30 Libnah also, with its king, the LORD delivered into the power of Israel. He put it to the sword with every person there, leaving no survivors. Thus he did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Joshua next passed on with all Israel from Libnah to Lachish, where they set up a camp during the attack.

32 The LORD delivered Lachish into the power of Israel, so that on the second day Joshua captured it and put it to the sword with every person in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

33 At that time Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his people, leaving him no survivors.

34 From Lachish, Joshua passed on with all Israel to Eglon; encamping near it, they attacked it

35 and captured it the same day, putting it to the sword. He fulfilled the doom that day on every person in it, just as he had done at Lachish.

36 From Eglon, Joshua went up with all Israel to Hebron, which they attacked

37 and captured. They put it to the sword with its king, all its towns, and every person there, leaving no survivors, just as Joshua had done to Eglon. He fulfilled the doom on it and on every person there.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel turned back to Debir and attacked it,

39 capturing it with its king and all its towns. They put them to the sword and fulfilled the doom on every person there, leaving no survivors. Thus was done to Debir and its king what had been done to Hebron, as well as to Libnah and its king.

40 Joshua conquered the entire country; the mountain regions, the Negeb, the foothills, and the mountain slopes, with all their kings. He left no survivors, but fulfilled the doom on all who lived there, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.

41 Joshua conquered from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen to Gibeon.

42 All these kings and their lands Joshua captured in a single campaign, for the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43 Thereupon Joshua with all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

v 1-5. The king of Jerusalem was not just concerned because the great city of Gibeon had yielded to Israel. Looking at a map you will see how Israel was developing an arc from Gilgal to Jericho, to Ai (bypassing Bethel), to Gibeon to Gibeon’s Chepirah, pronounced Kepira. Soon Jerusalem would be surrounded and cut off from help. Possibly the southern movement of the arc gave a temporary respite to the northern kings, so Adonizedek summoned the kings of the south in verse 3, and they agreed to punish Gibeon for making peace with Joshua.

 

v 6,7. Gibeon was in siege, so made an urgent plea for help from Joshua. He quickly rallied all his army in Gilgal to go to their rescue. There may have been a moral obligation to help them, but Joshua no doubt saw this as an opportunity to face a vast army without having to scale or break down walls.

v 8-11. Joshua had led his men in an all night march of some 25 miles up an elevation of 4000 feet for a morning surprise attack. His men were exhausted with no chance of rest, and this was the first time Joshua has faced an allied army in the open field, so the Lord gives him assurance. The Lord routed this southern coalition before Israel with a great slaughter, and they tried to escape through a narrow pass toward Beth-horon, then down the Aijalon Valley. As they were trying to escape, the Lord sent great hail stones upon them, so that more died from the hailstones than from the sword. The distance from Beth-horon to Azekah was more than 15 miles of hail, so they had come 20 - 30 miles from the start of battle.

v 12-14. The Lord had brought these kings together for the purpose of destroying them, and Joshua was reluctant to allow the battle to be ended by darkness. so at high noon, with the moon just about to set in the west, he called on the Lord to extend the day. This was done in the hearing of the army so they would know the answer was from the Lord. God, who created the earth’s rotation had the power to stop it, (or slow it down) which he did for about a day, till the enemies were consumed or escaped into fortified cities, v 20. There is no doubt of the miracle because it specifically states, v 13, the sun stood still in midst of heaven. The sun and moon were important Canaanite deities, so this action showed God’s power over their supposed Gods. Those weary Israelites had been on their feet for some 36 hours at least before heading for camp.

v 15-25. Verse 15 ends the quote from Jasher begun in 13c and 14. Joshua did not return to Gilgal until verse 43. It appears that in addition to the soldiers Joshua left to guard the cave near Makkeda, he left a large enough detachment, probably of the more weary ones, to set up camp. So after all the enemy was killed or escaped to cities, v 20, Joshua and the rest of the army returned to the camp near Makkeda. During the heat of battle the five kings fled and hid in a cave at Makkeda. Joshua just had some men roll great stones over the cave and left men to guard it so they could continue the battle.
They probably all rested that night, then the next day they brought the kings out, v 22, and following eastern custom, he had the captains put their feet on the victims necks. He did this in sight of all his soldiers as he had called on the Lord to stop the day, v 12. This not only showed total victory, it showed the army that God would defeat all their enemies, but they had to appropriate the victory. (Verse 13. The book of Jasher is a Hebrew literary collection of songs written in poetic form honoring the accomplishments of Israel’s leaders.)

v 26-28. Joshua had the kings killed and hung on a tree. During that day Joshua took the town of Makkeda which they had bypassed, and destroyed every person in it. At evening, the kings were taken down and cast into that same cave and it’s mouth filled with great stones as another memorial. 

v 29- 40. Joshua immediately began the other mopping up operations disclosed in these verses. He first took Libnah and Lachish, two strongholds that controlled the highway up the Aijalon Valley. This would interfere with and discourage help from Egypt. Documents have been found that Egypt dominated over Canaan at this time and they applied to Egypt for help. Perhaps Egypt remembered the plagues, the Red Sea crossing and more recent conquests, and didn’t feel like it was worth getting involved with Israel and their God. Some say the entire southern campaign may have lasted for as much as two years, but we see, v 29-32, that he took Libnah the first day and Lachish the second day. In all the places, Joshua destroyed every person as the Lord had commanded, v 40. It should be made clear that these battles, which we call the battles of Israel, are actually the battles of the Lord. He commanded Israel as a segment of his host, just as He made the sun stand still, or as in Jud 5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

v 41-43. By splitting the land west of Jericho and south, they were able to defeat the coalition of armies, then come back to mop up the cities. The Lord was fighting for them all the time, and kept the northern kings from motivation to attack until the southern campaign was over. It is not said why Joshua did not go ahead and take Gaza. Perhaps he was aware of the coalition forming in the north and thought best, or the Lord told him to return to Gilgal for a time of recuperation and preparation for the northern campaign. Gaza and some other areas he could leave for the occupying Israelites to subdue.