A Ruthless Conqueror

Now begin the wars of conquest which Joshua carried on for many years, the record of which is in the Book of Joshua.
Joshua besieges the city of Jericho, finally capturing it. According to the Book of Joshua the men of war circle the city for six days in silence, and on the seventh day, seven priests circle it seven times, each blowing a shofar or ram's horn. Finally and all the Israelites shout as one, and the walls of Jericho fall. A curse is pronounced over the ruins, and every man, woman, and child in the city is killed except Rahab and her family.
Joshua becomes famous by this victory, but meets a surprising reverse at Ai. God has removed his support of the war in consequence of the sin a man named Achan, who had not honored the curse against Jericho but has selfishly taken and hidden plunder. Achan, his wife, and even his sons and daughters are stoned to death for this sin, and Joshua promptly makes himself master of both Ai and Bethel.^[2] Hearing of the absolute slaughter of any settlements that resist Joshua's advance, the Gibeonites make peace with him, by means of a clever ruse. After this, on the Mount Ebal, Joshua establishes a sacred altar and causes the blessings and the curses of the Law of Moses to be read from Ebal and Gerizim in an act of renewing the people's covenant with God.^[3]
While Joshua is engaged in the north, five of the southern Canaanite rulers join to punish Gibeon for its collaboration with the Israelites; but they soon are routed at Makkedah by Joshua. During this battle a furious hailstorm sets in, proving more deadly than the sword. On this occasion also, at Joshua's command, the sun stands still in Gibeon and the moon in the valley of Ajalon. The fugitive five kings are discovered hiding in a cave. By Joshua's orders the cave is closed with huge stones until the battle ends. The kings are then thoroughly humiliated and slain, their bodies being hanged on trees until the evening, when they are taken down and cast into the cave.
Then follows the conquest of Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. In the south, Joshua penetrates as far as Kadesh-barnea; in the west as far as Gaza. Later on he routes the allied kings of the north at Lake Merom—Hazor being the head of these kingdoms— killing the inhabitants and burning the city of Hazor.

Joshua at the "stone of witness"

In this manner Joshua within a few years makes himself master of virtually the whole country with the exception of the Philistine and Phoenician coasts.^[4] He maintains a fortified camp in Gilgal and from there he governs the land, and there he began to allot the districts to the various tribes. The Judah, Ephraim, and half of Manasseh are the first to be settled, Caleb being allowed to take Hebron