Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: Israel makes a covenant with the Hivites after a deception and because they did not seek the Lord, so they are allowed to become slaves, and the Lord gives Israel victory over all their enemies (all the nations of Canaan), and then gives them rest from war.
When all the kings in Canaan hear of Israel's victory in battle, they all gather together to fight with Joshua and Israel. But when the inhabitants of Gibeon (the Hivites) hear what Israel has done to Jericho and Ai, they come up with a scheme. They pretend to be ambassadors and take old sandles and garments and wine skins and moldy provisions, and they meet Joshua at the camp at Gilgal. They say that they came from a far-away country, and they ask him to make a covenant with them. Joshua inquires of them, and they say that they have heard of all the Lord has done for Israel and were counseled to go to make an agreement with them. Then, they show Israel their provisions, and Israel believes them. However, the men of Israel had not consulted with the Lord about this, and so Joshua and the leaders make a covenant with them and swears to let them live. Then, after three days- after they had made the covenant- they find out that the men are actually their neighbors. Israel journeys to their city but does not attack them because they had made a covenant and sworn by the Lord to let them live. Although the people of Israel complain against the rulers, they stand firm and say they will let them live but make them woodcutters and water-carriers for the congregation. Joshua calls them and asks why they have deceived them and tells them they are cursed and will be slaves. They say it is because they have heard the Lord say through Moses that He has given Israel the land and to destroy the inhabitants, and that they were afraid for their lives. So they tell Joshua to do to them as he sees fit. So Joshua makes sure they live, but he makes them woodcutters and water-carriers for the congregation and in the Lord's house.
When the king of Jerusalem hears how Joshua has killed the king of Ai and destroyed the city, and how Gibeon has made peace with them and were among them, they fear greatly, because Gibeon is a greater city than Ai. The king sends a message to other kings and asks them to join him to attack Gibeon, so all the kings and armies make war with Gibeon, and they send to Joshua and ask him to come to their aid. So Joshua ascends from Gilgal with all the men of war, and the Lord says that He will give him victory, and the Lord defeats them for Israel. As they are fleeing, the Lord casts down large hailstones from heaven on them, and even more die from the hail than the storm. Then, Joshua speaks to the Lord and says in front of all Israel, "Son, stand still over all Gibeon, and moon!" So the sun and the moon stop until the people have had revenge on their enemies. So for one whole day (24 hours), the sun stands in the sky, and it is written that there hasn't been a day like it before or since, "when the Lord listened to a man, because He fought for Israel." Then, Joshua returns to the camp at Gilgal. He hears that five kings have hidden in a cave, and he commands men to roll stones over the cave and to then pursue their enemies and attack their rear guard. Then, after Joshua and Israel slay a great number, those who escape enter fortified cities, and all the people return to the camp at peace. And it says that no one "moved his tongue" against Israel. Then, Joshua commands the kings be brought out to him from the caves (the king of Jerusalem is among them), and he calls for all the men of Israel and tells the captains of the army to put their feet on the necks of the kings. He tells them to be strong and courageous because the Lord will do this to all their enemies, and then he kills them with all with his sword and hangs them on five trees until evening. Their bodies are thrown in the cave, and stones are put to cover it. Some other kings rise up together against Israel, but God promises to give victory over all of them the very next day. So Israel goes to war and defeats many, many nations and kills them all. (It says that this takes a long time.) So they conquer all the people of Cannan, with only the Hivites being left alive. (It is 31 nations in total.) So Joshua does just as the Lord commanded Moses. It says that the Lord hardened the hearts of the people to come against Israel so that they would receive no mercy and be utterly destroyed. (we can gather that it is from their past sins and refusal to repent of them.) Joshua also cuts off the Anakin (giants) from the mountains and utterly destroys them from Canaan. And after all this, "the land [rests] from war."
Thoughts/discussion questions:
It is very important to seek the Lord on any decision, "to acknowledge Him in all your ways."
It is the Lord who gives victory. Let us always remember that.