After executing the five kings, Joshua had their bodies strung up on five trees (or impaled on five posts; see comments on 8.29), where they stayed until sundown—as was done to the king of Ai (8.29). Their bodies were then thrown back into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and the pile of huge stones placed at the entrance of the cave was still there at the time of the writing of the account (verse 27).

Whereas 8.29 leaves open the possibility that the king of Ai was killed by being impaled on a tree or a post, it is now specifically stated that the five kings were killed before their bodies were hanged on five trees. So the problem of the sequence of events is here resolved for the translator. It may be that Joshua killed the kings, but it is quite unlikely that he alone hanged them on the five trees. One may then translate either “Then Joshua killed the kings and ordered his men to hang them on five trees” or “Then Joshua ordered his men to kill the kings and hang them on five trees.” For economy’s sake verses 26-27 may be placed together:

• Then Joshua killed the kings and ordered his men to hang their bodies on five trees. In the evening he gave orders for their bodies to be taken down and to be thrown into the same cave where they had hidden earlier.

If direct discourse is preferable, two options are available:

• (1) Joshua killed the kings. Then he told his men, “Hang their bodies on five trees.” At sunset Joshua gave his men further orders. He said. “Take their bodies down and throw them into the cave where they hid themselves earlier.”

• (2) Joshua told his men, “Kill the kings and hang their bodies on five trees.” …

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .