Joshua 11:18

18 Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time.

Joshua 11:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:18

Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
] For, though the account of the conquest of them is put together, and lies in a small compass, yet those victories were not obtained at once, or in a few days, as were those of the five kings, and others, related in the preceding chapter, ( Joshua 10:10-14 ) ; but were the work of some years; Josephus F2 says five years, but the common notion of the Jews is, that Joshua was seven years in subduing the land of Canaan F3; our Bishop Usher F4 thinks it was done in six years; and it may be concluded that it was about six or seven years ere this work was completely finished.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 19.
F3 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31.
F4 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 39, 40.

Joshua 11:18 In-Context

16 So Joshua took all this land-the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the Judean foothills, the plain, and the hill country of Israel with its Judean foothills-
17 from Mount Halak, which ascends to Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.
18 Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time.
19 No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites who inhabited Gibeon; all of them were taken in battle.
20 For it was the Lord's intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
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