Joshua 11:3-13

3 to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the 1Jebusites in the hill country, and the 2Hivites under 3Hermon in the land of 4Mizpah.
4 And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, in number 5like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.
5 And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
6 And the LORD said to Joshua, 6"Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall 7hamstring their horses and burn their 8chariots with fire."
7 So Joshua and all his warriors came 9suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them.
8 And the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as 10Great Sidon and 11Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of 12Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining.
9 And Joshua did to them 13just as the LORD said to him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
10 And Joshua turned back at that time and captured 14Hazor and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms.
11 And they struck with the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction;[a]15there was none left that breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.
12 And all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua captured, and struck them with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction, 16just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
13 But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone; that Joshua burned.

Joshua 11:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 11

This chapter relates how that the kings of the northern parts of Canaan combine together against Joshua, Jos 11:1-5; and that the Lord encouraged him to fight with them, and did deliver them into his hands, who, with all their people, were smitten by him, Jos 11:6-11; and how that he took their cities, and destroyed the inhabitants of them, and took the spoil of them for a prey, Jos 11:12-15; and so became master of the whole country, both southern and northern, which is described Jos 11:16-20; and the chapter is concluded with an account of his cutting off the Anakim from various parts, which finished the conquest of the whole land, Jos 10:21-23.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Joshua 15:63
  • 2. Judges 3:3
  • 3. See Deuteronomy 3:8
  • 4. ver. 8; Genesis 31:49
  • 5. Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; Judges 7:12; 1 Samuel 13:5
  • 6. [Joshua 10:8]
  • 7. ver. 9; 2 Samuel 8:4; 1 Chronicles 18:4; [Genesis 49:6]
  • 8. Joshua 17:16-18; Deuteronomy 20:1; Judges 1:19; Judges 4:3
  • 9. Joshua 10:9
  • 10. Joshua 19:28
  • 11. Joshua 13:6
  • 12. ver. 3
  • 13. ver. 6
  • 14. [Judges 4:2]
  • 15. Joshua 10:40
  • 16. Deuteronomy 20:16, 17

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. That is, setting apart (devoting) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 12, 20, 21
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.