Joshua 11:19

19 There was not a city that made shalom with the children of Yisra'el, save the Hivvi the inhabitants of Giv`on: they took all in battle.

Joshua 11:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:19

There was not a city that made peace with the children of
Israel
Though, according to the Jews, Joshua, upon his first landing in Canaan, sent letters and messages to all the inhabitants of the land, offering them peace on certain terms; particularly that he sent three messages, or proposed three things to them; that those who had a mind to flee might flee; that those who were desirous of making peace might make it; and they that were for war, let them fight; all were for the last, and so perished ^F5:

save the Hivites and the inhabitants of Gibeon;
these, some have thought, did not hear of the offers of peace, others think they did, and at first rejected them, but repenting were obliged to take the crafty methods they did to obtain it, of which see ( Joshua 9:1-5 ) ;

all [other] they took in battle;
refusing to submit to them and make peace with them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 37. 3.

Joshua 11:19 In-Context

17 from Mount Halak, that goes up to Se`ir, even to Ba`al-Gad in the valley of Levanon under Mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and struck them, and put them to death.

18 Yehoshua made war a long time with all those kings.

19 There was not a city that made shalom with the children of Yisra'el, save the Hivvi the inhabitants of Giv`on: they took all in battle.

20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to come against Yisra'el in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moshe.

21 Yehoshua came at that time, and cut off the `Anakim from the hill-country, from Hevron, from Devir, from `Anav, and from all the hill-country of Yehudah, and from all the hill-country of Yisra'el: Yehoshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.