Joshua 11:10

10 And Joshua returned at that time, and took Asor and her king; now Asor in former time was the chief of these kingdoms.

Joshua 11:10 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:10

And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor
After he had chased the Canaanites to the places mentioned, he returned to Hazor, near to which Joshua first fell upon them, but through the pursuit he was led on many miles beyond it: Bunting says ^F23, it was thirty two miles from Sidon:

and smote the king thereof with the sword;
who, very probably, upon the surprise at the waters of Merom, fled to his capital for safety; but that being taken by Joshua, he was slain by him with the sword:

for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms;
before mentioned, ( Joshua 11:1 ) ; but not of all the land of Canaan: Jerom ^F24 says, it was the metropolis of all the kingdoms of the Philistines; and though they were not now subject to it, and had kings of their own, yet it appears that the king of this place was in great authority, and regard was paid unto him; and this seems to be the reason why Joshua hasted to take this city, slay the king of it, and burn it with fire, because it had been the principal in this war, and might, if not prevented, raise new troubles; wherefore, as a precaution to that, and to deter the rest, he hastened the conquest and destruction of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Travels, p. 96.
F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. B.

Joshua 11:10 In-Context

8 And the Lord delivered them into the power of Israel; and they smote them and pursued them to great Sidon, and to Maseron, and to the plains of Massoch eastward; and they destroyed them till there was not one of them left that survived.

9 And Joshua did to them, as the Lord commanded him: he houghed their horses, and burned their chariots with fire.

10 And Joshua returned at that time, and took Asor and her king; now Asor in former time was the chief of these kingdoms.

11 And they slew with the sword all that breathed in it, and utterly destroyed them all, and there was no living thing left in it; and they burnt Asor with fire.

12 And Joshua took all the cities of the kingdoms, and their kings, and slew them with the edge of the sword; and utterly slew them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded.