Yehoshua 11

1 1 And it came to pass, when Yavin Melech Chatzor had heard those things, that he sent to Yovav Melech Madon, to the Melech Shimron, and to the Melech Achshaph,

2 And to the melachim to the north, in the har, and the Aravah south of Kinnarot, and in the Shefelah, and in the regions of Dor on the west,

3 And to the Kena’ani on the east and on the west, and to Emori, and the Chitti, and the Perizzi, and the Yevusi in the har, and to the Chivi at the base of Chermon in Eretz HaMitzpah.

4 And they went out, they and all their machanot with them, am rav, even as the sand that is upon the sea in multitude, with susim and chariots rav me’od.

5 And when all these melachim were met together, they came to encamp together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Yisroel.

6 And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, Be not afraid before them; for machar about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Yisroel; thou shalt lame their susim, and burn their merkevot with eish.

7 So Yehoshua, kol Am HaMilchamah with him, came against them by the waters of Merom pitom (suddenly); and they fell upon them.

8 And Hashem delivered them into the yad Yisroel, who struck them down, and pursued them unto Tzidon Rabbah, and unto Misrefot-Mayim, and unto the Valley of Mitzpeh eastward; and they struck them down, until they left them none sarid (remaining).

9 And Yehoshua did unto them just as Hashem directed him; he lamed their susim, and burned their merkevot with eish.

10 And Yehoshua at that time turned back, and took Chatzor, and struck down the melech thereof with the cherev; for Chatzor formerly had been the rosh kol hamamlachot haelleh.

11 And they struck down kol hanefesh that were therein with the edge of the cherev, utterly destroying them; there was not left kol neshamah; and with eish he burned Chatzor.

12 And all the towns of those melachim, and all the melachim of them, did Yehoshua take, and struck them down with the edge of the cherev, and he utterly destroyed them, just as Moshe Eved Hashem commanded.

13 But as for the towns that stood on their tel (mound, old site), Yisroel burned none of them, except Chatzor only; that did Yehoshua burn.

14 And all the plunder of these towns, and the behemah, the Bnei Yisroel carried off for themselves; but kol haAdam they struck down with the edge of the cherev, until they had destroyed them, neither left they kol neshamah.

15 Just as Hashem commanded Moshe His Eved, so did Moshe command Yehoshua, and so did Yehoshua; he left nothing undone of all that Hashem commanded Moshe.

16 So Yehoshua took kol HaAretz hazot, the har, and kol haNegev, and kol Eretz HaGoshen, and the Shefelah, and the Aravah, and the har Yisroel, and Shefelah;

17 Even from the Har HeChalak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-Gad in the valley of the Levanon under Mt Chermon; and all their melachim he took, and struck them down, and slaughtered them.

18 Yehoshua made milchamah yamim rabbim with all those melachim.

19 There was not an ir that made terms of shalom with the Bnei Yisroel, except Chivi the inhabitants of Giv’on; all others they took in milchamah.

20 For it was of Hashem to harden their hearts, that they should come against Yisroel in milchamah, that he might destroy them utterly, that there might be to them no techinnah (mercy plea), but that he might destroy them, just as Hashem commanded Moshe.

21 And at that time came Yehoshua, and cut off the Anakim from the har, from Chevron, from Devir, from Anav, from kol har Yehudah, from kol har Yisroel; Yehoshua destroyed them utterly with their towns.

22 There were none of the Anakim left in the Eretz Bnei Yisroel; only in Azah (Gaza), in Gat, and in Ashdod, there remained.

23 So Yehoshua took Kol HaAretz, according to all that Hashem said unto Moshe; and Yehoshua gave it for a nachalah unto Yisroel according to their divisions by their shevatim. And HaAretz rested from milchamah.

Yehoshua 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom. (1-9) Hazor is taken and burned. (10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off. (15-23)

Verses 1-9 The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by miracles; but being fully proved to be of God, we are now left to the Divine grace in the usual course, in the use of the sword of the Spirit. God encouraged Joshua. Fresh dangers and difficulties make it necessary to seek fresh supports from the word of God, which we have nigh unto us for use in every time of need. God proportions our trials to our strength, and our strength to our trials. Joshua's obedience in destroying the horses and chariots, shows his self-denial in compliance with God's command. The possession of things on which the carnal heart is prone to depend, is hurtful to the life of faith, and the walk with God; therefore it is better to be without worldly advantages, than to have the soul endangered by them.

Verses 10-14 The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners, by the command the Lord gave to Moses.

Verses 15-23 Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared with what had been said to Moses. God's word and his works, if viewed together, will be found mutually to set each other forth. If we make conscience of our duty, we need not question the performance of the promise. But the believer must never put off his armour, or expect lasting peace, till he closes his eyes in death; nay, as his strength and usefulness increase, he may expect more heavy trials; yet the Lord will not permit any enemies to assault the believer till he has prepared him for the battle. Christ Jesus ever lives to plead for his people, and their faith shall not fail, however Satan may be permitted to assault them. And however tedious, sharp, and difficult the believer's warfare, his patience in tribulation may be encouraged by the joyfulness of hope; for he will, ere long, rest from sin and from sorrow in the Canaan above.

Chapter Summary

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.