Conquest of Northern Cities
1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard [this news], he sent [a message] to: Jobab king of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,
2
and the kings of the north in the hill country, the plain south of Chinnereth, the Judean foothills, and the Slopes of Dor to the west,
3
the Canaanites in the east and west, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
4
They went out with all their armies-a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore-along with a vast number of horses and chariots.
5
All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.
6
The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over dead to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots."
7
So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them.
8
The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
9
Joshua treated them as the Lord had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
10
At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms.
11
They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.
12
Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord's servant had commanded.
13
However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
14
The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one alive.
15
Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.