Joshua 11:13

13 without [the] cities that were set in the great hills, and in [the] little hills; and Israel burnt (not) the other cities; flame wasted only one city, Hazor, the strongest. (but the men of Israel did not burn down the cities that were set in the great hills, or in the little hills; their fire burned down only one city, Hazor, the strongest.)

Joshua 11:13 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:13

But as for the cities that stood still in their strength
Whose walls were not demolished when taken, as Kimchi and Jarchi interpret it, or that "stood upon their heaps" ^F25; upon an eminence, being built on hills and mountains:

Israel burned none of them;
but reserved them for their own habitations, being well fortified, and having no need of new walls being built to them, or being in a very agreeable situation:

save Hazor only, [that] did Joshua burn;
because it was the chief city where the scheme was formed, and the combination against Israel was made, and was the rendezvous of the confederate forces against them: the Jews have a tradition ^F26, that God said to Moses, and Moses said to Joshua, that he should burn it, and that only.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (Mlt le) "super tumulum eorum", Montanus; "quae erant in collibus et in tamulis sitae", V. L.
F26 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 81. fol. 71. 1.

Joshua 11:13 In-Context

11 And he smote all persons that dwelled there, he left not any relics, (or anything of value,) therein, but he wasted all things till to (the) death; also he destroyed that city by burning. (And he struck down all he people who lived there, he left nothing of value, or any remnant, there, but he destroyed everything unto the death; and he burned down that city to the ground.)

12 And he took all (the) cities by compass, and the kings of them, and smote (them), and did (them) away, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded to him,

13 without [the] cities that were set in the great hills, and in [the] little hills; and Israel burnt (not) the other cities; flame wasted only one city, Hazor, the strongest. (but the men of Israel did not burn down the cities that were set in the great hills, or in the little hills; their fire burned down only one city, Hazor, the strongest.)

14 And (then) the sons of Israel parted to themselves all the prey, and the work beasts of these cities, when all the men of them were slain.

15 As the Lord commanded to his servant Moses, so Moses commanded to Joshua, and Joshua fulfilled all things; neither soothly he passed (over) one word of all the behests, that the Lord commanded to Moses (he did not pass over one word of all the commands, that the Lord had commanded to Moses).