Joshua 11:20

20 For it was the sentence of the Lord, that the hearts of them should be made hard, and that they should fight against Israel, and should fall, and [they] should not deserve any mercy, and should perish (but should perish), as the Lord commanded, to Moses.

Joshua 11:20 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:20

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts
As he hardened the hearts of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, that his power might be displayed in their destruction:

that they should come against Israel battle;
and so fall in it:

that he might destroy them utterly;
for their abominable wickedness, idolatry, incest they had been guilty of:

[and] that they might have no favour;
which they would have had, had they made peace as the Gibeonites did; or that they might not pray and make supplication, the Lord not giving them a spirit of supplication, but an hard heart, as Gussetius ^F6 observes the words may be interpreted, though he seems to prefer the former, sense:

but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses;
( Deuteronomy 7:1 Deuteronomy 7:2 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Comment. Ebr. p. 272.

Joshua 11:20 In-Context

18 Joshua fought much time against these kings;

19 there was no city, which betook not itself to the sons of Israel, except (the) Hivites that dwelled in Gibeon; he took all (the other) men by battle. (there was no city which made peace with the Israelites, except the Hivites who lived in Gibeon; the Israelites took all the other cities in battle.)

20 For it was the sentence of the Lord, that the hearts of them should be made hard, and that they should fight against Israel, and should fall, and [they] should not deserve any mercy, and should perish (but should perish), as the Lord commanded, to Moses.

21 Joshua came in that time, and killed (the) Anakim, that is, (the) giants, from the hilly places of Hebron, and of Debir, and of Anab (from the hill country of Hebron, and Debir, and Anab), and from all the hill (country) of Judah, and of Israel, and did away their cities.

22 He left not any man of the generation of Anakim in the land of the sons of Israel, without the cities of Gaza, and Gath, and Ashdod (except in the cities of Gaza, and Gath, and Ashdod), in which alone they were left.