Joshua 11:13

13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.

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 The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.

12 Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.

13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.

14 The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed.

15 As the LORD had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.