Joshua 11:19

19 Not one city made peace with the people of Isra'el, except for the Hivi living in Giv'on; they took everything in battle.

Joshua 11:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:19

There was not a city that made peace with the children of
Israel
Though, according to the Jews, Joshua, upon his first landing in Canaan, sent letters and messages to all the inhabitants of the land, offering them peace on certain terms; particularly that he sent three messages, or proposed three things to them; that those who had a mind to flee might flee; that those who were desirous of making peace might make it; and they that were for war, let them fight; all were for the last, and so perished F5:

save the Hivites and the inhabitants of Gibeon;
these, some have thought, did not hear of the offers of peace, others think they did, and at first rejected them, but repenting were obliged to take the crafty methods they did to obtain it, of which see ( Joshua 9:1-5 ) ;

all [other] they took in battle;
refusing to submit to them and make peace with them.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 37. 3.

Joshua 11:19 In-Context

17 from the bare mountain that goes up to Se'ir to Ba'al-Gad in the L'vanon Valley under Mount Hermon; and he took all their kings, struck them and put them to death.
18 Y'hoshua made war with all those kings for a long time.
19 Not one city made peace with the people of Isra'el, except for the Hivi living in Giv'on; they took everything in battle.
20 For it was ADONAI who caused them to harden their hearts and come against Isra'el in battle, so that they would be utterly destroyed, so that they would not find favor but be destroyed, in keeping with the orders ADONAI had given Moshe.
21 Y'hoshua at that time came and cut off the 'Anakim from the land - from Hevron, D'vir, 'Anav and from all the hill-country of Y'hudah and Isra'el; Y'hoshua utterly destroyed them and their cities.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.