Joshua 11

1 And it came to pass when Jabin king of Hazor heard [this], that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

2 and to the kings that were northward in the mountains, and in the plain south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and on the upland of Dor on the west,

3 to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

4 And they went out, they and all their armies with them, a people numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

5 And all these kings met together, and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

6 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Be not afraid because of them; for to-morrow about this time will I give them all up slain before Israel: their horses shalt thou hough, and thou shalt burn their chariots with fire.

7 And Joshua, and all the people of war with him, came upon them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.

8 And Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and to Misrephoth-maim, and to the valley of Mizpah eastward, and smote them until none were left remaining to them.

9 And Joshua did to them as Jehovah had said to him: he houghed their horses, and burned their chariots with fire.

10 And Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword; for Hazor was in times past the head of all those kingdoms.

11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, destroying them utterly: there was not any left to breathe; and he burned Hazor with fire.

12 And all the cities of those kings and all their kings did Joshua take; and he smote them with the edge of the sword, destroying them utterly, as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded.

13 Only, all the cities that stood still upon their hills Israel did not burn, save Hazor alone, [which] Joshua burned.

14 And all the spoil of these cities and the cattle the children of Israel took as prey to themselves; only, they smote all the men with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them: they left none that breathed.

15 As Jehovah had commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua: he let nothing fail of all that Jehovah had commanded Moses.

16 And Joshua took all that land, the mountain and all the south, and all the land of Goshen, and the lowland, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and its lowland;

17 from the smooth mountain, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-Gad in the valley of Lebanon, at the foot of mount Hermon; and he took all their kings, and smote them, and put them to death.

18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites who dwelt at Gibeon; they took all in battle.

20 For it was of Jehovah that their heart was hardened, to meet Israel in battle, that they might be utterly destroyed, and that there might be no favour shewn to them, but that they might be destroyed, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.

21 And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountain of Judah, and from all the mountain of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly, with their cities.

22 There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel; only at Gazah, at Gath, and at Ashdod there remained.

23 And Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Jehovah had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions, by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

Joshua 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom. (1-9) Hazor is taken and burned. (10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off. (15-23)

Verses 1-9 The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by miracles; but being fully proved to be of God, we are now left to the Divine grace in the usual course, in the use of the sword of the Spirit. God encouraged Joshua. Fresh dangers and difficulties make it necessary to seek fresh supports from the word of God, which we have nigh unto us for use in every time of need. God proportions our trials to our strength, and our strength to our trials. Joshua's obedience in destroying the horses and chariots, shows his self-denial in compliance with God's command. The possession of things on which the carnal heart is prone to depend, is hurtful to the life of faith, and the walk with God; therefore it is better to be without worldly advantages, than to have the soul endangered by them.

Verses 10-14 The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners, by the command the Lord gave to Moses.

Verses 15-23 Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared with what had been said to Moses. God's word and his works, if viewed together, will be found mutually to set each other forth. If we make conscience of our duty, we need not question the performance of the promise. But the believer must never put off his armour, or expect lasting peace, till he closes his eyes in death; nay, as his strength and usefulness increase, he may expect more heavy trials; yet the Lord will not permit any enemies to assault the believer till he has prepared him for the battle. Christ Jesus ever lives to plead for his people, and their faith shall not fail, however Satan may be permitted to assault them. And however tedious, sharp, and difficult the believer's warfare, his patience in tribulation may be encouraged by the joyfulness of hope; for he will, ere long, rest from sin and from sorrow in the Canaan above.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gennesaret.
• [b]. Lit 'the sea.'
• [c]. Or 'camps.'
• [d]. Lit. 'pierced through.'
• [e]. Wide valley or plain surrounded by heights: so ver. 17.
• [f]. Or 'mounds:' see Jer. 30.18.
• [g]. Lit. 'The Adam' -- man as a race.
• [h]. Or 'not a word.'
• [i]. The Negeb: see ch. 10.40
• [j]. The Shephelah: see ch. 9.1; Deut. 1.7.
• [k]. The Arabah: so ch. 12.8, &c.: see ch. 3.16.
• [l]. Or 'hill-country.'

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 11

This chapter relates how that the kings of the northern parts of Canaan combine together against Joshua, Jos 11:1-5; and that the Lord encouraged him to fight with them, and did deliver them into his hands, who, with all their people, were smitten by him, Jos 11:6-11; and how that he took their cities, and destroyed the inhabitants of them, and took the spoil of them for a prey, Jos 11:12-15; and so became master of the whole country, both southern and northern, which is described Jos 11:16-20; and the chapter is concluded with an account of his cutting off the Anakim from various parts, which finished the conquest of the whole land, Jos 10:21-23.