Joshua 11:2

2 He sent messages to the kings in the northern mountains and also to the kings in the Jordan Valley south of Lake Galilee and in the western hills. He sent a message to the king of Naphoth Dor in the west

Joshua 11:2 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:2

And to the kings that [were] on the north of the mountains,
&c.] Of Libanus and Antilibanus, with others near them; so Josephus F20 says, the kings about Lebanon being Canaanites, fought against them, i.e. the Israelites; for Lebanon lay to the north of the land:

and of the plains south of Cinneroth;
or Gennesaret, of the land and lake of which we read in the New Testament, ( Matthew 14:34 ) ( Mark 6:53 ) ( Luke 5:1 ) ; and seems to have respect chiefly to the famous plain of Jezreel, or Esdraelon, of which (See Gill on Hosea 1:5);

and in the valley;
which may more especially design the valley of Jezreel, as it is called in the above place, and distinguish it from other plains; it was two miles broad, and ten long:

and in the borders of Dor, on the west;
which fell to the lot of the tribe of Manasseh, ( Joshua 17:11 ) ; which Pliny F21 calls Dorum, and mentions it along with the promontory of Carmel; so Josephus says F23, in Phoenicia, near Mount Carmel, is a city called Dora, four days' journey distant from Judea; that is, that part of the land of Israel particularly so called; some copies read Idumea. According to Jerom {x}, it was nine miles from Caesarea of Palestine, as you go to Tyre; and in his time a desert. It was a haven in the Mediterranean sea, and lies three leagues from the castle of the "pilgrims" near Mount Carmel; and, as a traveller says, is now so decayed, that there is nothing more extant than a large and high tower, which the inhabitants still call Dorteite F25.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18.
F21 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c 19.
F23 Contr. Apion. l. 2. c. 9.
F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 92. I.
F25 Rauwolff's Travels, par. 3. c. 1. p. 211. Ed. Ray.

Joshua 11:2 In-Context

1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard about all that had happened, he sent messages to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Acshaph.
2 He sent messages to the kings in the northern mountains and also to the kings in the Jordan Valley south of Lake Galilee and in the western hills. He sent a message to the king of Naphoth Dor in the west
3 and to the kings of the Canaanites in the east and in the west. He sent messages to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the mountains. Jabin also sent one to the Hivites, who lived below Mount Hermon in the area of Mizpah.
4 So the armies of all these kings came together with their horses and chariots. There were as many soldiers as grains of sand on the seashore.
5 All of these kings met together at the waters of Merom, joined their armies together into one camp, and made plans to fight against the Israelites.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.