Yehoshua 11:19

19 There was not an ir that made terms of shalom with the Bnei Yisroel, except Chivi the inhabitants of Giv’on; all others they took in milchamah.

Yehoshua 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 37. 3.

Yehoshua 11:19 In-Context

17 Even from the Har HeChalak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-Gad in the valley of the Levanon under Mt Chermon; and all their melachim he took, and struck them down, and slaughtered them.

18 Yehoshua made milchamah yamim rabbim with all those melachim.

19 There was not an ir that made terms of shalom with the Bnei Yisroel, except Chivi the inhabitants of Giv’on; all others they took in milchamah.

20 For it was of Hashem to harden their hearts, that they should come against Yisroel in milchamah, that he might destroy them utterly, that there might be to them no techinnah (mercy plea), but that he might destroy them, just as Hashem commanded Moshe.

21 And at that time came Yehoshua, and cut off the Anakim from the har, from Chevron, from Devir, from Anav, from kol har Yehudah, from kol har Yisroel; Yehoshua destroyed them utterly with their towns.