Joshua 11:5-15

5 All these kings met together, then came and pitched camp together at the Merom Spring, to fight Isra'el.
6 ADONAI said to Y'hoshua, "Don't be afraid on their account; because at this time tomorrow I will hand them over, all of them dead, before Isra'el. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots."
7 So Y'hoshua came against them suddenly with all his fighting men and fell on them at the Merom Spring.
8 ADONAI handed them over to Isra'el - they attacked and chased them to Greater Tzidon, Misrefot-Mayim and eastward to the Mitzpeh Valley; they attacked them until none of them was left.
9 Y'hoshua did to them what ADONAI had ordered - he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
10 Then Y'hoshua turned back and captured Hatzor, striking its king dead with the sword; for in time past Hatzor had been the head of all those kingdoms.
11 They put everyone there to death with the sword, completely destroying them; there was nothing left that breathed; and he burned Hatzor to the ground.
12 Y'hoshua captured all the cities of those kings and the kings as well; he defeated them with the sword and completely destroyed them, as Moshe the servant of ADONAI had ordered.
13 But as for the cities built on their tels, Isra'el burned none of them except Hatzor; Y'hoshua did burn that one.
14 All the spoil of these cities and the livestock the people of Isra'el took as booty for themselves; but every human being they put to death with the sword, until they had destroyed them - they left no one breathing.
15 Moshe had given orders to Y'hoshua, just as ADONAI had given orders to Moshe his servant, and Y'hoshua acted accordingly-he did everything ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

Joshua 11:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.