Joshua 11:10

10 And he turned again anon, and took Hazor, and smote by sword the king thereof (And at once he turned his army, and then took Hazor, and struck down its king with his sword); for Hazor held by eld time the princehood among all these realms.

Joshua 11:10 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 11:10

And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor
After he had chased the Canaanites to the places mentioned, he returned to Hazor, near to which Joshua first fell upon them, but through the pursuit he was led on many miles beyond it: Bunting says ^F23, it was thirty two miles from Sidon:

and smote the king thereof with the sword;
who, very probably, upon the surprise at the waters of Merom, fled to his capital for safety; but that being taken by Joshua, he was slain by him with the sword:

for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms;
before mentioned, ( Joshua 11:1 ) ; but not of all the land of Canaan: Jerom ^F24 says, it was the metropolis of all the kingdoms of the Philistines; and though they were not now subject to it, and had kings of their own, yet it appears that the king of this place was in great authority, and regard was paid unto him; and this seems to be the reason why Joshua hasted to take this city, slay the king of it, and burn it with fire, because it had been the principal in this war, and might, if not prevented, raise new troubles; wherefore, as a precaution to that, and to deter the rest, he hastened the conquest and destruction of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Travels, p. 96.
F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. B.

Joshua 11:10 In-Context

8 And the Lord betook them into the hands of (the host of) Israel; which smited them, and pursued (them) till to Great(er) Sidon, and the waters of Misrephothmaim (and Misrephothmaim on the west), and to the field of Mizpeh, which is at the east part thereof.

9 And Joshua smote so all them, that he left no things of them (And Joshua so struck down all of them, that he left nothing of them); and he did as the Lord commanded to him; he hocked their horses, and burnt their chariots.

10 And he turned again anon, and took Hazor, and smote by sword the king thereof (And at once he turned his army, and then took Hazor, and struck down its king with his sword); for Hazor held by eld time the princehood among all these realms.

11 And he smote all persons that dwelled there, he left not any relics, (or anything of value,) therein, but he wasted all things till to (the) death; also he destroyed that city by burning. (And he struck down all he people who lived there, he left nothing of value, or any remnant, there, but he destroyed everything unto the death; and he burned down that city to the ground.)

12 And he took all (the) cities by compass, and the kings of them, and smote (them), and did (them) away, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded to him,