Joshua 11ASV
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Joshua11

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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

2and to the kings that were on the north, in the hill-country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,

3to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill-country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

4And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

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

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

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

8And Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they smote them, and chased them unto great Sidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

9And Joshua did unto them as Jehovah bade him: he hocked their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

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

11And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was none left that breathed: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

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

13But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.

14And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any that breathed.

15As Jehovah commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua: and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that Jehovah commanded Moses.

16So Joshua took all that land, the hill-country, and all the South, and all the land of Goshen, and the lowland, and the Arabah, and the hill-country of Israel, and the lowland of the same;

17from mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and put them to death.

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

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

20For it was of Jehovah to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Jehovah commanded Moses.

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

22There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.

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

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Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joshua 11.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: 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).

vv1-9

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. (Jos 11:10-14)

vv10-14

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.

vv15-23

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.

Cross References

Joshua 11
v12Deuteronomy 7:2thematic

Moses' command to utterly destroy the Canaanites and make no covenant with them is here executed.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v6Psalms 20:7thematic

Contrast between trusting in chariots/horses versus relying on the name of the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

God's law forbade Israel's kings from multiplying horses; hence Joshua houghed the captured horses.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Judges 4:2thematic

Jabin is noted as a hereditary title or dynasty ruling from Hazor in Judges.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v19Joshua 9:3-27thematic

Identifies Gibeon as the only Hivite city that successfully made peace with Israel.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v20Deuteronomy 2:30thematic

Parallels God hardening the hearts of enemies to deliver them to destruction, as with Sihon.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v21Numbers 13:22thematic

The Anakims, who previously terrified the faithless spies, are finally cut off by Joshua.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v4Genesis 22:17allusion

The idiom 'as the sand upon the sea shore' recalls the immense size of the confederacy.

Supported by John Calvin

v92 Samuel 8:4thematic

David similarly houghed chariot horses, following Joshua's precedent of not trusting in horses.

Supported by Matthew Poole

The explicit commandment to save alive nothing that breatheth in the cities of these nations.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v16Joshua 10:41thematic

Connects the southern campaign's 'land of Goshen' with the northern conquests.

Supported by JFB

v21Joshua 14:12-14thematic

Caleb's inheritance in Hebron, where he drove out the three sons of Anak.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Luke 5:1thematic

Identifies the Old Testament 'Cinneroth' as the Lake of Gennesaret/Sea of Galilee.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v20Exodus 4:21thematic

The paradigm of God hardening hearts, established during Pharaoh's resistance in Egypt.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Hebrews 4:9typology

The land resting from war foreshadows the eternal rest remaining for God's people.

Supported by Matthew Henry