Joshua 11
Joshua 11 records the northern campaign led by a coalition of Canaanite kings, especially Jabin king of Hazor. After the southern campaign in chapter 10, Joshua now faces a large northern alliance with horses and chariots. The chapter ends with a summary of major conquest activity and the statement that the land had rest from war.
1verseWhen Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
2verseand to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,
3verseto the Canaanite on the east and on the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
4verseThey went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
5verseAll these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.
6verseThe LORD said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
7verseSo Joshua came suddenly, with all the warriors, against them by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.
8verseThe LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mizpah eastward. They struck them until they left them no one remaining.
9verseJoshua did to them as the LORD told him. He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
10verseJoshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor used to be the head of all those kingdoms.
11verseThey struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burned Hazor with fire.
12verseJoshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
13verseBut as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only. Joshua burned that.
14verseThe children of Israel took all the plunder of these cities, with the livestock, as plunder for themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They didn’t leave any who breathed.
15verseAs the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua. Joshua did so. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
16verseSo Joshua captured all that land, the hill country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel, and the lowland of the same,
17versefrom Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.
18verseJoshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19verseThere was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took all in battle.
20verseFor it was of the LORD 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 the LORD commanded Moses.
21verseJoshua 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.
22verseThere were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
23verseSo Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD spoke to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.
The Northern Coalition (Verses 1–5)
Jabin of Hazor gathers numerous kings and forces from the north. Their army is described as vast, with many horses and chariots. The scale of the opposition highlights the seriousness of the threat facing Israel.
God's Command and Israel's Victory (Verses 6–15)
The LORD tells Joshua not to fear, promising victory. Joshua attacks suddenly at the waters of Merom, defeats the coalition, hamstrings the horses, and burns the chariots according to the command. Hazor, the leading city of the coalition, is burned.
Summary of the Conquest (Verses 16–23)
The final section summarizes Joshua's campaigns across the land and emphasizes that he acted according to what the LORD commanded Moses. Although later passages in Joshua and Judges show that possession and settlement still have further developments, Joshua 11 presents the major campaigns as reaching a decisive conclusion.
Points for Reflection
- What does it mean to act with courage when the opposition appears overwhelming?
- How does the chapter connect leadership with careful obedience to prior instruction?
- Why is it important to distinguish between the summary of conquest and the later process of settlement?
Applying It to Yourself
- When facing a large challenge, reflect on the guidance and commitments that should shape your response.
- Consider how faithfulness can mean continuing a task steadily until its proper stage is complete.
