11 1 Divers kings and cities, and countries overcome by Joshua. 15 Joshua did all that Moses had commanded him. 20 God hardeneth the enemies’ hearts that they might be destroyed.

And when Jabin king of Hazor had heard this, then he [a]sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

And unto the kings that were by the North in the mountains and plains toward the South side of [b]Chinneroth, and in the valleys, and in the borders of Dor Westward,

And unto the Canaanites, both by East, and by West, and unto the Amorites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Jebusites in the mountains, and unto the Hivites, under [c]Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

And they came out, and all their hosts with them, many people, as the sand that is on the seashore, for multitude, with horses and chariots exceeding many.

So all these kings met together, and came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, for to fight against Israel.

¶ Then the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid for them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them all slain before Israel: thou shalt [d]hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

Then came Joshua and all the men of war with him, against them, by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.

And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel: and they smote them, and chased them unto great Sidon, and unto [e]Misrephoth, and unto the valley of Mizpah Eastward, and smote them until they had none remaining of them.

And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

10 ¶ At that time also Joshua turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the King thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.

11 Moreover they smote all the [f]persons that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying all, leaving none alive, and he burnt Hazor with fire.

12 So all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, (A)as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.

13 But Israel burnt none of the cities that stood still in their [g]strength, save Hazor only, that Joshua burnt.

14 And all the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the children of Israel took for their prey, but they smote every [h]man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, not leaving one alive.

15 ¶ As the Lord (B)had commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses (C)command Joshua, and so did Joshua, he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took all this land of the mountains, and all the South, and all the land of Goshen, and the low country, and the plain, and the [i]mountain of Israel, and the low country of the same,

17 From the mount [j]Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto [k]Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon, under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.

18 Joshua made war [a] long time with all those Kings,

19 Neither was there any city that made peace with the children of Israel, (D)save those Hivites that inhabited Gibeon: all others they took by battle.

20 For it came of the Lord, to [l]harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, to the intent that they should destroy them utterly, and show them no mercy, but that they should bring them to nought, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 ¶ And that same season came Joshua, and destroyed the Anakims out of the mountains: as out of Hebron, out of Debir, out of Anab, and out of all the mountains of Judah, and out of all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.

22 There was no Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel, only in Gaza, [m]in Gath, and in Ashdod were they left.

23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said unto Moses: and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel, (E)according to their portions through their tribes: then the land was at rest without war.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 11:1 The more that God’s power appeareth, the more the wicked rage against it.
  2. Joshua 11:2 Which the Evangelists call the lake of Gennesaret, or Tiberias.
  3. Joshua 11:3 Which was mount Sion, as Deut. 4:48.
  4. Joshua 11:6 That neither they should serve to the use of war, nor the Israelites should put their trust in them.
  5. Joshua 11:8 Which signifieth hot waters, or according to some, brine pits.
  6. Joshua 11:11 Both men, women and children.
  7. Joshua 11:13 Which were strong by situation and not hurt by war.
  8. Joshua 11:14 All mankind.
  9. Joshua 11:16 That is, Samaria.
  10. Joshua 11:17 So called, because it was bare and without trees.
  11. Joshua 11:17 Or, the valley of Gad.
  12. Joshua 11:20 That is, to give them over to themselves: and therefore they could not but rebel against God and seek their own destruction.
  13. Joshua 11:22 Out of the which came Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:4.

Northern Kings Defeated

11 When Jabin(A) king of Hazor(B) heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron(C) and Akshaph,(D) and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah(E) south of Kinnereth,(F) in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor(G) on the west; to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites(H) and Jebusites in the hill country;(I) and to the Hivites(J) below Hermon(K) in the region of Mizpah.(L) They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.(M) All these kings joined forces(N) and made camp together at the Waters of Merom(O) to fight against Israel.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand(P) all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring(Q) their horses and burn their chariots.”(R)

So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon,(S) to Misrephoth Maim,(T) and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.(U) (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed[a] them,(V) not sparing anyone that breathed,(W) and he burned(X) Hazor itself.

12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.(Y) 13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed.(Z) 15 As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.(AA)

16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country,(AB) all the Negev,(AC) the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills,(AD) the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir,(AE) to Baal Gad(AF) in the Valley of Lebanon(AG) below Mount Hermon.(AH) He captured all their kings and put them to death.(AI) 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites(AJ) living in Gibeon,(AK) not one city made a treaty of peace(AL) with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts(AM) to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.(AN)

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites(AO) from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir(AP) and Anab,(AQ) from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza,(AR) Gath(AS) and Ashdod(AT) did any survive.

23 So Joshua took the entire land,(AU) just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance(AV) to Israel according to their tribal divisions.(AW) Then the land had rest(AX) from war.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 11:11 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 12, 20 and 21.