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Texts -- Joshua 11:5-23 (NET)

Context
11:5 All these kings gathered and joined forces at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel . 11:6 The Lord told Joshua , “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel . You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots .” 11:7 Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. 11:8 The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon , Misrephoth Maim , and the Mizpah Valley to the east . They struck them down until no survivors remained . 11:9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots . 11:10 At that time Joshua turned , captured Hazor , and struck down its king with the sword , for Hazor was at that time the leader of all these kingdoms . 11:11 They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword – no one who breathed remained – and burned Hazor . 11:12 Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword , as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded . 11:13 But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds , except for Hazor ; it was the only one Joshua burned . 11:14 The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle , but they totally destroyed all the people and allowed no one who breathed to live . 11:15 Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua , and Joshua did as he was told . He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses .
A Summary of Israel’s Victories
11:16 Joshua conquered the whole land , including the hill country , all the Negev , all the land of Goshen , the lowlands , the Arabah , the hill country of Israel and its lowlands , 11:17 from Mount Halak on up to Seir , as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon . He captured all their kings and executed them. 11:18 Joshua campaigned against these kings for quite some time . 11:19 No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon ); they had to conquer all of them, 11:20 for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel . He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy , as he had instructed Moses . 11:21 At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country – from Hebron , Debir , Anab , and all the hill country of Judah and Israel . Joshua annihilated them and their cities . 11:22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory , though some remained in Gaza , Gath , and Ashdod . 11:23 Joshua conquered the whole land , just as the Lord had promised Moses , and he assigned Israel their tribal portions . Then the land was free of war .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Jabin

    [ebd] discerner; the wise. (1.) A king of Hazor, at the time of the entrance of Israel into Canaan (Josh. 11:1-14), whose overthrow and that of the northern chief with whom he had entered into a confederacy against Joshua was the ...
    [isbe] JABIN - ja'-bin (yabhin, "one who is intelligent," "discerning." The word may have been a hereditary royal title among the northern Canaanites. Compare the familiar usage of par`oh melekh mitsrayim): (1) "The king of Hazor,"...
    [smith] (whom God observes). King of Hazor, who organized a confederacy of the northern princes against the Israelites. (Joshua 11:1-3) Joshua surprised the allied forces by the waters of Merom, ver. 7, and utterly routed them. (B.C...
    [nave] JABIN, names of two kings of Hazor, Josh. 11:1-14; Judg. 4:2, 7, 17, 23, 24; Psa. 83:9.

  • Joshua

    [ebd] Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of Moses as the leader of Israel. He is called Jehoshua in Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and Jesus in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Jos...
    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Canaan

    [nave] CANAAN 1. Son of Ham, Gen. 9:18, 22, 25-27. Descendants of, Gen. 10:6, 15; 1 Chr. 1:8, 13. 2. Land of (The history of this region is involved in that of the Israelites. The student is therefore referred to Israel, History ...

  • GALILEE

    [isbe] GALILEE - gal'-i-le (ha-galil, hagelilah, literally, "the circuit" or "district"; he Galilaia): 1. Galilee of the Nations: Kedesh, the city of refuge, is described as lying in Galilee, in Mt. Naphtali (Josh 20:7; compare 21:...

  • Salmon

    [ebd] shady; or Zalmon (q.v.), a hill covered with dark forests, south of Shechem, from which Abimelech and his men gathered wood to burn that city (Judg. 9:48). In Ps. 68:14 the change from war to peace is likened to snow on the ...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Alliances

    [nave] ALLIANCES. Political With idolaters forbidden, Ex. 23:32, 33; 34:12-15; Deut. 7:2; Judg. 2:2; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:37; Isa. 30:2; 31:1; Hos. 4:17; 5:13; 12:1; Ezek. 17:15. Ratification of: By oaths, Gen. 21:23; 26:28-31; Josh....

  • Hittites

    [nave] HITTITES A tribe of Canaanites. Children of Heth, Gen. 10:15; 23:10. Sell a burying-ground to Abraham, Gen. 23. Esau intermarries with, Gen. 26:34; 36:2. Dwelling place of, Gen. 23:17-20; Num. 13:29; Josh. 1:4; Judg. 1:26...

  • Jebusites

    [nave] JEBUSITES One of the tribes of Canaan, Deut. 7:1. Land of, given to Abraham and his descendants, Gen. 15:21; Ex. 3:8, 17; 23:23, 24; Deut. 20:17; Ex. 33:2; 34:10, 11. Conquered by Joshua, Josh. 10-12; 24:11; by David, 2 Sa...

  • CRITICISM

    [isbe] CRITICISM - (The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis) I. PRELIMINARY 1. Thesis 2. Historical Perspective 3. Inspiration and Criticism II. THE LEGISLATION 1. Groups 2. Covenant Code 3. The Sanctuary 4. Kinds of Sacrifice 5. Sacrifice ...

  • War

    [nave] WAR Divine approval of, 2 Sam. 22:35. Civil, Judg. 12:1-6; 20; 2 Sam. 2:12-31; 3:1; 20; 1 Kin. 14:30; 16:21; Isa. 19:2; forbidden, 2 Chr. 11:4; averted, Josh. 22:11-34. Enemy harangued by general of opposing side, 2 Kin. 1...

  • Canaanites

    [nave] CANAANITES Eleven nations, descended from Canaan, Gen. 10:15-19; Deut. 7:1; 1 Chr. 1:13-16. Territory of, Gen. 10:19; 12:6; 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Num. 13:29; 34:1-12; Josh. 1:4; 5:1; given to the Israelites, Gen. 12:6, 7; 15:18...

  • Hazor

    [ebd] enclosed; fortified. (1.) A stronghold of the Canaanites in the mountains north of Lake Merom (Josh. 11:1-5). Jabin the king with his allied tribes here encountered Joshua in a great battle. Joshua gained a signal victory, w...
    [isbe] HAZOR - ha'-zor (chatsor; Nasor; Codex Sinaiticus, Asor, 1 Macc 11:67): (1) The royal city of Jabin (Josh 11:1), which, before the Israelite conquest, seems to have been the seat of a wide authority (Josh 11:11). It was take...
    [smith] (castle). A fortified city, which on the occupation of the country was allotted to Naphtali. (Joshua 19:36) Its position was apparently between Ramah and Kedesh, ibid. (Joshua 12:19) on the high ground overlooking the Lake o...
    [nave] HAZOR 1. A fortified city of Naphtali, Josh. 11:1, 10, 11, 13; 12:19; 19:36; Judg. 4:2, 17; 1 Sam. 12:9; 2 Kin. 15:29; Neh. 11:33. 2. A city in the S. of Judah, Josh. 15:23; 1 Kin. 9:15. 3. A place N. of Jerusalem, Neh. 11...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • Anakim

    [ebd] the descendants of Anak (Josh. 11:21; Num. 13:33; Deut. 9:2). They dwelt in the south of Palestine, in the neighbourhood of Hebron (Gen. 23:2; Josh. 15:13). In the days of Abraham (Gen. 14:5, 6) they inhabited the region aft...
    [isbe] ANAKIM - an'-a-kim (`anaqim; Enakim, or Enakeim; also called "sons of Anak" (Nu 13:33), and "sons of the Anakim" (Dt 1:28)): The spies (Nu 13:33) compared them to the Nephilim or "giants" of Gen 6:4, and according to Dt 2:11...
    [smith] (long-necked), a race of giants, descendants of Arba, (Joshua 15:13; 21:11) dwelling in the southern part of Canaan, and particularly at Hebron, which from their progenitor received the name of "city of Arba." Anak was the na...
    [nave] ANAKIM A race of giants, Num. 13:28-33; Deut. 1:28; 2:10; 9:2. Defeated: By Joshua, Josh. 11:21, 22; Caleb, Josh. 14:12, 15; 15:13, 14; Judg. 1:20. See: Hebron.

  • Merom

    [ebd] height, a lake in Northern Palestine through which the Jordan flows. It was the scene of the third and last great victory gained by Joshua over the Canaanites (Josh. 11:5-7). It is not again mentioned in Scripture. Its moder...
    [smith] (high place), The waters of, a lake formed by the river Jordan, about ten miles north of the Sea of Galilee. It is a place memorable in the history of the conquest of Palestine. Here Joshua completely routed the confederacy o...
    [nave] MEROM The district near the springs of Jordan. Joshua conquered the confederacy of kings under Jabin, king of Hazor, near, Josh. 11:5-7.

  • VALE, VALLEY

    [isbe] VALE, VALLEY - val, val'-i: (1) gay'; either absolute: "from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab" (Nu 21:20); or with a proper name: "valley of Hinnom," also "valley of the son of Hinnom" (Josh 15:8); "valley o...
    [smith] It is hardly necessary to state that these words signify a hollow sweep of ground between two more or less parallel ridges of high land. The structure of the greater part of the holy land does not lend itself to the formation...

  • Seir

    [nave] SEIR 1. A range of hills trending southwest from the Dead Sea, Deut. 1:2. Along the route from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea, Deut. 1:1, 2. Children of Israel journey by, Deut. 1:2; 2:1; 33:2. Originally inhabited by Horites, Ge...

  • Fire

    [ebd] (1.) For sacred purposes. The sacrifices were consumed by fire (Gen. 8:20). The ever-burning fire on the altar was first kindled from heaven (Lev. 6:9, 13; 9:24), and afterwards rekindled at the dedication of Solomon's templ...

  • Anab

    [ebd] grape-town, one of the cities in the mountains of Judah, from which Joshua expelled the Anakim (Josh. 11:21; 15:50). It still retains its ancient name. It lies among the hills, 10 miles south-south-west of Hebron.
    [isbe] ANAB - a'-nab (`anabh, "grapes"; Codex Vaticanus, Anon or Anob): Mentioned in the list of cities which fell to Judah (Josh 15:50). In the list it follows Debir, from which it was a short distance to the Southwest. It lay abo...
    [smith] (grape-town), a town in the mountains of Judah, (Joshua 15:50) named with Debir and Hebron as once belonging to the Anakim. (Joshua 11:21)
    [nave] ANAB, a city of Canaan, Josh. 11:21; 15:50.
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Arts

Questions

  • The Canaanites were descendants of Ham (Gen. 10:6) and comprised seven distinct nations (Deu. 7:1). Though great and mighty (Num. 73:28) they were idolatrous, superstitious, profane and wicked (Deu. 29:17, Deu. 18:9-11, Lev. ...
  • These people were descendants of Sidoa, a son of Canaan, and were formerly a part of the Phoenician nation (Matt. 15:21,22; Mark 7:24,26). They dwelt on the sea-coast in the cities of Zidon and Zarephath (Josh. 11:8; I Kin. 1...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • As I have explained previously, the date of the Exodus was about 1446 B.C. (cf. 1 Kings 6:1).7Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness (Exod. 16:35; Num. 14:33-34). Thus Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered the land abo...
  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • As preparation for entering Canaan, Joshua sent spies to reconnoiter the area Israel would enter."Although Joshua had received a promise from the Lord of His almighty help in the conquest of Canaan, he still thought it necess...
  • 5:13-15 "Despite Joshua's long military experience he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Palestine, Jericho was probably the most invincible. T...
  • The leaders of the northern Canaanite cities also decided to unite to withstand the threat of Israelite expansion.11:1-3 Hazor was the leading city in northern Canaan with an area of 175 acres and a population of 30,000 to 40...
  • The writer referred to Canaan as "the land of the sons of Israel"first here in Scripture (v. 22). The Anakim were the mighty warriors that the 10 spies had feared (Num. 13:28). Israel destroyed most of these."The hardening of...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • These verses conclude the account of the division of the land proper (chs. 13-21; cf. 1:2-6; 11:23). They bind the two parts of the second half of the book together. They form a theological conclusion to the entire book up to...
  • 4:1-3 As long as Ehud lived he kept Israel faithful to God (v. 1). However after he died, God's people again turned from the Lord. In discipline God allowed the Canaanites in the North to gain strength and dominate the Israel...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The Elah Valley is an S-shaped valley just south of the Sorek Valley. It runs east and west parallel to it. Socoh stood to the east and Azekah to the west. Archaeologists have not yet located Ephes-dammim. Gath was 7 miles to...
  • The Lord proceeded to explain that even though He would destroy the ungodly, He would also spare the truly godly among His people (cf. Gen. 18:23-25).65:8 Yahweh promised not to destroy the whole nation (cluster of grapes) bu...
  • This is the first in a series of three parables designed to impress on the overly optimistic exiles that there was no possibility that Jerusalem would escape destruction (cf. chs. 16-17).15:1-2 The Lord asked Ezekiel how the ...
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