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1When the news of Israel’s southern victories reached King Jabin of Hazor, he organized a massive coalition to fight against Israel . He sent messages to:[#11:1 Jabin means “discerner” or “wise one.”; #11:1 Hazor means “fortified” or “castle.” It was a major city-state that lay about nine miles north of Lake Galilee.]
King Jobab of Merom,
the king of Shimron,
the king of Achshaph,
2the kings of the northern hill country,[#11:2 The northern hill country would be the modern district of Galilee.]
the kings of the Jordan Valley south of Lake Galilee,
the kings of the foothills,
the western kings in the heights of Dor,
3the eastern and western Canaanite kings,
the Amorite kings,
the Hittite kings,
the Perizzite kings,
the Jebusite kings in the highlands,
and the Hivite kings who lived near Mount Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
4They came out in full force with a multitude of horses and chariots. Their vast armies were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.[#11:4 According to Josephus, the armies of these ten kingdoms were more than three hundred thousand foot soldiers, ten thousand horses, and twenty thousand chariots (see Ant. 5.1.18). Joshua confronted these armies and defeated them all with only an infantry and !]
5All these kings and their enormous armies joined forces and encamped at Lake Merom to fight against Israel.[#11:5 Or “met by appointment.”; #11:5 Or “the waters of Merom,” most likely modern Lake Huleh. Josephus called it “the lake of Semechonitis” (see Ant. 5.5.1).]
6Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, “Don’t be afraid of them; by this time tomorrow, I, Yahweh , will have them all lying slain before Israel. After the battle, cripple their horses and burn their chariots.”[#11:6 did not want Israel to trust in the might of horses or chariots but in him alone. See Ps. 20:7; 33:17.]
7Joshua launched his surprise attack, and all his army pounced on them at their camp at Lake Merom.
8Yahweh fought alongside Joshua’s fighting men to defeat them. Part of the Israelite army attacked and pursued the retreating forces as far north as the cities of Misrephoth Maim and Sidon. Another part of the Israelite army pursued the enemy as far east as the valley of Mizpah and crushed them all, leaving no survivors.[#11:8 Or “ delivered them into their hands.”; #11:8 Misrephoth Maim means “lime kilns by the waters.” It was a city on the border of Israel and Lebanon.; #11:8 Or “Great Sidon,” an important Phoenician city north of Israel on the Mediterranean coast.]
9Afterward, Joshua crippled their horses and burned their chariots as Yahweh had commanded.
10Because Hazor at that time was the most powerful of all these kingdoms, Joshua circled back after the battle and conquered it.[#11:10 Or “struck them down with the mouth of the sword.”]
11They killed the king, burned Hazor to the ground, and annihilated all its inhabitants. They spared not one breathing thing, leaving no survivors.[#11:11 The destruction of Hazor has been dated by recent excavations to around 1225 BC. Solomon later rebuilt the city (see 1 Kings 9:15).]
12Joshua conquered all those royal cities and their kings. He destroyed them all, as Yahweh ’s servant Moses had commanded.
13However, of all the cities built on mounds, Joshua burned down only Hazor.[#11:13 That is, cities that were rebuilt on the ruins of earlier settlements.]
14The Israelites kept all the spoils of these towns, including the livestock, but the inhabitants they killed with the sword. There were no survivors.
15Just as Yahweh commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua obeyed everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.[#11:15 The words “obeyed everything” should be the goal and ambition of our lives. Our calling is not simply to be successful but also to be obedient. See Luke 1:38; John 2:5.]
16So Joshua conquered the entire region: the Judean hills, the southern desert, all the land of Goshen, the foothills, the lowlands of the Jordan Valley, the northern hill country of Israel including its lowlands—
17everything from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, all the way to Baal-Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. Joshua captured all their kings and executed them.[#11:17 Mount Halak means “bare mountain”; it is likely Jebel Halaq.; #11:17 Baal-Gad means “the god of fortune.”; #11:17 The southern limit of Joshua’s conquest was Mount Halak, near Edom, south of the Dead Sea; the northern limit was the town of Baal-Gad, not far from Mount Hermon.]
18Joshua waged war with all those kings over a long period.[#11:18 The “long period” was about seven years. There are spiritual battles we fight that we do not win easily or quickly. Thankfully, God will ultimately make us victorious in all things. See 1 Sam. 17:47; 1 Cor. 15:57; Gal. 6:9; Eph. 6:10–13.]
19Apart from the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made peace with Israel. By the power of Yahweh , Joshua conquered them all.
20Yahweh himself hardened their hearts and made them obstinate so they would attack Israel. Yahweh had determined to wipe them out and condemn them to destruction without mercy, just as he had commanded Moses.
21Joshua also drove out the Anakim, a race of giants , from the hill country (including the cities of Hebron, Debir, and Anab)—from the entire hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua destroyed the Anakim and their towns[#11:21 The Anakim were descendants of Anak. They are mentioned in Num. 13 as intimidating giants that kept the Israelites fearful in unbelief, which led to their wandering in the wilderness. Here we read that Joshua eliminated these giants and enabled the tribes of Israel to possess their inheritance, just as Jesus does today to the giants keeping us from full faith. Giants are nothing compared to God’s omnipotence.]
22so that there were no surviving Anakim in Israelite territory. Some survived but only in the Philistine cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.[#11:22 Gaza means “fortified” or “strength,” Gath means “wine press,” and Ashdod means “stronghold.” These three cities were Philistine cities. The giant Goliath was from Gath (see 1 Sam. 17:23).]
23Joshua conquered the whole land, just as Yahweh had promised Moses. Joshua assigned portions of the land to each of the tribes of Israel, and the Israelites lived in peace throughout the land.[#11:23 Or “the land had rest from war.”]