CHAPTER 11. THE NORTHERN CONFEDERACY - THE INVASION OF THE NORTH. This chapter tells how the kings of the northern parts of Canaan now combined together against Joshua, and how YHWH encouraged him to fight them, delivering them into his hands, so that all their people were smitten by him. It descri... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, many people, even as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And all these kings met together, and they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.' This was something w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hough their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” ' Joshua again sought the guidance of YHWH in the face of these powerful forces and YHWH assured... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom, suddenly, and fell on them.' The huge army gathered together, were probably still arranging tactics and leadership, not realising how close the Israelites were, when without warning the Israelite men of war,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And YHWH delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they smote them and chased them to Great Zidon (see Joshua 19:28), and to Misrephoth-maim, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward, and they smote them until they left them none remaining.' The battle appears to have taken place in Northern Galilee... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua did to them as YHWH commanded him, he houghed their horses and burned their chariots with fire.' Joshua did not question YHWH's command. He obeyed. It must have been tempting to keep the horses, especially with the chariots. But YHWH had commanded otherwise. We notice that they were no... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor, and smote its king with the sword, for Hazor previously was the head of all those kingdoms.' It is noteworthy that the king of Hazor, as with his successor in Judges 4, did not go out to battle himself. He had sent another, a general, to act on... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And they smote all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying (devoting) them. There was none left that breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.' Burning with fire was something he had only done to Jericho, Ai and now Hazor. Jericho because it was the firstfruits, Ai... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And 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 he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of YHWH commanded.' He also took the other cities that had taken part in the alliance, killed their kings (whether captur... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ But as for the cities that stood on their tells, Israel did not burn any of them except Hazor only. That Joshua did burn.' The saving of all these cities, as he had saved the others in the South, was probably in the hope that when Israel eventually occupied them they would find cities in good con... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey for themselves, but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, nor did they leave any that breathed.' All the spoil in the cities which he captured, whether gold, silver,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ As YHWH commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that YHWH had commanded Moses.' Joshua's complete obedience is emphasised. He was fulfilling the work of God through Moses. He stood in Moses' place. And he was faithful in his servi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So 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, from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal-gad, in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon, and all... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.' All this took time. Only the highlights have been described in detail. But gradually Joshua's war of attrition succeeded. The last part of Joshua's life was taken up with it. Joshua 14:7 may suggest a period of five or so years but we must recogn... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took all in battle.' This may simply indicate the belligerent nature of the opposition, emphasising that Israel had no choice but to destroy them, or it may suggest that offers of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ For it was of YHWH to harden their hearts, that they might come against Israel to battle, that he might destroy them utterly (devote them), that they might have no favour but that he might destroy them, as YHWH commanded Moses.' This indeed was within YHWH's purpose. The offer of peace was made b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And 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 (devoted) them with their cities. There were none of the Anakim left in the land... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So Joshua took the whole land, in accordance with all that YHWH said to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel, according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land had rest from war.' Having accomplished what he had after five or so years of warfare (see Joshua 14:7; Joshua... [ Continue Reading ]