CHAPTER XI _The Kings of_ Hazor, Madon, Shimron, _and_ Achshaph, _with those_ _of the mountains, plains, c., and various chiefs of the_ _Canaanites and Amorites, confederate against Israel_, 1-3. _They pitch their tents at the waters of_ Merom, 4, 5. _The Lord encourages Joshua_, 6. _He attack... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:2. _ON THE NORTH OF THE MOUNTAINS_] Or _the mountain_, probably _Hermon_, or some mountain not far from the lake of Gennesareth. _AND OF THE PLAINS_] That is, the valleys of the above mountains, which had the sea of Chinneroth or Gennesareth on the south. _CHINNEROTH_] This city is... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:3. _THE CANAANITE ON THE EAST, C._] Those who dwelt on the borders of Jordan, south of the sea of Tiberias. _ON THE WEST_] Those were the Phoenicians who dwelt on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from _Dor_ northwards, on the way to Mount Libanus.-_Calmet_. _THE HIVITE UNDER HER... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:4. _MUCH PEOPLE, EVEN AS THE SAND_] This form of speech, by some called a _hyperbole_, conveys simply the idea of a vast or unusual number - a number of which no regular estimate could be easily formed. Josephus, who seldom finds difficulties in such cases, and makes no scruple of of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:5. _THE WATERS OF MEROM_] Where these waters were, interpreters are not agreed. Whether they were the waters of the Lake _Semechon_, or the _waters of Megiddo_, mentioned Judges 5:19, cannot be easily determined. The latter is the more probable opinion.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:6. _BE NOT AFRAID - OF THEM_] To meet such a formidable host so well equipped, in their own country, furnished with all that was necessary to supply a numerous army, required more than ordinary encouragement in Joshua's circumstances. This communication from God was highly necessary,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:7. _BY THE WATERS OF MEROM SUDDENLY_] Joshua, being apprised of this grand confederation, lost no time, but marched to meet them; and before they could have supposed him at hand, fell suddenly upon them, and put them to the rout.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:8. _GREAT ZIDON_] If this were the same with the _Sidon_ of the ancients, it was illustrious long before the Trojan war; and both it and its inhabitants are frequently mentioned by Homer as excelling in works of _skill_ and _utility_, and abounding in _wealth_: - Ενθ' εσαν οἱ πεπλο... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:9. _HE HOUGHED THEIR HORSES_] The Hebrew word עקר _akar_, which we render to _hough_ or _hamstring_, signifies to _wound, cut_, or _lop off_. It is very likely that it means here, not only an act by which they were rendered useless, but by which they were _destroyed_; as God had purp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:10. _TOOK HAZOR_] Joshua 11:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:13. _THE CITIES THAT STOOD STILL IN THEIR STRENGTH_] The word תלם _tillam_, which we translate _their strength_, and the margin, _their heap_, has been understood two ways. 1. As signifying those cities which had made peace with the Israelites, when conditions of peace were offered... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:14. _ALL THE SPOIL OF THESE CITIES - ISRAEL TOOK_] With the exception of those things which had been employed for idolatrous purposes; see Deuteronomy 7:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:16. _THE MOUNTAIN OF ISRAEL, AND THE VALLEY OF THE SAME_] This place has given considerable trouble to commentators; and it is not easy to assign such a meaning to the place as may appear in all respects satisfactory. 1. If we consider this verse and the 21st to have been added afte... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:17. _FROM THE MOUNT HALAK_] All the mountainous country that extends from the south of the land of Canaan towards _Seir_ unto _Baal-gad_, which lies at the foot of Mount Libanus or Hermon, called by some the mountains of _Separation_, which serve as a limit between the land of Canaan... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:18. _JOSHUA MADE WAR A LONG TIME_] The whole of these conquests were not effected in one campaign: they probably required _six_ or _seven_ years. There are some chronological notices in this book, and in Deuteronomy, by which the exact time may be nearly ascertained. Caleb was _fort... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:20. _IT WAS OF THE LORD TO HARDEN THEIR HEARTS_] They had sinned against all the light they had received, and God left them justly to the hardness, obstinacy, and pride of their own hearts; for as they chose to retain their idolatry, God was determined that they should be cut off. Fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:21. _CUT OFF THE ANAKIMS - FROM HEBRON, FROM DEBIR_] This is evidently a recapitulation of the military operations detailed Joshua 10:36-6. _DESTROYED - THEIR CITIES_] That is, those of the Anakims; for from Joshua 11:13 we learn that Joshua preserved certain other cities.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:22. _IN GAZA, IN GATH, AND IN ASHDOD_] The whole race of the Anakims was extirpated in this war, except those who had taken refuge in the above cities, which belonged to the Philistines; and in which some of the descendants of Anak were found even in the days of David.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 11:23. _SO JOSHUA TOOK THE WHOLE LAND_] All the country described here and in the preceding chapter. Besides the multitudes that perished in this war, many of the Canaanites took refuge in the confines of the land, and in the neighbouring nations. Some suppose that a party of these fug... [ Continue Reading ]