About Joshua

Joshua records the conquest and division of the Promised Land, demonstrating God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Abraham.

Author: JoshuaWritten: c. 1400-1370 BCReading time: ~3 minVerses: 23
ConquestFaithfulnessObedienceInheritanceLeadershipCovenant

King James Version

Joshua 11

23 verses with commentary

Conquest of Northern Canaan

And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

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KJV Study Commentary

The northern Canaanite coalition's formation demonstrates how God's mighty acts provoke opposition. King Jabin of Hazor, learning of Israel's southern victories, organized a massive northern alliance. Hazor was the premier city-state of northern Canaan, described as 'the head of all those kingdoms' (verse 10). The Hebrew <em>melech</em> (מֶלֶךְ, 'king') indicates these were autonomous city-state r...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

XI. JOSHUA’S NORTHERN CAMPAIGN. (1) **Jabin king of Hazor** seems to have been in northern Palestine what Adonizedec, king of Jerusalem, was in the south. For the strength of this monarchy see the story in Judges 4, 5. From its formidable character when it recovered strength in the days of the judges, we may gather some notion of what it was at first. **Hazor** is identified as *Jebel Hadîrah, *ne...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**17. the priests ... and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground--**the river about Jericho has a firm pebbly bottom, on which the host might pass, without inconvenience when the water was cleared off.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,

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KJV Study Commentary

The coalition expands to include kings 'in the mountains, and in the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west.' This geographic catalog spans diverse terrain—mountains (central highlands), plains (valleys), Chinneroth (Galilee region), and Mediterranean coast (Dor). The comprehensive scope shows this northern alliance represents virtually all remaining C...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **Chinneroth**—*i.e.,* *Ginizer, *the Gennesaret of the New Testament. Dor is identified as *Tantûra.*

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.

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KJV Study Commentary

The ethnic catalog continues: 'Canaanites on the east and west, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites in the mountains, and Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.' This list shows comprehensive representation of Canaan's peoples—six national/ethnic groups from diverse regions. The Canaanites' presence both east and west shows they inhabited both sides of the Jordan Valley. The Amorites, H...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3) **The land of Mizpeh** is thought to be the plain El-Bukei’a, west of Hermon.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 4 Jos 4:1-8. Twelve Stones Taken for a Memorial Out of Jordan. **1-3. the Lord spake unto Joshua, Take you twelve men--**each representing a tribe. They had been previously chosen for this service (Jos 3:12), and the repetition of the command is made here solely to introduce the account of its execution. Though Joshua had been divinely instructed to erect a commemorative pile, the represe...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many</strong>—The northern coalition's overwhelming force (רֹב, <em>rov</em>, great abundance) represents humanity's greatest military threat to Israel. The comparison to <strong>sand</strong> (חוֹל, <em>chol</em>) echoes God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:17), ironically juxtaposing cove...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 4 Jos 4:1-8. Twelve Stones Taken for a Memorial Out of Jordan. **1-3. the Lord spake unto Joshua, Take you twelve men--**each representing a tribe. They had been previously chosen for this service (Jos 3:12), and the repetition of the command is made here solely to introduce the account of its execution. Though Joshua had been divinely instructed to erect a commemorative pile, the represe...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. met: Heb. assembled by appointment

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>All these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom</strong>—The verb <strong>pitched</strong> (חָנָה, <em>chanah</em>) means to encamp for battle, indicating a coordinated military strategy. The <strong>waters of Merom</strong> (מֵי מֵרוֹם, <em>mei merom</em>, 'waters of the heights') refers to the region near modern Meiron in upper Galilee, strategica...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5) **The waters of Merom.**—The most northerly of the three lakes on the course of the Jordan.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 4 Jos 4:1-8. Twelve Stones Taken for a Memorial Out of Jordan. **1-3. the Lord spake unto Joshua, Take you twelve men--**each representing a tribe. They had been previously chosen for this service (Jos 3:12), and the repetition of the command is made here solely to introduce the account of its execution. Though Joshua had been divinely instructed to erect a commemorative pile, the represe...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

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KJV Study Commentary

God's command 'Be not afraid' (<em>al-tira</em>, אַל־תִּירָא) directly addresses Joshua's natural human fear facing superior forces. The basis for courage is divine promise—'I will deliver them up all slain before Israel.' The time specification 'tomorrow about this time' demonstrates God's precise control over events; He knows exactly when victory will occur. The Hebrew construction <em>machar ka...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(6) **Thou shalt hough their horses.**—See Note on Joshua 11:9, and observe that the command of Jehovah is the authority for the act.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4-5. Joshua called the twelve men--**They had probably, from a feeling of reverence, kept back, and were standing on the eastern bank. They were now ordered to advance. Picking up each a stone, probably as large as he could carry, from around the spot "where the priests stood," they pass over before the ark and deposit the stones in the place of next encampment (Jos 4:19, 20), namely, Gilgal.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly</strong>—The adverb <strong>suddenly</strong> (פִּתְאֹם, <em>pit'om</em>) emphasizes the shock attack God commanded (v. 6: 'Be not afraid'). Despite facing superior technology and numbers, Joshua's obedient aggression demonstrates faith in God's promise of victory.<br><br><strong>They fell upon...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(7) **Suddenly.**—On this occasion, as in the former campaign which began at Gibeon, Joshua surprised his adversaries by the rapidity of his movements.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4-5. Joshua called the twelve men--**They had probably, from a feeling of reverence, kept back, and were standing on the eastern bank. They were now ordered to advance. Picking up each a stone, probably as large as he could carry, from around the spot "where the priests stood," they pass over before the ark and deposit the stones in the place of next encampment (Jos 4:19, 20), namely, Gilgal.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. great Zidon: or, Zidonrabbah Misrephothmaim: or, Salt pits: Heb. Burnings of waters

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel</strong>—The verb <strong>delivered</strong> (נָתַן, <em>natan</em>, gave/granted) attributes victory entirely to divine action, not military prowess. The comprehensive pursuit—to <strong>great Zidon</strong> (northwest), <strong>Misrephoth-maim</strong> (west), and <strong>the valley of Mizpeh eastward</strong>—shows total rout across the en...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(8) **Misrephoth-maim** is thought to be the same with Zarephath or Sarepta, now *Sarafend, *near Sidon.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**6-7. That this may be a sign among you--**The erection of cairns, or huge piles of stones, as monuments of remarkable incidents has been common among all people, especially in the early and rude periods of their history. They are the established means of perpetuating the memory of important transactions, especially among the nomadic people of the East. Although there be no inscription engraved o...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
Read full commentary →

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

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire</strong>—The verb <strong>houghed</strong> (עִקֵּר, <em>iqqer</em>, hamstrung) means cutting the leg tendons, permanently disabling war horses. This radical act of faith destroyed valuable military assets worth a fortune, obeying God's command against trusting in horses (Deuteronomy 17:16...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(9) **He houghed their horses.**—In what particular way this was done we are not informed; we cannot, therefore, be certain whether it was done so as to destroy the lives of the horses, or merely to make them useless for purposes of warfare.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**6-7. That this may be a sign among you--**The erection of cairns, or huge piles of stones, as monuments of remarkable incidents has been common among all people, especially in the early and rude periods of their history. They are the established means of perpetuating the memory of important transactions, especially among the nomadic people of the East. Although there be no inscription engraved o...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 11 Chapter Outline Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom.(1-9) Hazor is taken and burned.(10-14) All that country subdued, The Anakims cut off.(15-23) **Verses 1-9** The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by m...
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And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword</strong>—After the pursuit, Joshua returned to the coalition's headquarters. <strong>Hazor</strong> (חָצוֹר, <em>Chatzor</em>, 'enclosure/castle') was <strong>the head of all those kingdoms</strong> (רֹאשׁ, <em>rosh</em>, chief/capital). Its destruction was strategically and symbolically critical—eli...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**8. the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded--**that is, it was done by their twelve representatives.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-14** The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners,...
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And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. any: Heb. any breath

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>They smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them</strong>—The phrase <strong>utterly destroying</strong> (הַחֲרֵם, <em>haCharem</em>) invokes the <em>herem</em> ban: total consecration to God through destruction of all that breathes. <strong>There was not any left to breathe</strong> (כָּל־נְשָׁמָה, <em>kol neshamah</em>, any breathing thing) e...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:9. Twelve Stones Set Up in the Midst of Jordan. **9. Joshua set up twelve stones ... in the place where the feet of the priests ... stood--**In addition to the memorial just described, there was another memento of the miraculous event, a duplicate of the former, set up in the river itself, on the very spot where the ark had rested. This heap of stones might have been a large and compactly b...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-14** The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners,...
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And 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 he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>All the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take</strong>—The comprehensive victory over multiple city-states fulfilled God's promise to give Israel the land. The verb <strong>take</strong> (לָכַד, <em>lakhad</em>, capture/seize) emphasizes military conquest, while <strong>utterly destroyed</strong> (הֶחֱרִים, <em>hecherim</em>) again invokes <em>herem</em> devotio...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:10-13. The People Pass Over. **10. the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan--**This position was well calculated to animate the people, who probably crossed below the ark, as well as to facilitate Joshua's execution of the minutest instructions respecting the passage (Nu 27:21-23). The unfaltering confidence of the priests contrasts strikingly with the conduct of the peop...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-14** The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners,...
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But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. in their: Heb. on their heap

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only</strong>—The phrase <strong>stood still in their strength</strong> (הָעֹמְדוֹת עַל־תִּלָּם, <em>ha'omedot al-tillam</em>) literally means 'standing on their mounds,' referring to fortified cities built on tells (artificial hills from successive occupation layers). Israel's selective destru...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(13) **The cities that stood still in their strength.**—Literally, *that stood on their mounds *(“quæerant in collibus et in tumulis sitæ.”—Vulg.). Comp. Joshua 11:20. We may fairly suppose that Jericho and Ai committed themselves to hostile measures against Israel, though they were not able to send forth armies against Joshua before they were attacked. Those who “stood still *in their strength” *...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11. the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people--**The ark is mentioned as the efficient cause; it had been the first to move--it was the last to leave--and its movements arrested the deep attention of the people, who probably stood on the opposite bank, wrapt in admiration and awe of this closing scene. It was a great miracle, greater even than the passage of...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-14** The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners,...
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And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves</strong>—The verb <strong>took for a prey</strong> (בָּזְזוּ, <em>bazzu</em>) means to plunder or take as booty. Unlike Jericho (6:18-19) where all spoil was devoted to God, or Ai (8:2) where spoil was permitted, this verse establishes the general conquest policy: <strong>every man the...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**12-13. the children of Reuben ... passed over armed before the children of Israel--**There is no precedency to the other tribes indicated here; for there is no reason to suppose that the usual order of march was departed from; but these are honorably mentioned to show that, in pursuance of their promise (Jos 1:16-18), they had sent a complement of fighting men to accompany their brethren in the ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 10-14** The Canaanites filled up the measure of their iniquity, and were, as a judgment, left to the pride, obstinacy, and enmity of their hearts, and to the power of Satan; all restraints being withdrawn, while the dispensations of Providence tended to drive them to despair. They brought on themselves the vengeance they justly merited, of which the Israelites were to be executioners,...
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As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. left: Heb. removed nothing

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.</strong><br><br>This verse summarizes Joshua's defining characteristic: complete obedience to the Mosaic covenant. The chain of command—LORD to Moses to Joshua—establishes the unbroken transmission of divine revelation through faithful human ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**12-13. the children of Reuben ... passed over armed before the children of Israel--**There is no precedency to the other tribes indicated here; for there is no reason to suppose that the usual order of march was departed from; but these are honorably mentioned to show that, in pursuance of their promise (Jos 1:16-18), they had sent a complement of fighting men to accompany their brethren in the ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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Summary of Joshua's Conquests

So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>So Joshua took all that land</strong>—The comprehensive summary begins with emphatic totality. The verb <strong>took</strong> (לָקַח, <em>laqach</em>) indicates decisive possession, not merely passing conquest. The geographic catalog that follows—<strong>the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the vall...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:14-24. God Magnifies Joshua. **14-17. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel--**It appeared clear from the chief part he acted, that he was the divinely appointed leader; for even the priests did not enter the river or quit their position, except at his command; and thenceforward his authority was as firmly established as that of his predecessor.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. the mount: or, the smooth mountain

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon</strong>—The conquest's geographical boundaries span from extreme south to extreme north. <strong>Mount Halak</strong> (הַר חָלָק, <em>har chalaq</em>, 'smooth mountain') marked the southern limit toward Edom (Seir). <strong>Baal-gad</strong> (בַּעַל גָּד, 'lord of fortune') in ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **The mount Halak** is marked as unknown in Conder’s Biblical Gazetteer. But “the smooth hill which goeth up to Seir,” may very possibly be the salt hill now called Khasur-Usdum, which has a glacier-like appearance, and forms a sufficiently striking object to be mentioned as a boundary-mark. **Baal-gad** has by some been identified with Baal-hermon, afterwards *Paneas, *and Caesarea Philippi....
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:14-24. God Magnifies Joshua. **14-17. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel--**It appeared clear from the chief part he acted, that he was the divinely appointed leader; for even the priests did not enter the river or quit their position, except at his command; and thenceforward his authority was as firmly established as that of his predecessor.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Joshua made war a long time with all those kings</strong>—This brief verse provides crucial temporal context. The Hebrew <strong>long time</strong> (יָמִים רַבִּים, <em>yamim rabbim</em>, 'many days') contrasts with the narrative's rapid pacing. Readers might assume conquest happened quickly, but this verse reveals sustained military campaigning. Comparing Joshua 14:7 and 14:10 suggests ap...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(18) **A long time.**—See Note on Joshua 14:10. The war seems to have lasted seven years, a long time when compared with the desultory incursions and single campaigns which made up the greater part of ancient warfare, when there were no standing armies.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:14-24. God Magnifies Joshua. **14-17. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel--**It appeared clear from the chief part he acted, that he was the divinely appointed leader; for even the priests did not enter the river or quit their position, except at his command; and thenceforward his authority was as firmly established as that of his predecessor.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon</strong>—The exclusivity is striking: only Gibeon sought peace (chapter 9), and that through deception. The phrase <strong>made peace</strong> (הִשְׁלִימָה, <em>hishlimah</em>) comes from <em>shalom</em> (שָׁלוֹם), meaning peace, wholeness, or covenant relationship. Every other city...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 4:14-24. God Magnifies Joshua. **14-17. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel--**It appeared clear from the chief part he acted, that he was the divinely appointed leader; for even the priests did not enter the river or quit their position, except at his command; and thenceforward his authority was as firmly established as that of his predecessor.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

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KJV Study Commentary

This verse presents one of Scripture's most challenging doctrines: divine hardening of hearts unto judgment. The phrase 'it was of the LORD to harden their hearts' (<em>ki meYahweh haytah lechazzeq et-libam</em>, כִּי מֵיהוָה הָיְתָה לְחַזֵּק אֶת־לִבָּם) attributes heart-hardening directly to divine agency. The verb <em>chazaq</em> (חָזַק, 'harden') means to strengthen, make firm, or obstinate. Go...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(20) **It was of the Lord to harden their hearts . . . that he might destroy them.**—Or rather *to strengthen their heart*—*i.e., *render them obstinate. These words go to prove what has been said elsewhere, that the conquest of Canaan was not intended to be a massacre of the unresisting inhabitants.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18. it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark ... were come out of the midst of Jordan ... that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place--**Their crossing, which was the final act, completed the evidence of the miracle; for then, and not till then, the suspended laws of nature were restored, the waters returned to their place, and the river flowed with as full a current as before...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains</strong>—The Anakim (עֲנָקִים, <em>Anaqim</em>) were the giant race that terrified the faithless spies forty years earlier (Numbers 13:28, 33). Their presence in the mountains had caused Israel's fathers to refuse entering Canaan, resulting in forty years of wilderness wandering. Now Joshua systematically eliminates t...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21) **Anab** is identified with *Anâb, *west of Debir. The death of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the three sons of Anak, the chiefs of the Anakim, is recorded in Judges 1:10.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**19. the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month--**that is, the month Nisan, four days before the passover, and the very day when the paschal lamb required to be set apart, the providence of God having arranged that the entrance into the promised land should be at the feast. **and encamped in Gilgal--**The name is here given by anticipation (see on Jos 5:9). It was a t...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel</strong>—The Anakim's removal from Israelite territory was complete. The phrase <strong>land of the children of Israel</strong> (אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, <em>eretz benei Yisra'el</em>) defines the scope: territories Israel controlled, not necessarily all Canaan. <strong>Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there rema...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(22) **Only in . . . Gath.**-Goliath of Gath and his gigantic relatives (1 Samuel 17 and 2 Samuel 21) seem to have been a part of this remnant. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**20-24. those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal--**Probably to render them more conspicuous, they might be raised on a foundation of earth or turf. The pile was designed to serve a double purpose--that of impressing the heathen with a sense of the omnipotence of God, while at the same time it would teach an important lesson in religion to the young and risin...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

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KJV Study Commentary

This verse summarizes the conquest's completion, emphasizing divine faithfulness to promise. The phrase 'Joshua took the whole land' (<em>vayikach Yehoshua et-kol-haarets</em>, וַיִּקַּח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ) indicates comprehensive military success, though later passages show some cities remained unconquered (13:1-7; Judges 1). This apparent tension resolves by understanding 'whole land' a...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**20-24. those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal--**Probably to render them more conspicuous, they might be raised on a foundation of earth or turf. The pile was designed to serve a double purpose--that of impressing the heathen with a sense of the omnipotence of God, while at the same time it would teach an important lesson in religion to the young and risin...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 15-23** Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for their day to fall will come. The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites, that was forbidden, but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter, when their warfare is accomplished. That which was now done, is compared...
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