Joshua Chapter 11

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October 6, 2025

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⚔️ The Big Battle at the Lake

When King Jabin of Hazor heard that Joshua and God’s people were winning everywhere, he got really scared! So he sent messages to all his king friends saying, “Help! We need to team up against Joshua!” All these kings brought their armies together – they had lots and lots of soldiers, horses, and war chariots. There were so many people that it looked like trying to count all the sand at the beach!ᵃ They all camped together by a big lake called Merom, getting ready for the biggest battle ever.

🙏 God’s Special Promise

But Yahweh had a message for Joshua. He said, “Joshua, don’t be scared of all those soldiers and horses! By tomorrow at this same time, I’m going to help you win! After you beat them, make sure you hurt their horsesᵇ so they can’t be used for fighting anymore, and burn up all their war chariots.”

⚡ The Surprise Attack

So Joshua and all of God’s army snuck up to the lake really quietly. Then – SURPRISE! They attacked all at once! God helped Israel win the battle completely. The enemy soldiers tried to run away, but Joshua’s army chased them all the way to the big cities far away until none of the bad guys were left. Joshua did exactly what God told him to do – he made sure the war horses couldn’t fight anymore and burned up all the chariots so no one could use them against God’s people again.

🏰 Taking Over the Cities

After winning the big battle, Joshua went back and captured the main city called Hazor. This was like the “boss city” that was in charge of all the other cities. Joshua and his army took over all the king’s cities, just like Moses (God’s helper before Joshua) had told them to do. The Israelites got to keep all the good stuff from these cities – like food, animals, and treasuresᶜ – but they had to get rid of all the bad people who didn’t love God.

🎯 Following God’s Plan Perfectly

Joshua was really good at listening to God! Everything that Yahweh told Moses, Moses told Joshua. And Joshua made sure to do every single thing God wanted – he didn’t forget anything or skip any steps.

🗺️ The Whole Land Belongs to God’s People

Joshua and his army took over a HUGE amount of land – from the mountains to the desert, from one end of the country to the other! It took a really long time, but God helped them win every single battle. Only one group of people, called the Gibeonites, made peace with Israel. Everyone else tried to fight against God’s people. But God made the enemy kings stubborn and mean so that He could show His power by helping Israel win.

👹 Getting Rid of the Giants

Joshua also had to fight some really scary giant peopleᵈ called the Anakites. These giants lived in the mountains and were really, really tall! But God helped Joshua defeat even the giants. He got rid of all of them except for a few who lived in cities far away from God’s people.

🏡 Finally Home!

When all the fighting was done, Joshua divided up all the land between the different families of Israel, just like God had promised Moses. Each family got their own special place to live. After all those battles and all that hard work, God’s people finally had peace and could rest in their new home!

Kid-Friendly Footnotes:

  • Sand at the beach: This is how the Bible describes when there are too many things to count – like when you try to count every grain of sand!
  • Hurt their horses: They cut the horses’ leg tendons so the horses couldn’t run fast anymore and pull war chariots.
  • Treasures: This means valuable things like gold, silver, tools, and anything useful that wasn’t used for worshiping fake gods.
  • Giant people: The Anakites were a race of very tall, strong people who scared regular-sized people. Some of them may have been 9 feet tall or more!
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Footnotes:

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Footnotes:

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    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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    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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    [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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    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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    And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
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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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    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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    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.
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    And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
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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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    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.
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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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    But [as for] the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; [that] did Joshua burn.
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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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    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.
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    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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    [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.
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    Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
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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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    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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    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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    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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    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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    Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph;
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    to the kings of the north in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Chinnereth, in the foothills, and in Naphoth-dor to the west;
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    to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
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    So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.
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    All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
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    Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”
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    So by the waters of Merom, Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly and attacked them,
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    and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
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    Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
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    At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword, because Hazor was formerly the head of all these kingdoms.
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    The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.
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    Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.
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    Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
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    The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed.
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    As the LORD had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
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    So Joshua took this entire region: the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah, and the mountains of Israel and their foothills,
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    from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.
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    Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time.
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    No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.
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    For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
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    At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction, along with their cities.
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    No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
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    So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.

Joshua Chapter 11 Commentary

When God’s Victory Looks Like Total War

What’s Joshua 11 about?

This is the chapter where Joshua’s conquest of Canaan reaches its climax – a massive coalition of northern kings unite against Israel, only to face complete defeat. It’s a story that raises hard questions about God’s commands and the nature of divine judgment, while revealing profound truths about faith and obedience.

The Full Context

Joshua 11 comes at the turning point of Israel’s conquest narrative. After victories in the south, Joshua now faces his greatest military challenge – a vast coalition of northern Canaanite kings led by Jabin of Hazor. This isn’t just another battle; it’s the decisive moment that will determine whether Israel can truly possess the land God promised to Abraham centuries earlier. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the opposition has never been more formidable.

The chapter serves as the climactic military action in the book of Joshua, demonstrating God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises while addressing the troubling reality of divinely commanded warfare. Written for an audience who needed to understand both God’s sovereignty over nations and the seriousness of moral judgment, this passage forces us to wrestle with difficult questions about divine justice, human responsibility, and the nature of God’s kingdom. The literary structure builds tension masterfully – from the formation of the enemy coalition to God’s reassuring promise, from the swift battle to the systematic destruction that follows.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew text of Joshua 11 is packed with military terminology that would have made ancient readers’ hearts race. When the text says the northern kings came out with “troops like the sand on the seashore,” it’s using the same language that God used to describe Abraham’s promised descendants in Genesis 22:17. The irony is intentional – those who oppose God’s people are numerous, but God’s promises are more certain than their armies.

Grammar Geeks

The phrase “hamstrung their horses” uses the Hebrew verb ʿāqar, which literally means “to cut the tendons.” This wasn’t just military strategy – it was obedience to Deuteronomy 17:16, where God warned Israel’s future kings not to multiply horses. Joshua was ensuring Israel would trust God, not military might.

The word ḥērem appears repeatedly – often translated as “devoted to destruction” or “put under the ban.” This isn’t random violence; it’s a technical term for something set apart for God, removed from normal human use. Think of it like declaring something radioactive – untouchable because of what it represents. The Canaanites weren’t just enemies; they represented a spiritual contamination that could destroy Israel’s relationship with God.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

To Joshua’s original audience – Israelites who had lived through the wilderness wanderings and were now settling in the Promised Land – this chapter would have sounded like vindication. For forty years, they’d heard stories about the land “flowing with milk and honey,” but they’d also heard warnings about the powerful people who lived there. The spies’ report in Numbers 13 had terrified their parents’ generation: “The people are stronger than we are… we seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes.”

Now, decades later, they’re seeing those “giants” defeated decisively. The text emphasizes that Joshua “left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses” – this would have resonated deeply with people who remembered how disobedience in the wilderness had cost them so dearly.

Did You Know?

Hazor was one of the largest cities in ancient Canaan, covering over 200 acres with a population around 20,000. Archaeological excavations have confirmed massive destruction layers from this period, matching the biblical account of the city being burned and never rebuilt to its former glory.

But they would also have heard something else: this victory came through faith, not military superiority. God’s command to Joshua – “Do not be afraid of them” – echoes throughout the conquest narratives. The real battle wasn’t against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces that sought to prevent God’s kingdom from taking root in the world.

Wrestling with the Text

Let’s be honest – this chapter makes modern readers deeply uncomfortable. The systematic destruction of entire cities, the killing of “all who breathed,” the apparent divinely-sanctioned genocide – these aren’t easy passages to read, let alone defend. But wrestling with difficult texts often leads to the deepest insights.

The key lies in understanding what the Canaanites represented. This wasn’t ethnic cleansing or territorial expansion for its own sake. Archaeological evidence shows that Canaanite religion involved child sacrifice, temple prostitution, and practices that were genuinely destructive to human flourishing. God’s judgment wasn’t arbitrary – it was surgical removal of spiritual cancer that threatened to metastasize throughout the ancient world.

Wait, That’s Strange…

Notice that Joshua burns only Hazor, not the other cities. Why? The text says Hazor was “the head of all those kingdoms” – suggesting this was about breaking the power structure, not mindless destruction. The other cities were left intact for Israel to inhabit, showing this was strategic, not vengeful.

Consider also the timing. God had told Abraham in Genesis 15:16 that his descendants wouldn’t inherit the land until “the iniquity of the Amorites is complete.” This suggests God waited centuries, giving these nations time to repent. When judgment finally came, it came after extraordinary patience.

How This Changes Everything

Here’s what transformed my understanding of this passage: it’s not primarily about military conquest – it’s about the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. Every detail points to this larger reality. Joshua’s obedience, the systematic removal of opposing powers, the emphasis on following God’s commands precisely – these aren’t just historical facts, they’re theological statements about how God’s rule advances in the world.

The New Testament picks up these themes and transforms them. When Paul writes about our struggle not being “against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil” in Ephesians 6:12, he’s using conquest language. The ḥērem principle – setting apart things for God by removing them from normal use – becomes the call to be “living sacrifices” in Romans 12:1.

“The real war isn’t against people who oppose us – it’s against the spiritual forces that keep people in bondage. And in that war, our weapons are love, truth, and sacrificial service.”

This reframes everything. Joshua’s conquest wasn’t a blueprint for how Christians should treat their enemies – it was a preview of how God’s kingdom ultimately defeats the powers of darkness. What looks like destruction is actually liberation. What appears to be judgment is actually mercy breaking into a broken world.

Key Takeaway

God’s victories often look different than we expect, but His faithfulness to His promises never wavers – even when the path forward requires us to trust Him with things we don’t fully understand.

Further Reading

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