Joshua 11:1-15
The Northern Kings Gather
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1Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph;
2to the kings of the north in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Chinnereth, in the foothills, and in Naphoth-dor to the west;
3to 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.
4So 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.
5All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
6Then 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.”
7So by the waters of Merom, Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly and attacked them,
8and 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.
9Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
10At 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.
11The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.
12Joshua 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.
13Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
14The 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.
15As 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.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jabin king of Hazor gathers the northern kings against Israel. Their armies assemble at the waters of Merom, as numerous as the sand on the seashore, with many horses and chariots.
The LORD tells Joshua not to be afraid. By this time the next day, He will deliver the enemy slain before Israel. Joshua is commanded to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots. He and the army attack suddenly, pursue the enemy, and leave no survivors.
Joshua disables the horses and burns the chariots as commanded. The text does not explain the reason for this instruction; it emphasizes that he obeys it. The captured forces and equipment are not his to use however he wishes.
Hazor, the head of these kingdoms, is captured and burned. Its inhabitants are killed, as are the people of the other captured cities, while Israel takes the plunder and livestock. Among the cities built on mounds, only Hazor is burned. The account names both the extent of the destruction and this distinction.
The reading ends by tracing the command from the LORD to Moses to Joshua. Joshua leaves nothing undone of what Moses had commanded him. The victory is described as obedience to a received command, with its severe consequences plainly recorded.
Questions
1 How large is the northern coalition?
AnswerIt is as numerous as the sand on the seashore and includes many horses and chariots for war.
2 What does the LORD say to Joshua?
AnswerHe tells Joshua not to be afraid because He will give the gathered enemies into Israel's hands.
3 What does Joshua do with the enemy horses and chariots?
AnswerHe hamstrings the horses and burns the chariots, doing what the LORD specifically commanded.
4 Why does the chapter commend Joshua?
AnswerIt says he did everything the LORD commanded Moses, and Moses had commanded Joshua to do.
What This Means for Us
Large numbers and impressive equipment can make fear feel like wisdom. Joshua's story reminds us that security is not finally measured by the size of what we can gather.
The conquest setting is unique and cannot authorize modern violence. For a household, the faithful response is to obey God without copying the world's methods of domination or treating power as the proof that we are safe.
Prayer
Lord, keep us from measuring safety by numbers, equipment, or reputation. Give us courage to obey You, wisdom to refuse destructive methods, and humility when success comes. Amen.
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