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Joshua Chapter
Eleven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 11
This
chapter relates how that the kings of the northern parts of Canaan combine
together against Joshua
Joshua 11:1; and
that the Lord encouraged him to fight with them
and did deliver them into his
hands
who
with all their people
were smitten by him
Joshua 11:6; and
how that he took their cities
and destroyed the inhabitants of them
and took
the spoil of them for a prey
Joshua 11:12; and
so became master of the whole country
both southern and northern
which is
described Joshua 11:16; and
the chapter is concluded with an account of his cutting off the Anakim from
various parts
which finished the conquest of the whole land
Joshua 10:21.
Joshua 11:1 And
it came to pass
when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things
that he
sent to Jobab king of Madon
to the king of Shimron
to the king of Achshaph
YLT
1And it cometh to pass when
Jabin king of Hazor heareth
that he sendeth unto Jobab king of Madon
and unto
the king of Shimron
and unto the king of Achshaph
And it came to pass
when Jabin king of Hazor had heard these
things
.... The taking of Jericho and Ai
the defeat of the five kings
and the conquest of the southern part of the land of Canaan; he was alarmed by
them
and sent to all the northern kings to join with him against Israel; and
he the rather took this upon him
because as Adonizedek king of Jerusalem was
the principal king in the southern part of the land
so was he in the northern
part; see Joshua 11:10; Hazor
fell to the tribe of Naphtali
Joshua 19:36. It
was situated
as JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 1. says
on
the lake Samachonitis
the same with the waters of Merom
Joshua 11:5.
According to AdrichomiusF15Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 102.
it was
four miles from the castle Theron to the north
six miles from Caesarea
Philippi to the southwest
and nine miles from the great sea to the east; and
was
in the times of Christ
one of the ten principal cities of the region of
Decapolis
in which he preached
Matthew 4:25; and
is now called Antiopia; and in the Arabic version here it is called Caesarea
and
according to BuntingF16Travels of the Patriarchs
&c. p.
101.
it lay eighty miles from Jerusalem to the north:
that he sent to Jobab king of Madon; of which place we
nowhere else read but in Joshua 12:19;
though BrocardF17Apud Fuller's Pisgah Sight
B. 2. c. 4. p. 114.
finds a place near Dan
called Madan by the Turks at this day:
and to the king of Shimron; not Samaria
as many
think
for that was built by Omri
king of Israel
and had its name from
Shemer
the owner of the hill on which it was built some hundreds of years
after this; besides Samaria was in the tribe of Ephraim
this in the tribe of
Zebulun
Joshua 19:15; and
is called Shimronmeron
Joshua 12:20; and
in the Jerusalem TalmudF18Megillah
fol. 70. 1. Simoniah
and here
in the Septuagint version Symoson:
and to the king of Achshaph: a city which fell to the
lot of the tribe of Asher
Joshua 19:25. The
Septuagint calls it Aziph
as if it was the same with Achzib
or Ecdippa
now
called Zib: but Achshaph and Achzib are manifestly distinguished
Joshua 19:25. Jerom
saysF19De loc. Heb. fol. 88. C. D.
in his time it was a little
village
and went by the name of Chasalus
eight miles from Diocaesarea
at the
foot of Mount Tabor. The Arabic version adds a fourth king that Jabin sent to
called "the king of Mausel"; but we read not of any such place in the
land of Canaan.
Joshua 11:2 2 and to the kings who were
from the north
in the mountains
in the plain south of Chinneroth
in the
lowland
and in the heights of Dor on the west
YLT
2and unto the kings who
[are] on the north in the hill-country
and in the plain south of Chinneroth
and in the low country
and in the elevations of Dor
on the west
And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains
.... Of
Libanus and Antilibanus
with others near them; so JosephusF20Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18. says
the kings about Lebanon being Canaanites
fought
against them
i.e. the Israelites; for Lebanon lay to the north of the land:
and of the plains south of Cinneroth; or
Gennesaret
of the land and lake of which we read in the New Testament
Matthew 14:34; and
seems to have respect chiefly to the famous plain of Jezreel
or Esdraelon
of
which See Gill on Hosea 1:5
and in the valley; which may more especially design the valley
of Jezreel
as it is called in the above place
and distinguish it from other
plains; it was two miles broad
and ten long:
and in the borders of Dor
on the west; which fell to
the lot of the tribe of Manasseh
Joshua 17:11; which
PlinyF21Nat. Hist. l. 5. c 19. calls Dorum
and mentions it along
with the promontory of Carmel; so Josephus saysF23Contr. Apion. l.
2. c. 9.
in Phoenicia
near Mount Carmel
is a city called Dora
four days'
journey distant from Judea; that is
that part of the land of Israel
particularly so called; some copies read Idumea. According to JeromF24De
loc. Heb. fol. 92. I.
it was nine miles from Caesarea of Palestine
as you go
to Tyre; and in his time a desert. It was a haven in the Mediterranean sea
and
lies three leagues from the castle of the "pilgrims" near Mount
Carmel; and
as a traveller says
is now so decayed
that there is nothing more
extant than a large and high tower
which the inhabitants still call DorteiteF25Rauwolff's
Travels
par. 3. c. 1. p. 211. Ed. Ray. .
Joshua 11:3 3 to the Canaanites in the
east and in the west
the Amorite
the Hittite
the Perizzite
the Jebusite in
the mountains
and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
YLT
3[to] the Canaanite on the
east
and on the west
and the Amorite
and the Hittite
and the Perizzite
and
the Jebusite in the hill-country
and the Hivite under Hermon
in the land of
Mizpeh –
And to the Canaanites
on the east and on the west
.... That is
that particular nation of the
seven so called
part of which dwelt in the eastern part of the land
by the
dead sea
and by the coast of Jordan
Numbers 13:29; and
others dwelt on the coast of the Mediterranean sea
which was to the west of
the land:
and to the Amorite
and to the Hittite
and to
the Perizzite: which were scattered about in several parts of the country:
and the Jebusite in the mountains; in the mountainous part
of Judea
in the mountains about Jerusalem
and which they still inhabited
and
did to the times of David:
and to the Hivite under Hermon
in the land of Mizpeh
so described
to distinguish them from the Gibeonites
who were also Hivites. Mizpeh is the
place
as Kimchi thinks
where the people of Israel are often said to meet
together; which he supposes they did
on account of the great salvation wrought
here in Joshua's time. Hermon was a mountain that adjoined to Lebanon
where it
is certain some of the Hivites dwelt
Judges 3:3.
Joshua 11:4 4 So they went out
they and
all their armies with them
as many people as the sand that is
on the seashore in multitude
with very many horses and chariots.
YLT
4and they go out
they and
all their camps with them
a people numerous
as the sand which [is] on the sea-shore
for multitude
and horse and charioteer very many;
And they went out
.... The several kings and people sent to;
these went out from the places they inhabited:
they and all their hosts with them; the kings of those
several places
with their armies:
much people
even as the sand that is upon the seashore in
multitude; a proverbial expression
to denote an exceeding great number:
with horses and chariots very many; being supplied with
horses from Egypt
and their chariots were chariots of iron; see Judges 4:3;
JosephusF26Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18. gives us the number of this
great army
and says it consisted of three hundred thousand footmen
ten
thousand horse
and thirty thousand chariots; some copies read only twenty
thousand; and these chariots were armed with iron hooks or scythes
to cut down
men as they drove along
and so were very terrible.
Joshua 11:5 5 And when all these kings
had met together
they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight
against Israel.
YLT
5and all these kings are met
together
and they come and encamp together at the waters of Merom
to fight
with Israel.
And when all those kings were met together
.... At some
certain place
which Jabin had appointed:
they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom: JosephusF1Ibid.
(Antiq. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 8.) says it was at Berotha; perhaps it should be
Merotha
a city of upper Galilee
not far from Cedesa
the same he elsewhere
callsF2De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 20. sect. 6. Meroth
These waters are
the same with the lake Samachonitis
on which Hazor was situated; so that it
was near Jabin where the rendezvous was. This lake is thoughtF3Reland.
Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 1. p. 262. to have its name from the Arabic word
"Samacha"
which signifies high
as Merom does in Hebrew. It was
as
Josephus saysF4De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 1. sect. 1. & l. 3. c. 9.
sect. 7. thirty furlongs broad
and sixty long
and its waters clayish. Jerom
saysF5De loc. Heb. fol. 93. D.
in his time there was here a
village called Merrus
twelve miles from the city Sebaste by Dothaim: here the
kings and their armies met
to fight against Israel; so that they were the
aggressors
which made the war still more lawful.
Joshua 11:6 6 But the Lord said to
Joshua
“Do not be afraid because of them
for tomorrow about this time I will
deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and
burn their chariots with fire.”
YLT
6And Jehovah saith unto
Joshua
`Be not afraid of their presence
for to-morrow about this time I am
giving all of them wounded before Israel; their horses thou dost hough
and
their chariots burn with fire.'
And the Lord said unto Joshua
be not afraid because of them
.... Of their
number
of their horsemen
and of their scythed chariots; which might at first
hearing occasion some fear and dread. And according to JosephusF6Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18.
the multitude of them terrified both Joshua and the
Israelites; and therefore the Lord appeared and spoke to him for his
encouragement: though what was said was for the sake of the Israelites
and to
animate them who might be disheartened
rather than for the sake of Joshua
who
was of a bold and courageous spirit. Whether this was said to him at Gilgal
and out of the tabernacle there
quickly after the tidings of the combination
of the kings were brought to him
or whether when upon his march towards them
is uncertain:
for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up slain before
Israel; as many were
and others wounded and put to flight
as the word
signifies
so as to be as good as dead. If Gilgal was twenty two miles from the
waters of Merom
as Bunting saysF7Travels
p. 96.
and supposing
this to be said to him before he set out
he must travel all night to reach
thither the next day; and if it was sixty miles
as some say
this must be said
to him when on his march
and within a day's march of the enemy; for Josephus
saysF8Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18.) it was on the fifth
day that he came up with them
and fell upon them:
thou shalt hough their horses; cut their nerves under
their hams
or hamstring them
so that they might be useless hereafter; for the
kings of Israel were not to multiply horses; and Joshua
as their chief ruler
was to have no advantage of them by their falling into his hands:
and burn their chariots with fire; that so they might not
be used by the Israelites afterwards
who might be tempted to put their trust
and confidence in them
as many did.
Joshua 11:7 7 So Joshua and all the
people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom
and
they attacked them.
YLT
7And Joshua cometh
and all
the people of war with him
against them by the waters of Merom suddenly
and
they fall on them;
So Joshua came
and all the people of war with him
against them
.... Being
encouraged by the Lord
they set out with Joshua at the head of them
to fight
the kings and their forces. It is highly probable that these were not the whole
body of armed men in the camp of Israel
but a select company Joshua took of
them
and who would be able to make quicker marches on this expedition:
by the waters of Merom suddenly; the Targum is
"they
lay by the waters of Merom;'as they were thoughtless and careless
and not on
their guard
Joshua and his forces came to them suddenly
unawares
and they
not provided for them:
and they fell upon them; at once
which threw
them into disorder and confusion.
Joshua 11:8 8 And the Lord delivered them
into the hand of Israel
who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon
to
the Brook Misrephoth
[a] and to the
Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them
remaining.
YLT
8and Jehovah giveth them
into the hand of Israel
and they smite them and pursue them unto the great
Zidon
and unto Misrephoth-Maim
and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward
and
they smite them
till he hath not left to them a remnant;
And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel
.... The whole
host
who either were killed or wounded
or put to flight: it was of the Lord
that Israel was directed to make so quick a march
and come upon them so
suddenly
and that they were off their guard
and unprovided for them
and so
fell into their hands:
who smote them; with the edge of the sword killed and
wounded great numbers; and the rest fleeing
they
chased them unto great Zidon; not that there was
another Zidon called the less
as Kimchi and Ben Melech thought there seemed to
be
and which also JeromF9De loc. Heb. fol. 92. B. suggests; but
this was so called because of its greatness
the large extent of it
and the
abundance of wealth and riches in it: Curtius saysF11Hist. l. 4. c.
1. 4.
it was renowned for its antiquity and the fame of its buildings; and
Mela saysF12De Situ Orbis
l. 1. c. 12.
that before it was
conquered by the Persians
it was the greatest of the maritime cities
though
now greatly reduced: Mr MaundrellF13Journey from Aleppo
&c. p.
45. says of it
"Sidon is stocked well enough with inhabitants but is very
much shrunk from its ancient extent
and more from its splendour
as appears
from a great many beautiful pillars that lie scattered up and down the gardens
without the present walls:'it lay
according to Strabo
not more than two
hundred furlongs from TyreF14Geograph. l. 16. p. 521.
or twenty
five miles: it was more ancient than that
which is called the daughter of it:
Homer speaks much of Sidon
as the same writer observes
but not a word of
Tyre: JosephusF15Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 2. thinks it had its name
from Sidon
the firstborn of Canaan
and that he built it
Genesis 10:15; but
Justin saysF16E Trogo
l. 19. c. 3. it had its name from the plenty
of fishes there: and Tzaid in the Chaldee and Syriac languages signifies
fishing and a fisherman: hence Bethsaida
a city mentioned in the New
Testament
Matthew 11:21
had
its name; and Sidon is at this day called Said
and is now in the hands of the
Turks: and though it was a part of the land of Canaan
and belonged to the
tribe of Asher
never was conquered and possessed by them
but remained an
Heathen city to the time of Christ:
and unto Misrephothmaim
or "boilings of
water"
it seems as if it was a place of hot baths
but the Targum renders
it "pits of water"
which Jarchi
Kimchi
and Ben Melech say
were
pits into which the salt waters of the sea were drawn
and where they were
heated by the sun
and made salt of; and so it is thought this was a place of
salt pits
where salt was boiled
either by the heat of the sun or by fireF17Vid.
Adrichom. Theatrum Terrae Sanct. sect. p. 2. : Junius and Tremellius render the
word by "glass furnaces"
furnaces in which glass was made; and it is
certain
that at Sidon
and near it
within the borders of which this place
was
Joshua 13:6; glass
was made: PlinyF18Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 19. calls Sidon the artificer
of glass
or a city where glass was made: and Strabo saysF19Ut
supra. (Geograph. l. 16. p. 521.)
that between Ace and Tyre is a shore which
bears glassy sand
but they say it is not melted there
but carried to Sidon to
be melted; and some say the Sidonians have a glassy sand fit for melting:
CalmetF20Dictionary on this word. thinks this place is the same with
Sarepta
Luke 4:26; which
had its name from melting: of what construction the furnaces were in this place
cannot be said
no doubt great improvement has been since madeF21Vid.
Merrett de Fornac. Vitriar. p. 421
&c. :
and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward
and they smote them
until
they left them none remaining; the same with the valley of Lebanon; now as
Sidon lay northwest and this was eastward
it seems that the armies of the
Canaanites
in their consternation and confusion
fled some to the west and
some to the east
who were pursued by different bodies of the army of Israel
separated for that purpose.
Joshua 11:9 9 So Joshua did to them as
the Lord
had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
YLT
9and Joshua doth to them as
Jehovah said to him; their horses he hath houghed
and their chariots burnt
with fire.
And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him
.... Namely
in the following instances:
he houghed their horses
and burnt their chariots with fire; not
consulting his own worldly interest or that of the people of Israel
but the
command of God
which he carefully obeyed
and reserved none for himself or
them
as David in another case afterwards did; see 2 Samuel 8:4.
Joshua 11:10 10 Joshua turned back at that
time and took Hazor
and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly
the head of all those kingdoms.
YLT
10And Joshua turneth back at
that time
and captureth Hazor
and its king he hath smitten by the sword; for Hazor
formerly [is] head of all these kingdoms;
And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor
.... After he
had chased the Canaanites to the places mentioned
he returned to Hazor
near
to which Joshua first fell upon them
but through the pursuit he was led on
many miles beyond it: Bunting saysF23Travels
p. 96.
it was thirty
two miles from Sidon:
and smote the king thereof with the sword; who
very
probably
upon the surprise at the waters of Merom
fled to his capital for
safety; but that being taken by Joshua
he was slain by him with the sword:
for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms; before
mentioned
Joshua 11:1; but
not of all the land of Canaan: JeromF24De loc. Heb. fol. 88. B.
says
it was the metropolis of all the kingdoms of the Philistines; and though
they were not now subject to it
and had kings of their own
yet it appears
that the king of this place was in great authority
and regard was paid unto
him; and this seems to be the reason why Joshua hasted to take this city
slay
the king of it
and burn it with fire
because it had been the principal in
this war
and might
if not prevented
raise new troubles; wherefore
as a precaution
to that
and to deter the rest
he hastened the conquest and destruction of it.
Joshua 11:11 11 And they struck all the
people who were in it with the edge of the sword
utterly destroying them.
There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
YLT
11and they smite every person
who [is] in it by the mouth of the sword; he hath devoted -- he hath not left
any one breathing
and Hazor he hath burnt with fire;
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the
edge of the sword
utterly destroying them
.... Men
women
and children:
there was not any left to breathe; any human creature; for
as for the cattle they were taken for a prey:
and he burnt Hazor with fire; as he did Jericho and
Ai
though no other cities he had taken; but it seems that this city
though
burnt
was built again and inhabited by Canaanites
who had a king over them of
the same name with this in the times of Deborah
Judges 4:2.
Joshua 11:12 12 So all the cities of those
kings
and all their kings
Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword.
He utterly destroyed them
as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.
YLT
12and all the cities of these
kings
and all their kings
hath Joshua captured
and he smiteth them by the
mouth of the sword; he devoted them
as Moses
servant of Jehovah
commanded.
And all the cities of those kings
and all the kings of them did
Joshua take
.... As particularly Madon
Shimron
and Achshaph
with others
which he marched unto
after he had burnt Hazor; in which he took their kings
whither they had fled
or else he had taken them before in the pursuit:
and smote them with the edge of the sword; both the
kings and the inhabitants of those cities:
and he utterly destroyed
them
as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded; so that
in doing what
he did
he did not indulge a spirit of revenge
cruelty
and avarice
but had
regard purely to the command of Moses
which was of God
Deuteronomy 7:1.
Joshua 11:13 13 But as for the
cities that stood on their mounds
[b] Israel
burned none of them
except Hazor only
which Joshua burned.
YLT
13Only
all the cities which
are standing by their hill
Israel hath not burned them
save Hazor only
[it]
hath Joshua burnt;
But as for the cities that stood still in their strength
.... Whose
walls were not demolished when taken
as Kimchi and Jarchi interpret it
or
that "stood upon their heaps"F25על
תלם "super tumulum eorum"
Montanus;
"quae erant in collibus et in tamulis sitae"
V. L. ; upon an
eminence
being built on hills and mountains:
Israel burned none of them; but reserved them for
their own habitations
being well fortified
and having no need of new walls
being built to them
or being in a very agreeable situation:
save Hazor only
that did Joshua burn; because it
was the chief city where the scheme was formed
and the combination against
Israel was made
and was the rendezvous of the confederate forces against them:
the Jews have a traditionF26Bereshit Rabba
sect. 81. fol. 71. 1.
that God said to Moses
and Moses said to Joshua
that he should burn it
and
that only.
Joshua 11:14 14 And all the spoil of these
cities and the livestock
the children of Israel took as booty for themselves;
but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed
them
and they left none breathing.
YLT
14and all the spoil of these
cities
and the cattle
have the sons of Israel spoiled for themselves; only
every human being they have smitten by the mouth of the sword
till their
destroying them; they have not left any one breathing.
And all the spoil of these cities
and the cattle
the children of
Israel took for a prey unto themselves
.... The gold
silver
household goods
corn
wine
oil
or any mercantile goods
together with cattle
of every sort
all were taken by them for a prey
for their own use and
benefit
which was allowed them:
but every man they smote with the edge of the sword
until they
had destroyed them
neither left they any to breathe; for which
they had warrant so to do from the Lord
as follows.
Joshua 11:15 15 As the Lord had commanded
Moses his servant
so Moses commanded Joshua
and so Joshua did. He left
nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.
YLT
15As Jehovah commanded Moses
His servant
so did Moses command Joshua
and so hath Joshua done; he hath not
turned aside a thing of all that Jehovah commanded Moses.
As the Lord commanded Moses his servant
so did Moses command
Joshua
.... Which was to destroy the people of the land
Deuteronomy 7:1
so did Joshua
he left nothing undone of all that the Lord
commanded Moses; both with respect to the destruction of the people
and of all
their images
pictures
altars
groves
and high places; see Exodus 34:11.
Joshua 11:16 16 Thus Joshua took all this
land: the mountain country
all the South
all the land of Goshen
the lowland
and the Jordan plain[c]—the
mountains of Israel and its lowlands
YLT
16And Joshua taketh all this
land: the hill-country
and all the south
and all the land of Goshen
and the
low country
and the plain
even the hill-country of Israel and its low lands
So Joshua took all that land
.... The whole land of
Canaan
described as follows
both as to the southern and northern parts of it:
the hills; the hill country of Judea
of which see Luke 1:39
and all the south country; where lived the five
kings; and those of other places
the account of the taking of which we have in
the preceding chapter
Joshua 10:40
and all the land of Goshen; see Joshua 10:41
and the valley
and the plain; the low places and
campaign fields which lay between the hills and mountains; particularly all the
plain and campaign country near Eleutheropolis
towards the north and west
Jerom says
in his day
was called "Sephela"
or "the vale"F1De
loc. Heb. fol. 94. M. :
and the mountain of Israel
and the valley of the same; by which may
be meant Jerusalem
situated on a mountain
and is so called
Ezekiel 17:23; and
its valley may be the valley of Hinnom or of Jehoshaphat
as they were after
called
which were near it: some think the hill of Samaria or the mountains
about that are meant.
Joshua 11:17 17 from Mount Halak and the
ascent to Seir
even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount
Hermon. He captured all their kings
and struck them down and killed them.
YLT
17from the mount of Halak
which is going up [to] Seir
and unto Baal-Gad
in the valley of Lebanon
under
mount Hermon; and all their kings he hath captured
and he smiteth them
and
putteth them to death.
Even from the mount
Halak
that goeth up unto Seir
.... Or the "smooth" and
"bald" mountain
which had no trees on it
as some interpret it
observed by Kimchi; it was a mount on the borders of Edom
to which the land of
Canaan reached on that side:
even unto Baalgad
in the valley of Lebanon
under Mount Hermon; and so
describes the northern part of the land conquered by Joshua:
and all their kings he took
and smote them
and slew them; both in the
southern and northern parts of the land.
Joshua 11:18 18 Joshua made war a long
time with all those kings.
YLT
18Many days hath Joshua made
with all these kings war;
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. For
though
the account of the conquest of them is put together
and lies in a small
compass
yet those victories were not obtained at once
or in a few days
as
were those of the five kings
and others
related in the preceding chapter
Joshua 10:10; but
were the work of some years; JosephusF2Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 19.
says five years
but the common notion of the Jews is
that Joshua was seven
years in subduing the land of CanaanF3Seder Olam Rabba
c. 11. p.
31. ; our Bishop UsherF4Annal. Vet. Test. p. 39
40. thinks it was
done in six years; and it may be concluded that it was about six or seven years
ere this work was completely finished.
Joshua 11:19 19 There was not a city that
made peace with the children of Israel
except the Hivites
the inhabitants of
Gibeon. All the others they took in battle.
YLT
19there hath not been a city
which made peace with the sons of Israel save the Hivite
inhabitants of
Gibeon; the whole they have taken in battle;
There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel
.... Though
according to the Jews
Joshua
upon his first landing in Canaan
sent letters
and messages to all the inhabitants of the land
offering them peace on certain
terms; particularly that he sent three messages
or proposed three things to
them; that those who had a mind to flee might flee; that those who were
desirous of making peace might make it; and they that were for war
let them
fight; all were for the last
and so perishedF5Hieros. Sheviith
fol. 37. 3. :
save the Hivites and the inhabitants of Gibeon; these
some
have thought
did not hear of the offers of peace
others think they did
and
at first rejected them
but repenting were obliged to take the crafty methods
they did to obtain it
of which see Joshua 9:1
all other they took in battle; refusing to
submit to them and make peace with them.
Joshua 11:20 20 For it was of the Lord to harden
their hearts
that they should come against Israel in battle
that He might utterly
destroy them
and that they might receive no mercy
but that He might
destroy them
as the Lord
had commanded Moses.
YLT
20for from Jehovah it hath
been to strengthen their heart
to meet in battle with Israel
in order to
devote them
so that they have no grace
but in order to destroy them
as
Jehovah commanded Moses.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts
.... As he
hardened the hearts of Pharaoh and the Egyptians
that his power might be
displayed in their destruction:
that they should come against Israel battle; and so fall
in it:
that he might destroy them utterly; for their abominable
wickedness
idolatry
incest
&c. they had been guilty of:
and that they might have no
favour; which they would have had
had they made peace as the Gibeonites
did; or that they might not pray and make supplication
the Lord not giving
them a spirit of supplication
but an hard heart
as GussetiusF6Comment.
Ebr. p. 272. observes the words may be interpreted
though he seems to prefer
the former
sense:
but that he might destroy them
as the Lord commanded Moses; Deuteronomy 7:1.
Joshua 11:21 21 And at that time Joshua
came and cut off the Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron
from Debir
from
Anab
from all the mountains of Judah
and from all the mountains of Israel;
Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.
YLT
21And Joshua cometh at that
time
and cutteth off the Anakim from the hill-country
from Hebron
from
Debir
from Anab
even from all the hill-country of Judah
and from all the
hill-country of Israel; with their cities hath Joshua devoted them.
And at that time came Joshua
.... After he had made a
conquest of the land
or at the time he made it
as before related:
and cut off the Anakims from the mountains; whither
upon
the conquest of the land
they had betaken themselves
and lived in dens and
caves: these were giants
so called from Anak the father of them; though these
are not to be restrained to his posterity
but include all other giants in the
land; and the Targum renders the word by "mighty men"; and as some of
them dwelt in mountains
others in cities
as follows:
from Hebron; where the children of Anak dwelt when the spies were sent into
the land between forty and fifty years before this; and though the inhabitants
of Hebron had been before destroyed by Joshua
these Anakims
who very likely
then made their escape
returned and took possession of it after Joshua's
departure
and while he was engaged in making other conquests; as we find that
after this others of the same race again possessed it
and were in the
possession of it after the death of Joshua
when they were slain by the tribe
of Judah
Judges 1:10; from
Debir: where others of them also had got after the conquest of it; unless we
suppose
as I see no great reason to object to it
that these were cut off both
at Hebron and Debir
at the time of the taking of them
of which see Joshua 10:36
from Anab; a city which fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:50. JeromF7De
loc. Heb. fol. 88. C. says
in his time it was a village
near Diospolis or
Lydda
about four miles from it to the east
and called Bethoannaba; but he
says
that most affirm it to be eight miles from it
and called Bethannaba:
Masius conjectures
that it is the same with the city of Nob; for
he says
that travellers in those parts affirm
that the city Nob is called Bethanoba
and Bethanopolis:
and from all the mountains of Judah; the hill country of
Judea
and the mountains round about Jerusalem:
and from all the mountains of Israel; as those
about Samaria
and elsewhere:
Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities; which they
had formerly inhabited
or had got into the possession of.
Joshua 11:22 22 None of the Anakim were
left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza
in
Gath
and in Ashdod.
YLT
22There hath not been left
Anakim in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza
in Gath
and in Ashdod
were they left.
There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of
Israel
.... For those that escaped the sword fled elsewhere
particularly to the following places:
only in Gaza
in Gath
and in Ashdod there remained; that is
some
of the Anakims or giants; these were three of the five principalities of the
Philistines
and were never conquered and possessed by Israel
see Joshua 13:3; of the
city of Gaza; see Gill on Amos 1:7; See Gill
on Amos 1:8; and See
Gill on Zephaniah 2:4; and
of Gath; see Gill on Amos 6:2; Ashdod is
the same with Azotus; see Gill on Acts 8:40
Mela
saysF8De Situ Orbis
l. 1. c. 10.
the port of Azotus was a mart
for the merchandises of Arabia
and was built on such an eminence
that from
the top of it
at the fourth watch
might be seen the rising of the sun at the
mountain Azotus; see"Who discomfited the right wing
and pursued them unto
the mount Azotus.' (1 Maccabees 9:15)this city
held out a siege of twenty nine years against Psammitticus
king of Egypt; see
Gill on Isaiah 20:1.
Joshua 11:23 23 So Joshua took the whole
land
according to all that the Lord had said to Moses; and
Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by
their tribes. Then the land rested from war.
YLT
23And Joshua taketh the whole
of the land
according to all that Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses
and Joshua
giveth it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions
by their
tribes; and the land hath rest from war.
So Joshua took the whole land
.... Of Canaan
the far
greater and better part of it
all before described; all that he went against
he failed not in any of his attempts; no place stood out against him that he
besieged or summoned
all yielded to him:
according to all that the Lord said unto Moses: in Deuteronomy 11:23
and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel
according to
their divisions by their tribes; as is after related in this book:
and the land rested from war; there were no
combinations of any of the dispersed Canaanites
or insurrections made by them
nor any annoyance given to Israel by the Philistines
who inhabited five
principal cities
with what belonged to them; nor did Joshua attempt anything
more in a warlike manner: and so it became a land of rest
as the heavenly
Canaan will be to the spiritual Israel and church of God
after their militant
state is ended
in which they now are; being engaged with many spiritual enemies
the Canaanites that are in the land
but then their warfare will be ended.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)