# Joshua 11 đź“–: Conquest of the North
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Israel Defeats a Northern Coalition
[[#Verse 01.]] When King Jabin of Hazor heard the news about Israel’s victories, he organized a coalition, including King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph,Â
[[#Verse 02.]] and the northern kings who ruled in the hill country, in the rift valley south of Kinnereth, in the foothills, and on the heights of Dor to the west.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] Canaanites came from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area of Mizpah.Â
[[#Verse 04.]]Â These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] All these kings gathered and joined forces at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.
[[#Verse 06.]] The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”
[[#Verse 07.]]Â Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, Misrephoth Maim, and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained.
[[#Verse 09.]] Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
[[#Verse 10.]] At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time the leader of all these kingdoms.
[[#Verse 11.]] They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword—no one who breathed remained—and burned Hazor.
[[#Verse 12.]] Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds except for Hazor; it was the only one Joshua burned.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people and allowed no one who breathed to live.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses.
### A Summary of Israel’s Victories
[[#Verse 16.]] Joshua conquered the whole land, including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the foothills, the rift valley, the hill country of Israel and its foothills,Â
[[#Verse 17.]]Â from Mount Halak up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Joshua campaigned against these kings for quite some time.Â
[[#Verse 19.]]Â No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon);Â they had to conquer all of them,Â
[[#Verse 20.]] for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses.
[[#Verse 21.]] At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country—from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua annihilated them and their cities.Â
[[#Verse 22.]]Â No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.Â
[[#Verse 23.]] Joshua conquered the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. Then the land was free of war.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
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###### Verse 23.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Hazor was the head of all the northern kingdoms (11:10) and the largest Canaanite city in the land.
2. Excavations at Hazor uncovered a massive burn layer from the destruction of the Canaanite city, though its exact date is debated.
3. Hazor was the only northern city on a mound that Joshua burned (11:13).
4. Jabin was king of Hazor (11:1). Another Jabin ruled Hazor in Judges 4:2, suggesting it may have been a royal title or family name.
5. Joshua hamstrung the horses and burned the chariots (11:6, 9) so Israel would not trust in them.
6. The battle took place at the waters of Merom (11:5).
7. The Anakim were wiped out except in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod (11:22). Goliath later came from Gath.
8. Only the Gibeonites made peace with Israel (11:19).
9. The Lord hardened the hearts of the Canaanites to fight (11:20), as He did with Pharaoh.
10. Caleb's ages (14:7, 10) suggest the conquest took about seven years.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who gives His people rest. After the long campaign, the land had rest from war (11:23), but a greater Sabbath rest remains for the people of God through Jesus (Hebrews 4:8-9).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. The northern armies were as many as the sand on the seashore (11:4). What overwhelming odds are you facing?
2. Joshua left nothing undone of all the Lord commanded Moses (11:15). What would complete obedience look like in an area where you are holding back?
3. The conquest took a long time (11:18). Why does God often work gradually instead of all at once?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 6: The Lord tells Joshua not to fear, for tomorrow He will hand the enemy over.
- đź“– verse 15: Joshua left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.
- đź“– verse 23: Joshua took the whole land, gave it to Israel as an inheritance, and the land had rest from war.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Hebrews 04#Verse 08.|Hebrews 4:8-11]] - A Sabbath rest remains for God's people.
- đź”— [[Psalm 20#Verse 07.|Psalm 20:7]] - Some trust in chariots, but we trust in the Lord.
- đź”— [[Judges 04#Verse 02.|Judges 4:2-3]] - Jabin of Hazor oppresses Israel.
- đź”— [[1 Samuel 17#Verse 04.|1 Samuel 17:4]] - Goliath of Gath.
- đź”— [[Exodus 14#Verse 04.|Exodus 14:4]] - God hardens Pharaoh's heart.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
📝 SOAP: [[Joshua 11 - SOAP|God’s Way Brings Rest]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes