Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Joshua 11
Joshua 11:6And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
Facing a terrifyingly large army, Joshua receives a direct command from God: 'Do not be afraid.' This promise of victory before the battle even begins is the foundation of Israel's courage and success.Joshua 11:15Just 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.
This verse serves as Joshua's performance review, and he gets a perfect score. It emphasizes that his success was rooted in his meticulous obedience to the commands God had passed down through Moses.Joshua 11:23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.
After years of conflict, this simple statement marks the end of an era. The primary military campaign is over, the land is secured, and the people can finally experience the peace God had promised them.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Northern Alliance Gathers for a Final Stand
Having witnessed Israel's stunning victories in the south (Joshua 10), the remaining Canaanite kings in the north realize they are next. Led by Jabin, the powerful king of Hazor, they decide to pool their resources for one massive, coordinated strike against Israel. They gather a formidable army, complete with advanced military technology like horses and chariots, representing the final and most significant military obstacle to Israel's claim on the Promised Land.
A Decisive Victory and the Conquest Fulfilled
Despite the enemy's overwhelming numbers, God assures Joshua of victory. Empowered by this promise, Joshua leads a surprise attack, and the Lord delivers the entire northern coalition into Israel's hands. The chapter then shifts from the narrative of this specific battle to a broader summary of the entire conquest, highlighting Joshua's unwavering obedience and the complete fulfillment of God's command to take the land.
The Northern Campaign and the End of the War
The chapter opens with the northern kings of Canaan forming a massive military alliance, alarmed by Israel's recent victories. Led by Jabin of Hazor, they gather an army 'in number like the sand that is on the seashore' at the Waters of Merom, preparing for a decisive battle. This sets the stage for the final major conflict in the conquest of the Promised Land.
A Formidable Coalition (Joshua 11:1-5)
1 When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
2 and to the kings who were in the northern hill country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in Naphoth-dor on the west,
3 to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
4 And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.
5 And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
Commentary:
The northern Canaanite kings form a massive army to fight Israel.
God's Promise and Joshua's Attack (Joshua 11:6-9)
6 And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
7 And Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom and fell upon them.
8 And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining.
9 And Joshua did to them just as the Lord said to him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
Commentary:
God promises victory, and Joshua leads a surprise attack that crushes the enemy alliance.
The Fall of Hazor and Unwavering Obedience (Joshua 11:10-15)
10 And Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms.
11 And they struck with the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction; there was none left that breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.
12 And all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua captured, and struck them with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.
13 But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone; that Joshua burned.
14 And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the people of Israel took for their plunder. But every man they struck with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they did not leave any who breathed.
15 Just 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.
Commentary:
Joshua captures and burns Hazor, the enemy's lead city, fulfilling God's commands completely.
A Summary of the Conquered Lands (Joshua 11:16-20)
16 So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland,
17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them and put them to death.
18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon.
20 For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.
Commentary:
The text summarizes the vast territory Israel conquered over a long period of war.
The Last Giants and the Promised Rest (Joshua 11:21-23)
21 And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction with their cities.
22 There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain.
23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.
Commentary:
Joshua defeats the last of the giant Anakim, and the land finally has peace.
Key Themes in the Final Conquest
God's Sovereignty Over All Nations
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God controls Israel and all nations. He predicts the victory, empowers the smaller army, and even influences the hearts of the Canaanite kings to bring about His plan of judgment and fulfillment.
The Importance of Complete Obedience
The narrative repeatedly emphasizes that 'so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses' (Joshua 11:15). Israel's success is directly tied to Joshua's refusal to compromise or partially obey. It serves as a model for faith that trusts God's instructions completely.
The Fulfillment of Generational Promises
The final verse, 'And the land had rest from war,' is the culmination of a promise hundreds of years in the making. It signifies the end of the wilderness wandering and the beginning of Israel's life as a nation in the land God had sworn to give them.
Divine Judgment on Sin
The command to 'devote them to destruction' is a difficult but central theme. It represents God's holy judgment against the pervasive and corrupting sins of the Canaanite societies. This wasn't a typical war for territory but a specific act of divine justice that God commanded Israel to carry out.
Applying the Lessons of Joshua 11
When you face a situation that feels as impossible as an army 'like the sand on the seashore,' God's message is the same: 'Do not be afraid.' His presence and promises are more powerful than any obstacle you see. Trusting Him doesn't mean the challenge disappears, but it means you don't have to face it with your own strength.
Joshua's example challenges us to examine if we are picking and choosing which parts of God's will we follow. True faith, as shown in verse 15, involves doing all that the Lord commands, including the difficult or illogical parts. It calls for a radical trust that God's plan is best, even in the details.
The rest described in verse 23 came after a long period of faithful struggle. For us, spiritual rest isn't the absence of problems but a deep peace that comes from knowing God has already won the ultimate victory through Jesus. We can find rest in His finished work, even while we continue to face daily spiritual battles.
God's Power, Joshua's Obedience, Israel's Rest
Joshua 11 declares that God's promises are unstoppable and His power is absolute. When faced with an enemy of terrifying size and strength, God's simple command to Joshua was to trust and obey. The story shows that human obedience is the channel through which divine victory flows. The ultimate message is that God faithfully finishes what He starts, bringing His people out of conflict and into their promised rest.
What This Means for Us Today
The conquest of the north was not won by military strategy alone but by Joshua's decision to take God at His word. This chapter invites us to face our own 'giants' and 'coalitions' not with fear, but with the confidence that comes from complete obedience to God. He has already promised the victory. Our part is to trust and follow.
- What overwhelming challenge are you facing where you need to hear God say, 'Do not be afraid'?
- Is there an area of your life where you are partially obeying God instead of fully trusting His command?
- How can you actively pursue the spiritual 'rest' God offers, even in the midst of life's battles?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the southern campaign, including the famous battle where the sun stood still, setting the stage for the northern conflict.
Following the conquest, this chapter provides a comprehensive list of the thirty-one kings defeated by Israel, serving as a formal record of God's victory.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage provides the original command from Moses for how Israel was to conduct the conquest, explaining the theological reason for the complete destruction of the Canaanite peoples.
This psalm reflects on the conquest, remembering that Israel did not win the land by their own strength but by God's power and favor.
This New Testament passage reframes the concept of warfare for believers, clarifying that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil.
Discussion Questions
- The Canaanite army had superior technology (horses and chariots), yet Israel was victorious. What modern 'horses and chariots' do we sometimes trust in more than God?
- Joshua 11:20 says the Lord hardened the hearts of the Canaanite kings. How do you understand this in light of human free will and God's justice?
- The 'rest' in verse 23 came after a long and difficult war. What does this chapter teach us about the relationship between struggle and peace in the life of faith?
Glossary
places
Hazor
A major, powerful Canaanite city-state in northern Israel that was the leader of the northern coalition.
Waters of Merom
A location in northern Canaan, likely a spring or lake, where the allied kings gathered to fight Israel.
Arabah
The Jordan Rift Valley, a deep valley running from the Sea of Galilee south to the Red Sea.
Negeb
The arid, desert region in the south of Israel.