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More Joshua commentaries
Joshua 8:1-29
Israel Destroys the Town of Ai
Joshua 8:30-35
Joshua leads the people to Shechem
Joshua 9:1-15
Tricked into believing the enemy
Joshua 9:16-27
Making your mistakes work for you
Joshua 10:1-15
The Lord wants to fight our battles
Joshua 10:16-28
Divide and conquer was Joshua’s strategy
Joshua 10:29-43
The Lord gives the victory
Joshua 11:1-15
Joshua Captures Towns in the North
Joshua 11:16-23
A summary of Joshua’s battles
Joshua 12:1-24
The Kings Defeated by the Israelites
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Joshua Captures Towns in the North
Joshua 11:1–15
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
Near the end of Sir Winston Churchill’s career as leader of Great Britain he was invited to speak at a preparatory school for young men. Being known as one of the greatest orators of all time the students were challenged to listen to his every word and take extensive notes. … More
Joshua was a man who exemplified real character. He followed every detail of God’s commands to Moses. It is usually difficult to complete someone else’s project, but Joshua stepped into Moses job building upon what Moses had started. With the southern campaign over he was ready to conquer the cities of the North. The northern Canaanite kings had heard about Joshua’s victories in the south and had organized a desperate attempt to stop the conquest of their land (vv. 1-5). Although there was no love between these kings of the north, the threat of annihilation forced them into an alliance. They joined forces at the waters of Merom, a lake 11 miles north of the Sea of Galilee.
This combined army looked very impressive. It is estimated by Josephus, the historian, that there were 300,000 soldiers and 20,000 chariots. The odds against the Israelites seemed overwhelming. Then God spoke. The promise he gave to Joshua was clear: “Do not be afraid because of them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel” (v. 6). Once more Joshua destroyed the opposing armies. Joshua’s victory in the North was just as decisive as it had been in the South. Again, obedience to God was the reason for victory.
Joshua followed every detail of God’s commands to Moses (vv. 6-15). It is usually difficult to complete someone else’s project, but Joshua stepped into Moses’ job, building upon what Moses had started, and brought it to completion. True servants will step in and continue or complete the good work that others have begun. Joshua carefully obeyed all the instructions given by God. The theme of obedience is repeated frequently in the book of Joshua.
Application
If I ever get weary in doing service for the Lord and want to quit I need to remember that the Lord has promised to be with me and I should, never, never, never give up!!
Joshua 11:1-15 (English Standard Version)
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, 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, 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. 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. And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. 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." So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them. 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. And Joshua did to them just as the LORD said to him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. 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. 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. 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. But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone; that Joshua burned. 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. 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.
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