Joshua 11 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Josh 11:1-9

1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron and Akshaph, 2 and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor on the west; 3 to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah. 4 They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots – a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 5 All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

6 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.’

7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8 and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

A. Find out:

1. Who started gathering together? v.1-2
2. What was their purpose? v.5
3. How did the Lord encourage Joshua? v.6
4. So what did Joshua do? v.7
5. With what result? v.8,9

B. Think:

1. How would you summarize who is was coming against Israel ?
2. What was the Lord’s part in it all?
3. What would this success mean to the taking of the land?

C. Comment:

     After having taken the whole of the south of Canaan, Joshua now finds himself confronted by a large coalition from the north of the land (see on your map Hazor in the far north) who came together, clearly determined to deal with Israel. Israel moved northwards and the battle ensued at Merom to the south of Hazor. The numbers coming together to fight against Israel are daunting, so the Lord brings Joshua a word of encouragement, His word that He will defeat the enemy! Joshua’s response to this is one of faith and he quickly comes without warning against this vast army representing much of the north. We are not told the Lord’s part in it, only that HE gave the enemy into Joshua’s hand. The outcome is clear, and the enemy are totally defeated, and their resources rendered useless for battle again.

      With the destruction of this large army, the north of Canaan lay wide open to Joshua. The south had been taken city by city, but the north has been rendered helpless in one day! This was perhaps the biggest confrontation that Israel faced and was also the most important in terms of extent.

D. Application?

1. Do we sometimes feel small and outnumbered? Remember the Lord is with us!
2. Thank Him for that truth today.

Passage: Josh 11:10-23

10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.

12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. 13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds – except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed. 15 As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises towards Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.

23 So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.

A. Find out:

1. Where did Joshua next destroy? v.10
2. What benefit did Israel get from the cities they took? v.14
3. How complete was Israel ‘s activity? v.16
4. How many cities made peace with Israel? v.19
5. Why was that? v.20
6. How was the land described at the end? v.23

B. Think:

1. How many times in this passage is Joshua’s obedience referred to?
2. What was the Lord’s intention towards the inhabitants of the land?
3. What was His intention about the future of the land?

C. Comment:

     Various things should be noted. First we should note again that all this has happened at the Lord’s COMMAND. Joshua has been obedient to the Lord throughout. Second, we should note that the Lord’s intention was to bring TOTAL JUDGEMENT on the land, destroying all of the pagan idol-worshipping inhabitants. Third, we should note the TOTAL SUCCESS of Joshua and Israel as their clear the land. The Lord’s enabling with their obedience has done it. Fourth we should note that brief reference to God’s GRACE seen in the Gibeonites who made peace and were saved. (that had been possible for all the land)

      Again we are reminded of the real judgement of God which comes against ALL men because ALL men have sinned and come short of God’s glory. It is only because of God’s grace and mercy that any of us are saved. Here was an area of hard hearted, godless, pagan, idol-worshippers in the depths of demonic worship, who God came against with His instrument of judgement, Israel. Not a pleasant part of Scripture but nevertheless a part that should teach us much. (2 Timothy 3:16)

D. Application?

1. We deserve God’s judgement. Instead we have received His mercy and grace.
2. Thank Him for that truth today.