Joshua Chapter 11
The Northern Canaanite Armies Defeated
A. The defeat of the northern kings
1. Joshua 11:1–5 — Full Scripture (KJV)
“And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.”
“And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things”
Hazor was the dominant city-state of northern Canaan, a powerful fortress controlling major trade routes. Its king, Jabin, heard of Israel's victories over Jericho, Ai, and now the complete defeat of the southern coalition. Like the southern kings in Joshua chapter 10, he responds not with repentance toward the God of Israel but with rebellion. Instead of seeking peace as the Gibeonites did, he gathers others to resist God’s will. This is the hardened human heart in full display, like Pharaoh who, even after witnessing God's power, still said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice.
The northern kings gathered because they recognized this was a now or never moment. If they did not destroy Israel immediately, they would be destroyed. This parallels Psalm 2, where the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed. The victories of God’s people provoke opposition. When God’s people walk in obedience and victory, Satan stirs up greater resistance. Victory does not end warfare, it invites new battles.
A massive coalition assembled
The text emphasizes how vast their forces were, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore. This is hyperbolic military language to describe a number beyond human counting. It is the largest army Israel had ever faced up to this point. They also possessed technological superiority, with horses and chariots very many. Israel had neither horses nor chariots, because God had forbidden them to depend upon such things. Deuteronomy 17:16 commanded Israel’s kings not to multiply horses to themselves. They were commanded to trust in the LORD, not in the legs of a horse or the wheels of a chariot. This battle would prove whether Israel believed God was still sufficient when outnumbered and outmatched.
They camped at the waters of Merom
The waters of Merom are north of the Sea of Galilee. This location suggests a planned assault from the north moving southward to crush Israel before they advanced further. The Canaanites chose the battlefield, believing strategic ground and superior weaponry guaranteed victory. Yet God was not intimidated by chariots or numbers. Psalm 33:16 says, There is no king saved by the multitude of an host, a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
Spiritual application
Every victory prepares the believer for a greater challenge. Israel went from facing Jericho, to Ai, then a southern coalition, now a northern alliance with chariots. Likewise, God often increases the size of our battles to match the growth of our faith. We do not grow by avoiding warfare but by trusting God in the midst of it. Past victories are not ending points but launching points.
Also, the more a believer walks in obedience, the more visible they become to the enemy. Jabin heard these things. Satan hears obedience. He hears revival. He hears when a man starts leading his family and reading the Word. And when he hears, he gathers opposition. But as Romans 8:31 says, If God be for us, who can be against us.
2. Joshua 11:6 — God’s Encouragement to Joshua
“And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.”
“And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them”
God’s command to fear not implies that fear had begun to press upon Joshua and the people. The sheer scale of the enemy, their horses and iron chariots, their united armies from every northern region, naturally tempted Israel to fear. Yet God had already promised Joshua in Joshua 1:9, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. God never rebukes fear unless His presence is sufficient to remove it. The command proves that fear is not to be indulged, it is to be confronted by faith in God’s Word.
“For to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel”
God gives Joshua a specific promise, including a timeline. Within twenty-four hours Israel would see victory, not by their strength, but because God would deliver the enemy into their hand. This was a fresh word from the Lord for a new battle. Past promises sustain, but often God grants renewed assurance when the challenge increases. Israel faced an army more numerous than any before, more technologically advanced, yet God declares the outcome before the battle begins. Faith is not presumption; it is believing what God has spoken before the evidence appears.
“Thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire”
To hough means to hamstring. This permanently disabled the horses, preventing their use in battle. God intentionally prohibited Israel from adopting Canaanite military technology. Deuteronomy 17:16 commanded future kings not to multiply horses, because horses symbolized trust in human power. Psalm 20:7 says, Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. God wanted His people to depend on Him alone, not on captured chariots and cavalry. This decision prevented Israel from becoming just another pagan military empire. Their success was to be attributed to the Lord, not to military innovation.
3. Joshua 11:7–9 — Joshua Attacks and the Northern Armies Are Defeated
“So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.”
“So Joshua came... suddenly”
Despite facing a numerically superior enemy, Joshua did not wait passively. He launched a sudden and strategic attack. He refused to let fear paralyze Israel. True faith is never passive. It takes action based on what God has spoken. Israel did not wait for the enemy to descend upon them, they advanced first in obedience and confidence.
“And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel”
This makes it clear that victory was not because of Joshua’s military genius, nor Israel’s strength. It was the Lord who delivered them. Israel fought, but God gave the victory. This perfect balance of divine sovereignty and human responsibility is seen throughout Scripture. God gives the promise, but His people must step out in obedience.
“They chased them unto great Zidon... unto Misrephothmaim... unto the valley of Mizpeh”
These were significant distances, stretching from northern Canaan to the Phoenician coast and eastward toward Syria. Israel pursued relentlessly. They did not merely win; they eradicated the military threat completely. Partial obedience would have left seeds of future rebellion, just as Saul’s incomplete obedience with Amalek later brought judgment in 1 Samuel 15.
“Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him”
Joshua obeyed precisely. He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. These were valuable assets, symbols of military dominance, yet Joshua did not keep them. Obedience mattered more than personal advantage. Many leaders would have said, “Why waste these? We could use them for God.” But God does not need the flesh to accomplish His purpose. The lesson is clear: do not fight spiritual battles using the world’s weapons. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:4, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
“They smote them, until they left them none remaining”
Joshua showed complete commitment. He pursued the enemy until there was no resistance left. This is how believers must deal with sin. Not negotiate, not restrain, but put it to death. Romans 8:13 says, If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
4. Joshua 11:10–15 — The Defeat of Hazor, Head of the Northern Kingdoms
“And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe. As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.”
“Joshua... took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword”
After defeating the northern coalition in open battle, Joshua turned back to deal with the main stronghold, Hazor. Archaeological evidence confirms Hazor was the largest and most fortified Canaanite city, covering around two hundred acres and ruling over many smaller city-states. The text says it was the head of all those kingdoms, meaning it was the political, military, and religious center of northern Canaan. For Israel to conquer the land fully, the central authority of pagan rebellion had to be destroyed.
“They smote all the souls... utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe”
This language emphasizes the completeness of God’s judgment and Israel’s obedience. No survivors remained. In human terms this seems severe, yet Scripture shows this was divine justice, not genocide. The Canaanites had filled up their iniquity, just as God foretold in Genesis 15:16. Their cultures were saturated with idolatry, child sacrifice, sexual perversion, and demonic worship. God waited over four hundred years to judge them, showing His longsuffering. But when judgment came, it was total.
“And he burnt Hazor with fire”
Unlike other cities, Hazor was burned entirely. Because it was the central seat of power and wickedness, it was devoted to destruction as a symbol of God’s total judgment against the rebellion of the nations. Excavations at Hazor show a thick layer of ash and collapsed structures from a massive fire around this time, confirming the biblical record. Other cities were not burned because Israel was to inhabit them, but the capital of idolatry was erased.
“As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded... he left nothing undone”
This is one of the greatest statements made about Joshua’s life. He fulfilled everything God commanded through Moses. This is true leadership, not innovation but obedience. Joshua's success did not come from strategy or diplomacy but from doing exactly what God had said. Just as Moses was faithful in all his house, so Joshua is faithful to complete the mission. The text emphasizes the chain of command: God commanded Moses, Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua performed it fully. This is a pattern for biblical leadership in every generation.
“All the spoil... Israel took for a prey unto themselves”
In this campaign God allowed Israel to take livestock and goods, unlike at Jericho. Jericho belonged entirely to the Lord as firstfruits of the land. After that, Israel could enjoy the blessings of victory, but only after obedience. This shows that God is not harsh but generous. He withholds for a time to test obedience, then blesses freely.
Theological and practical implications
This destruction reveals the holiness of God. He is patient, but His judgment is real and final.
It reveals the danger of partial obedience. If Joshua had spared Hazor, the heart of Canaanite culture would have revived.
It reveals the necessity of total war against sin. Believers are called to mortify sin, not manage it. If left alive, it will rise again.
It foreshadows Christ’s future judgment on the nations at His return, when He will strike the kingdoms of this world and establish His kingdom (Revelation 19:11–16).
B. Israel Is Secure in Canaan
1. Joshua 11:16–20 — Complete Victory Over Canaan
“So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
“So Joshua took all that land...”
This verse is a summary statement declaring that Israel had subdued the land from north to south, east to west. The locations mentioned describe the full geographic span of Canaan. Mount Halak in the south, rising toward Seir in Edom, all the way to Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon beneath Mount Hermon in the far north. This is not only a record of military success; it is the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise in Genesis 15:18, where He said, Unto thy seed have I given this land. Israel did not merely enter the land, they conquered it under divine command.
“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings”
Though Joshua chapter 10 and chapter 11 describe sweeping victories, this statement reveals the reality. The conquest was not a quick campaign. According to Joshua 14:7 and 14:10, the entire conquest took about seven years. God gave them victory, but it required perseverance, endurance, and continual obedience. God's promises are sure, but they are not always swift. Faith must be willing to fight and to wait.
“There was not a city that made peace... save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon”
Gibeon alone sought peace with Israel by submitting to them. All the other cities chose war. This demonstrates the hardness of the Canaanite heart. They saw the miracles of Jericho, they heard of the long day of Joshua, yet refused to repent. Their rebellion was not due to ignorance, but defiance. Rahab, a Canaanite, had believed, showing they could have repented. Instead, they resisted and were destroyed.
“For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts...”
This difficult but crucial statement explains the theological reason behind their destruction. God hardened their hearts, not by forcing evil into them, but by giving them over to what they had already chosen. This is the Romans chapter 1 principle. When men reject truth, God gives them up to their own depravity. His grace either softens or hardens, depending on the heart that receives it. Like Pharaoh in Exodus, they hardened their hearts first, then God confirmed it. This judgment was not arbitrary. It was righteous, measured, and foretold centuries earlier.
“That he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour...”
This was God’s judicial sentence. Their iniquity was full. Their idolatry had corrupted the land. Child sacrifice, ritual prostitution, and demonic worship were normal in their culture. The land was polluted. Therefore God commanded Israel to cleanse it completely. The purpose was not cruelty, but holiness. If these nations were left, Israel would learn their works and be corrupted (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). History proves this true in the period of the Judges.
“As the LORD commanded Moses”
This emphasizes continuity between Moses and Joshua. Joshua did not innovate or reinterpret God’s command; he executed it. God commanded Moses in Deuteronomy, Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua obeyed fully. This is true leadership, not originality, but faithfulness.
2. (Joshua 11:21–22) The Anakim Are Defeated
“And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.”
“And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains...”
The Anakim were a race of giants, descendants of Anak, associated with Rephaim and known for their intimidating stature and warrior strength. Their presence struck fear in the ten spies of Numbers 13:33, who said, And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. It was fear of these very people that caused Israel to refuse entrance into the Promised Land forty years earlier. Now, under Joshua’s leadership and under the command of God, the very enemies that once paralyzed Israel with terror are systematically defeated and removed.
“Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities...”
Joshua did not merely drive them out, he utterly destroyed them in the regions under Israel’s control. This shows not only military strength but obedience to God’s command to purge the land of its corrupted inhabitants. The giants were no match for a people walking in faith and under divine direction. What once seemed impossible now became victory because Israel was different than it was forty years earlier. Their faith was stronger, their leadership obedient, and their God unchanged.
“There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel...”
This is one of the most powerful testimonies of God’s faithfulness. The giants that caused an entire generation to disobey and die in the wilderness are now gone. The fear that crippled them was unnecessary. God always intended to defeat the Anakim, but in His timing. When Israel first saw them, they thought entering the land was impossible. They did not yet understand that giants are conquered in God’s order, not man’s impatience. God allowed Israel to face smaller battles first so their faith would mature before confronting the greatest fear.
“Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.”
Though annihilated from Israelite territory, some survivors retreated to Philistine strongholds along the coastal plains. These cities—Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod—became strongholds of future conflict. From Gath came Goliath, the giant faced and defeated by David approximately five centuries later (1 Samuel 17:4). This shows that incomplete destruction of sin or enemy forces can create future challenges. Though Joshua was obedient in his conquest, Israel as a nation failed to fully drive them out of the coastal areas, and that negligence would echo through generations.
Practical and Theological Reflections
God defeats the fears of yesterday: The Anakim represent past fears that once caused disobedience. What once terrified Israel is now removed when they walk in faith.
God orders the battles wisely: Israel fought the Anakim only after they had been trained by earlier victories. God does not send His people against their greatest fear first; He prepares them through smaller tests.
Faithful obedience destroys giants: The outcome is not about Israel’s size or strength, but about God’s presence and Israel’s obedience.
Incomplete obedience leaves future enemies: The Anakim who fled to Philistine territory later produced Goliath. This illustrates a spiritual truth—sin or strongholds we tolerate today may become giants in the next generation.
3. (Joshua 11:23) Complete Victory, and the Land Rests from War
“So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.”
“So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses”
This statement marks the conclusion of the major conquest phase. The promise first given to Abraham, reaffirmed to Isaac, Jacob, and then Moses, is now visibly fulfilled. Joshua took the whole land in the sense that the centralized resistance of Canaanite kings and city-states had been broken. They no longer possessed organized armies or national strength to oppose Israel. This does not mean every village and stronghold was occupied. Rather, the backbone of Canaanite power was shattered. God had done exactly what He said He would do. His promises do not fail.
“And Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes”
Joshua now transitions from conqueror to administrator. The land was not simply conquered; it was distributed by divine order. The inheritance was given, but it still required effort to possess it. Each tribe would be responsible to claim, occupy, and maintain the territory allotted to them. This underscores a fundamental biblical pattern: God gives the promise, but His people must step forward in faith to receive it. Just as salvation is freely given, yet believers must walk in obedience to experience its fullness.
“And the land rested from war”
This is not a declaration that every enemy was gone, but that the major campaigns had ceased, and Israel now entered a new stage—settlement, occupation, and continued obedience. This rest was not permanent nor absolute; it was a providential pause. It was now the responsibility of each tribe to continue the work in their allotted territories. God's rest does not mean inactivity but an invitation to labor with Him in peace rather than in constant battle. Hebrews 4 draws from this very truth, reminding believers that God offers spiritual rest, yet warns them not to fall short through unbelief.
1. Christ has won the decisive victory, but we are still called to fight individual battles.
Joshua’s conquest foreshadows Jesus Christ. Christ has defeated Satan, sin, and death. Colossians 2:15 says, And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly. Yet believers must still fight daily battles against the flesh, temptation, and spiritual strongholds. The war is won, but the ground must be possessed.
2. Rest comes after obedience, not before.
Israel rested because they trusted God and fought His battles. Spiritual rest is not an escape from responsibility but a reward for faithfulness. True rest is found in submission to God’s will.
3. Failure to possess the inheritance is not God’s failure, but man's.
As later history reveals in Judges, many tribes failed to drive out remaining Canaanites. This resulted in idolatry, compromise, and oppression. The failure was not in God’s promise but in their obedience. God had given them victory, but they did not take hold of all that was theirs.
