‏ Joshua 7

Summary for Josh 10:1-12:24: 7:1–12:24  ^a This second major section of the book includes a record of Joshua’s southern and northern campaigns against two coalitions of Canaanite kings. Joshua’s victories enabled Israel to settle the hill country from Galilee in the north to the Negev in the south.
Summary for Josh 7:1-26: 7:1-26  ^b Now that Jericho belonged to Israel, Joshua’s first military problem involved securing a foothold in the hill country. The conquest of Jericho inspired Israel’s confidence and consigned the people of Canaan to discouragement and despair. Yet everything hinged on Israel’s obedience to God. One man’s sin and its consequences demonstrate how serious was the command to destroy Jericho (see thematic note for Complete Dedication at end of chapter). 7:1  ^c things set apart for the Lord: See Lev 27:28-29  ^d; 1 Sam 15:3  ^e.

• son of Zerah: Achan belonged to a prominent family (Num 26:19-20  ^f) and was a leader or a potential leader, so his actions would be influential.
7:2  ^g As he did before the battle for Jericho, Joshua sent some of his men to assess the situation at Ai. This town stood about ten miles west of Jericho at the entrance to a plateau north of Jerusalem called the Plateau of Benjamin; conquering Ai would open the way for Israel to control the hill country.

• Beth-aven, “house of iniquity,” was probably an intentionally derogatory wordplay on the name Bethel, the “house of God.” A pagan shrine stood on this site later in Israel’s history (1 Kgs 12:28-33  ^h).
Summary for Josh 7:3-4: 7:3-4  ⁱ God’s provision of victory at Jericho apparently bred complacency and overconfidence; Joshua did not even consult with God before sending a small contingent of troops to Ai.
7:5  ^j Ai’s defenders left through the town gate and attacked Israel’s troops directly (see 8:5  ^k).

• as far as the quarries: An otherwise unknown place.
7:6  ^l Israel’s leaders tore their clothing and threw dust on their heads, common public gestures of grief or despair in the ancient Near East. By falling face down before the Ark of the Lord, Joshua belatedly acknowledged that Israel needed God’s direction in the battle against Ai.
7:7  ^m Joshua expressed his anger toward God; this explains the sharp tone of God’s reply (7:10-15  ⁿ). Though the battle had been lost because of Achan’s sin, Joshua and Israel’s elders had neglected to seek God’s guidance (7:3  ^o).

• Joshua did not really believe that Israel should have stayed on the other side of the Jordan. Rather, he used hyperbole to show that he was at a loss over what to do next.
Summary for Josh 7:8-9: 7:8-9  ^p Joshua’s fears were realistic. All Canaan had thought that Israel was invincible. However, because tiny Ai had defeated Israel, the Canaanites might think it could happen again.

• If God allowed the wicked to wipe his people off the face of the earth, the nations would not have a witness that God continues to be involved with his world.

• your great name: Cp. Exod 32:11-12  ^q; Num 14:13-19  ^r.
Summary for Josh 7:10-11: 7:10-11  ^s Get up! God’s command was abrupt, stern, and outwardly unsympathetic. For Israel to regain God’s favor, Joshua needed to act swiftly and decisively.
7:12  ^t Israel itself has been set apart for destruction: With his individual sin, Achan made all Israel liable to destruction.
7:13  ^u Command the people to purify themselves: See study note on 3:5.
7:14  ^v Israel’s twelve tribes were descendants of Jacob’s sons. A clan represented a smaller unit within the tribes; later, as Israel’s allotments in the land were distributed, a clan usually received possession of a town and its surrounding fields, forest, and pastureland. A man’s family included his sons and their dependents.
7:15  ^w God had commanded that all the stolen goods were to be destroyed by fire. Now they would be, because Achan and everything he had would be burned with fire. Breaking the covenant of the Lord was treason, a capital offense (e.g., Exod 22:20  ^x; Deut 4:25-27  ^y).
Summary for Josh 7:16-18: 7:16-18  ^z Achan might have been singled out by use of the Urim and Thummim, a God-given system of sacred lots. These items remained in the care of the high priest, probably in a bag or a pouch (see Exod 28:30  ^aa; Num 27:21  ^ab). They might have been two different-colored objects, perhaps stones or gems. Inquiries were phrased as “yes” or “no” questions.
Summary for Josh 7:19-20: 7:19-20  ^ac My son: This gentle, compassionate form of address reveals Joshua as a caring leader, sorry for this young man trapped by impulsive greed. Although Joshua and Achan both knew that Achan would die for his crime, Joshua entreated him to repent. Achan responded with a full confession.
7:21  ^ad The robe should have been burned with the rest of Jericho’s goods. It was from Babylon, evidence that long-distance trade was a significant part of life in the ancient Near East.

• 200 silver coins: Achan took pieces or lumps of silver that functioned as money; coinage per se was not invented until the 600s BC.

• I wanted them so much is translated “covet” in the tenth commandment (Exod 20:17  ^ae). Achan’s coveting had prompted his theft.
7:22  ^af Because the matter was urgent, Joshua’s messengers ran to the tent to confirm Achan’s confession.
7:24  ^ag This careful listing of Achan’s relatives and possessions, including the stolen items, has the tone of a legal statement. Achan compromised all that pertained to him through his contact with the stolen items; thus, all had to be included in his judgment.
7:25  ^ah Stoning was one prescribed means of execution (see, e.g., Exod 19:13  ^ai).
7:26  ^aj God had not been angry without basis. God’s people must be holy. To trifle with things belonging to God signifies rebellion against God, and such sin always brings trouble (‘akor) upon God’s people. Achan’s sin brought disaster on Israel, so the severe punishment he received was just.

Thematic note: Complete Dedication
The Hebrew word kherem (“specially set apart”) is difficult to translate because it represents a concept for which there is no exact parallel in modern English. In the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, kherem designated something that was dedicated to a pagan god and therefore hostile to the Lord. Such things were to be destroyed (see Josh 6:18  ^ak). In the case of valuable metal items, they were brought to the sanctuary, where they became holy to the Lord (Lev 27:28  ^al; see also Josh 6:19  ^am, 24  ^an). The concept of being “specially set apart” was also applied to Israel’s enemies when they and their property were destroyed (Josh 6:17-19  ^ao; 1 Sam 15:2-3  ^ap).
In Leviticus 27:21  ^aq, 28  ^ar, kherem indicates an acceptable vow devoting something to the Lord for use in the sanctuary (see Num 18:14  ^as). This made the item, land, or person holy. The thing or person could not be bought back; it remained in the Lord’s service permanently.
The concept of complete dedication through total destruction underlies several passages in the apostle Paul’s writings. In Romans 9:3  ^at, Paul was even willing to be declared anathema (the Greek equivalent of kherem) if it would bring about the salvation of his fellow Jews. In Galatians 1:8-9  ^au, the same Greek word indicates an appropriate end for those who preach a false gospel. In 1 Corinthians 12:3  ^av, Paul warns that no one speaking in the Spirit can call Jesus anathema, that is, no one who has God’s Spirit will interpret Jesus’ crucifixion as a sign of God’s rejection of him, as the Jews of Paul’s day did. Instead, they will recognize it as an act of atonement for sinful humanity.


Passages for Further Study
Exod 22:20  ^aw; Lev 27:28-29  ^ax; Num 18:8-14  ^ay; 21:2-3  ^az; Deut 7:1-6  ^ba, 26  ^bb; 13:12-18  ^bc; Josh 6:17-19  ^bd, 24  ^be; 7:11-15  ^bf; 1 Sam 15:2-3  ^bg; 1 Kgs 20:42  ^bh; Isa 43:26-28  ^bi; Mal 4:5-6  ^bj; Rom 9:3  ^bk; 1 Cor 16:22  ^bl; Gal 1:8-9  ^bm

‏ Joshua 8

Summary for Josh 8:1-13: 8:1-13  ^bn The first attempt to conquer Ai had been done without consulting God; the second attempt would be made at God’s command and direction. Before the second attempt, God spoke to Joshua again and gave him a strategy. More importantly, in light of Israel’s recent disaster, God gave him encouragement and a promise. 8:1  ^bo Do not be afraid or discouraged: God gave Joshua similar encouragement before sending him against Jericho (6:2  ^bp).
8:2  ^bq Unlike other ancient nations, who went to war to gain wealth, Israel served as God’s agent of judgment upon the Canaanites; the plunder and the livestock were incidental.

• The strategy for capturing Ai was to plan an ambush. Joshua executed God’s simple instructions well.

• behind the town: On its west side (8:12  ^br).
8:3  ^bs set out to attack Ai: This first sentence provides a summary; details are filled in over the next several paragraphs.

• The Hebrew words translated 30,000 might mean 30 units (see study note on Exod 12:37) or 30 chieftains. As the battle developed, this group would wait in ambush until Joshua called them out (Josh 8:18-19  ^bt).
Summary for Josh 8:4-9: 8:4-9  ^bu Joshua told the select squad what to expect from Israel’s main army. Because this special unit would be separated from Joshua’s command for nearly forty-eight hours, they needed to understand exactly what to do. Israel’s success in this second attempt on Ai depended on the precise timing of their rush into the town.
Summary for Josh 8:11-13: 8:11-13  ^bv That the main army marched in front of the town indicates that Joshua did not try to hide them from the defenders of Ai. The main army came from the east and ended the day camped on the north side of Ai. The men in ambush were west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel.
8:14  ^bw The king of Ai ... and all his army were recklessly eager to repeat their heroics of the previous battle. As Joshua and Israel had learned, such overconfidence is dangerous.
8:15  ^bx Joshua and the Israelite army fled as in the first attack (7:4-5  ^by).
8:17  ^bz not a man left in Ai or Bethel: Much of an individual soldier’s gain from warfare was his share of the spoils taken from the defeated enemy or a reward given by his king for each enemy he killed.

• The warriors of Bethel likely joined those of Ai because they also feared Israel’s advance.
Summary for Josh 8:18-19: 8:18-19  ^ca Israel succeeded in this second attack on Ai because this time God directed the battle.
8:28  ^cb Prior to its destruction, Ai was called by an unknown name. The writer of Joshua always referred to it as Ai (meaning “ruin”), the name it was given after its destruction.
8:29  ^cc The public executions of the kings (see also 10:26  ^cd; 11:10  ^ce, 12  ^cf) emphasized that Israel was God’s agent in the judgment of the leaders and people of Canaan for their wickedness.

• At sunset: See Deut 21:22-23  ^cg.

• that can still be seen today: See Joshua Book Introduction, “Author and Date.”
Summary for Josh 8:30-31: 8:30-31  ^ch Archaeologists have recently discovered an altar ... on Mount Ebal built of uncut stones and not shaped with iron tools. However, no inscription was found with it (8:32  ^ci).

• Burnt offerings and peace offerings were prescribed in the laws of sacrifice that God gave Moses while Israel was still at Mount Sinai (Lev 1  ^cj, 3  ^ck). Moses gave specific commands for this ceremony (see Deut 11:26-32  ^cl; 27:1–28:68  ^cm).
8:32  ^cn Joshua fulfilled Moses’ command to set up stones and coat them with plaster (Deut 27:2-8  ^co). After the plaster hardened, the instructions (Hebrew torah) would permanently be on public display at the first location where Israel formally worshiped the Lord after entering the land. The public display of laws occurred in other places; the best-known example is the famous Code of Hammurabi, which that king set up in Babylon.
Summary for Josh 8:33-35: 8:33-35  ^cp This ceremony marked the formal possession of the land, even though major campaigns against the Canaanites were still to come. The ritual of sacrifice and reading of the law highlighted the promises and obligations of God’s covenant with them and anticipated the eventual possession of all of Canaan. 8:33  ^cq The town of Shechem, located between Mount Gerizim to the south and Mount Ebal to the north, guarded the pass between the two mountains. Although the covenant renewal ceremony took place at Shechem, neither Joshua nor Judges records that Israel conquered the town.

• With every Israelite involved and the Ark positioned in the valley between the two groups, this ceremony was a promise to keep the covenant God had made with Israel at Sinai.
8:34  ^cr blessings ... curses: See Deut 27–28  ^cs.
8:35  ^ct Old Testament religion was not just for the men of Israel; the entire assembly included the women and children.

• The foreigners who lived among the Israelites included people who came out of Egypt with Israel in the Exodus (Exod 12:38  ^cu, 48-49  ^cv). These converts had accepted the Lord as their God and joined Israel when they saw the great things God had done for Israel.

‏ Joshua 9

Summary for Josh 9:1-27: 9:1-27  ^cw Joshua once again failed to consult God (9:14  ^cx; cp. 7:2-4  ^cy), this time over an unexpected request. Other ancient Near Eastern accounts tell only of a leader’s triumphs; this author also recorded the shortcomings of Joshua and Israel’s elders. The real hero of the story is God, whose accomplishments the author wished to tell. 9:1  ^cz Hittites ... Jebusites: See study note on 3:10.

• The fertile region of lower hills between the highlands of Judah and the southern coastal plain was known as the western foothills.

• Although not all of the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea was occupied during this period, several important cities did exist. The kings of those small city-states, as far north as Mount Carmel, joined the southern coalition to resist Israel’s advances.
9:2  ^da Chapter 10  ^db provides a more complete description of these kings and their reasons for forming a coalition to fight ... the Israelites.
9:3  ^dc The people of Gibeon deceitfully attempted to make a covenant with Israel. The town of Gibeon was on the plateau just north of Jerusalem (see study note on 7:2), not more than fifteen miles from Israel’s camp at Gilgal.
Summary for Josh 9:4-6: 9:4-6  ^dd Long-distance travel was difficult, dirty, and dangerous in those days. If they were to carry off their deception, the Gibeonite supplies, clothes, and even food had to look the part.
Summary for Josh 9:7-8: 9:7-8  ^de The name Hivites is known only from the Bible and refers to a non-Semitic ethnic group that lived in various parts of Canaan (see Gen 34:2  ^df; 36:2  ^dg; Exod 23:23  ^dh, 28  ^di).

• How do we know you don’t live nearby? Israel’s leaders raised the possibility of deception. Joshua followed the Gibeonites’ evasive reply by asking two direct questions. However, Joshua could have received a direct answer by consulting the Lord (Josh 9:14  ^dj).
Summary for Josh 9:9-10: 9:9-10  ^dk in Egypt: See Exod 7–14  ^dl.

• kings ... Sihon ... Og: See Num 21  ^dm.
Summary for Josh 9:11-13: 9:11-13  ^dn Distracted by the flattering words about God and the notion that a foreign people wanted to make a treaty with them, none of Israel’s leaders noticed that the Gibeonites had failed to answer Joshua’s questions.

• If the Israelites spared their lives, the Gibeonites were willing to be Israel’s servants and swear to a treaty with Israel. This request should have raised suspicions among Israel’s leaders: Why would people from a distant land be concerned about a treaty of protection?
9:14  ^do Israel’s leaders examined the bread to verify the Gibeonites’ story, but Joshua neglected to consult the Lord. This same oversight had cost lives at Ai, whereas the victories at Jericho and Ai had both been won when Israel followed God’s instructions precisely.
9:15  ^dp Israel entered into a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. The Israelites were God’s vassals, having entered into a suzerain-vassal treaty with God at Sinai (see study note on Exod 20:1–23:33). Israel did not have authority to enter into treaties without the approval of their own suzerain.

• guaranteed their safety (literally cut with them a covenant for their lives): Nations ratified covenants by a ceremony that involved cutting sacrificial animals in half. The parties to the covenant walked between the two animal halves (cp. Gen 15:9-18  ^dq) to symbolize their commitment to be cut in two like the sacrifice if one violated the terms of the covenant. Covenants also were written documents, sometimes chiseled in stone and set up in a public area for all to see and remember (see study note on Josh 8:32).

• In Israel, a binding oath was sworn in the name of the Lord. Violating the oath invited the Lord’s judgment for swearing falsely (Exod 20:7  ^dr).
9:16  ^ds lived nearby! In reporting Israel’s discovery, the author repeated the word the Israelites had used to voice their suspicion of the Gibeonites (9:7  ^dt).
9:17  ^du Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim were on the plateau northwest of Jerusalem and southwest of Bethel and Ai (see study note on 7:2).
Summary for Josh 9:18-21: 9:18-21  ^dv Israel was not entitled to break this treaty even though the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites into making it. Breaking a covenant sworn by an oath in the presence of the Lord would have made light of God’s name and honor (cp. Gen 27:30-38  ^dw).
9:22  ^dx As the leader of Israel, Joshua was within his rights when he called together the Gibeonites to question them.

• you live right here among us? Joshua’s use of this phrase tacitly acknowledged that he should not have accepted the word of the Gibeonites without consulting the Lord.
9:23  ^dy The Gibeonites were cursed, meaning they were diminished to the status of servants.

• At that time, the house of ... God was the Tabernacle; later, it was the Temple at Jerusalem.
Summary for Josh 9:24-25: 9:24-25  ^dz The response of the Gibeonites amounted to a statement of faith in the Lord: They acted deceptively because they believed that God would enable Israel to conquer Canaan.
Summary for Josh 9:26-27: 9:26-27  ^ea This summary closes the account of Joshua’s second and last major mistake in leadership.

• to this day: See study note on 4:9.

‏ Joshua 10

Summary for Josh 10:1-43: 10:1-43  ^eb Gibeon and its neighboring cities occupied a plateau north of Jerusalem (see study note on 7:2). With Gibeon now allied to Israel, control of the plateau and of the central hill country in the vicinity of Gibeon belonged to Israel. Throughout history, whoever has controlled the plateau has, in general, also controlled the hill country. The Canaanite kings had to conquer Gibeon or their cause was lost. 10:1  ^ec Adoni-zedek means “master of righteousness” or “my master is righteous.” An earlier king of Jerusalem named Melchizedek (“king of righteousness” or “my king is righteous”) had been “a priest of God Most High” and a friend of Abraham (Gen 14:18-20  ^ed). However, Adoni-zedek was not a friend to Joshua or a believer in the Lord.
10:2  ^ee Gibeon was apparently not one of the royal cities. Gibeon might have been subservient to Canaan-controlled Jerusalem before making the covenant with Joshua, or it might have been an independent town controlled by a few leading families.
10:5  ^ef When the Old Testament makes a distinction between Amorites and Canaanites (see study note on 3:10), the Amorite kings controlled the hill country, while the Canaanites occupied the valleys and the coastal plain.
10:7  ^eg Joshua had sworn to rescue Gibeon, so now he set out to do it.
10:8  ^eh God once again urged Joshua not to be afraid, assuring him of victory over Israel’s enemies (see also 1:9  ^ei; 8:1  ^ej).
10:9  ^ek Joshua’s army walked all night to travel the fifteen miles up the rugged passes and steep slopes and across the plateau. By attacking the Amorite armies from the east at sunrise, Joshua’s army came out of the sun, blinding the Amorites as they faced eastward to fight.

• Israel’s covenant required the nation to respond to Gibeon’s plea for help, but Joshua responded more promptly than any treaty required. Defeating the Canaanite force with a swift strike gave Israel a tremendous advantage.
Summary for Josh 10:10-13: 10:10-13  ^el Three miracles—supernatural panic, a terrible hailstorm, and a lengthened day—demonstrated that the destruction of the Canaanites was entirely God’s doing. 10:10  ^em It was about forty miles from Gibeon, down the Beth-horon road, then south through the western foothills to Azekah and Makkedah.
10:12  ^en Joshua prayed to have the day lengthened so the Israelites could finish the task without allowing the Amorite forces time to organize a new defense against Israel.

• The sun and moon, two of Canaan’s most powerful gods, proved powerless against the Lord.

• Aijalon was a city near the western end of the Beth-horon road.
10:13  ^eo God caused the sun to stay in the middle of the sky. Not all miracles can be understood, whether in purpose, in scope, or in mechanism.

• The Book of Jashar served as one of the ancient sources for Israel’s historians. While well known in ancient Israel, it did not survive as a separate document.
10:16  ^ep The five kings had led the southern coalition against God’s people.

• Although the location of Makkedah is uncertain, it was in the same district as Lachish (15:39-41  ^eq) in the southern part of the western foothills, about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Limestone caves are numerous in that region.
Summary for Josh 10:18-19: 10:18-19  ^er By blocking the opening of the cave, Joshua reduced the number of guards needed to keep the kings from escaping. This also eliminated danger to the guards and freed more men to pursue the fleeing people.
10:21  ^es The armies returned safely, indicating that Israel suffered few or no casualties in this battle, a sign of God’s presence in the battle.

• no one dared: The Canaanites in the south now had firsthand experience that Israel’s powerful God was fighting them.
10:24  ^et Victorious commanders in the ancient Near East would commonly put their feet on defeated kings’ necks to symbolize their subjugation.
10:25  ^eu Joshua encouraged his men at Makkedah, using the same words God had used to encourage him before Israel crossed the Jordan and again before the battle of Ai (1:9  ^ev; 8:1  ^ew).
Summary for Josh 10:26-27: 10:26-27  ^ex Joshua’s execution of the five kings followed the pattern established with the king of Ai (see note on 8:29  ^ey).
Summary for Josh 10:28-39: 10:28-39  ^ez Joshua led the Israelites throughout southern Canaan, where they captured but did not burn a number of important cities. God had promised that Israel would dwell in cities they had not built (Deut 6:10  ^fa). 10:28  ^fb He destroyed them all: See study note on 2:9-10.
Summary for Josh 10:29-30: 10:29-30  ^fc Libnah was probably about six miles north of Lachish. Because the location of Makkedah is uncertain, how far it was from Libnah is also unknown.
Summary for Josh 10:31-33: 10:31-33  ^fd Lachish, by far the most important of the six cities taken at this time, was defended so well that it took Joshua until the second day to capture it.

• Gezer was about twenty-five miles north of Lachish. Lachish and Gezer might have had a mutual aid treaty.
Summary for Josh 10:38-39: 10:38-39  ^fe Because settlement in the hill country was sparse, the surrounding villages—walled towns that could not maintain their independence—depended on the kingdoms of the dominant cities for protection.
10:40  ^ff Joshua’s southern campaign cleared the way for the southern tribes to occupy this whole region when the settlement process began.

• the western foothills: See study note on Deut 1:7.
10:41  ^fg This Goshen was not the region in Egypt’s Nile delta (Gen 47:27  ^fh) but a town in the hill country (Josh 15:51  ^fi) south of Jerusalem. From Goshen up to Gibeon describes the eastern reach of Joshua’s southern campaign.
10:43  ^fj Joshua and his army were free to return to their camp at Gilgal in the Jordan Valley and turn their thoughts to the northern region of Canaan.

‏ Joshua 11

Summary for Josh 11:1-16: 11:1-16  ^fk Through the more detailed accounts of Joshua’s campaign in southern Canaan (chs 6-10  ^fl), the narrator established firmly that the Israelites needed God’s help to succeed. Because what had been true in the southern campaign would also be true in the northern campaign (ch 11  ^fm), those details were unnecessary here.
Summary for Josh 11:1-3: 11:1-3  ^fn Hazor lay along the international trade route and was by far the largest and most important inland city of Canaan (see 11:10  ^fo).

• Virtually all of northern Canaan joined the coalition of King Jabin against Israel. This region stretched from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the desert in the east and from the borders of Phoenicia in the north to the hill country and the Jordan Valley in the south.

• The term Jebusites typically refers to the people of Jerusalem and surrounding towns under its control. Perhaps men from Jebus were mercenaries to Jabin.

• Mizpah means “watchtower” or “lookout.” Several places had this name; this one was the extensive region of the lower slopes of Mount Hermon, the highest peak of the Promised Land.
11:4  ^fp In the ancient Near East at this time, horses only pulled chariots; cavalry and mounted bowmen did not appear until centuries later.

• Israel probably faced chariots for the first time in this battle against the northern coalition, where the land was flatter than in southern Canaan. As the heavy weapons of the battlefield, chariots easily overpowered foot soldiers. Scythes were often attached to the axles, and charioteers drove at opposing infantry to mow them down.
11:5  ^fq The location of Merom is unclear. The most likely site was in Upper Galilee a few miles west of Hazor.
11:6  ^fr God again urged Joshua not to be afraid, promising Israel the victory, even against horses and chariots.

• cripple their horses and burn their chariots: God wanted Israel to rely on him rather than weaponry and equipment (cp. Deut 17:16  ^fs; Isa 31:1  ^ft).
11:7  ^fu Joshua ... traveled: Jabin might have planned to move from Merom out of Upper Galilee to meet Israel on a more advantageous battlefield when all his forces were assembled. However, Joshua attacked suddenly, before Jabin could choose the battleground.
11:8  ^fv The Canaanites scattered widely, fleeing north and west into the territory of Greater Sidon on the Mediterranean coast and eastward into the valley of Mizpah.
11:11  ^fw completely destroyed: Archaeological excavation confirms that the city of Hazor was destroyed by fire during this period.
11:13  ^fx the towns built on mounds: In the ancient Near East it was common practice to rebuild cities on the same sites after they had been destroyed. All the elements that made a city site advantageous remained after a city’s destruction. Many cities were rebuilt numerous times, slowly rising in height as more debris accumulated after each destruction.

• Joshua burned only Hazor in the north, just as he had destroyed Jericho (6:24  ^fy) and Ai (8:28  ^fz) in the center of the land.
11:15  ^ga God commanded Joshua to exercise faithfulness to Moses’ torah, or “Book of Instruction” (1:7-10  ^gb). At the conclusion of the two major campaigns to occupy Canaan, the narrator reported that Joshua had obeyed all the commands faithfully.
11:18  ^gc Although the initial victories in both the southern and the northern campaigns were quick and decisive, it took a long time to take fortified cities. After Israel crossed the Jordan River, the total campaign for Canaan lasted perhaps five years (see 14:10  ^gd).
Summary for Josh 11:19-20: 11:19-20  ^ge The judgment on Canaan was God’s, not Israel’s. God had extended mercy to the Canaanites for several generations. However, God determined that “the sins of the Amorites” now “warrant their destruction” (Gen 15:16  ^gf), and he hardened their hearts. God used Israel as the instrument and agent of his judgment, just as in later centuries God used other nations to execute judgment upon Israel and Judah for their sins.
Summary for Josh 11:21-22: 11:21-22  ^gg the descendants of Anak: See Num 13:28  ^gh, 33  ^gi.
11:23  ^gj The major theme of the second half of Joshua is dividing the land.

• rest: See study note on 1:13.

‏ Joshua 12

Summary for Josh 12:1-24: 12:1-24  ^gk This chapter summarizes Israel’s conquests on both sides of the Jordan and transitions to Joshua’s distribution of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel (ch 13  ^gl). 12:1  ^gm The Arnon River flows into the Dead Sea midway down its eastern side, creating the Arnon Gorge. Israel began its conquests here (see Num 21:13-15  ^gn, 21-35  ^go).

• Mount Hermon lies twenty-five miles north-northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
12:2  ^gp King Sihon (see Num 21:24-25  ^gq) had controlled the northern Jordan Valley as far as the Sea of Galilee but not the northern part of Gilead (Josh 12:5  ^gr).
12:3  ^gs Beth-jeshimoth was Israel’s camp in the plains of Moab (Num 33:49  ^gt).

• Moses had viewed the Promised Land from Pisgah (Deut 34:1  ^gu).
12:4  ^gv King Og of Bashan: See Num 21:33-35  ^gw.

• The Rephaites were an indigenous people who lived on both sides of the Jordan. Many scholars have concluded that the Rephaites were unusually tall (see Deut 3:11  ^gx).

• Ashtaroth and Edrei: Many rulers of large kingdoms had palaces in more than one of their cities. The fact that Joshua credits only Og with more than one capital indicates that his kingdom was much larger than others Israel encountered, except for Sihon’s.
12:6  ^gy Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh: See Num 32  ^gz. The author of Joshua reminded the Israelites that their kin who lived east of the Jordan also belonged to Israel.
Summary for Josh 12:7-24: 12:7-24  ^ha Joshua and the Israelite armies faithfully carried out the tasks God gave them. This summary showcases their successes, providing proper recognition for their faithfulness. God gave the Israelites their promised inheritance while bringing about the long-delayed judgment of the Canaanites. This roster of defeated kings, identified by their city-states, provides evidence of God’s accomplished purposes. A solemn yet joyful recital for Israel, the list symbolizes God’s mighty acts for his people and exalts his own great name. 12:7  ^hb Baal-gad was at the western foot of Mount Hermon, the northern limit of Joshua’s conquests west of the Jordan.

• The valley of Lebanon divided the coastal Lebanon range and the inland Anti-Lebanon range.

• Mount Halak, which leads up to Seir (i.e., Edom), marked the southern limit of Joshua’s conquests.
12:8  ^hc Hittites ... Jebusites: See study note on 3:10.