Victories in the north

11 King Jabin of Hazor heard about this. So he sent word to Madon’s King Jobab, to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph. ² He sent word to the kings from the north part of the highlands, in the desert plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowlands, and in Naphoth-dor on the west. ³ He sent word to the Canaanites from east and west, to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the highlands, and to the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah. ⁴ They went out with all their battalions as a great army. They were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. There were very many horses and chariots. ⁵ All these kings came together. They came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

⁶ The Lord said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow, I will make them all dead bodies in Israel’s presence. Cripple their horses! Burn their chariots!”

⁷ Then Joshua along with the entire army launched a surprise attack against them at the waters of Merom. ⁸ The Lord gave them into Israel’s power. They struck them down. They chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, then to the east as far as the Mizpeh Valley. They struck them down until no survivors were left. ⁹ Joshua dealt with them exactly as the Lord had told him. He crippled their horses and burned their chariots.

¹⁰ Joshua turned back at that time. He captured Hazor and struck down its king with the sword. Hazor had been the head of all those kingdoms in the past.