Conquest of Northern Cities

11 When Jabin king of Hazor heard this news, he sent a message to:

Jobab king of Madon,
the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,
and the kings of the north in the hill country,
the Arabah south of Chinnereth,(A)
the Judean foothills,[a]
and the Slopes of Dor[b] to the west,
the Canaanites in the east and west,
the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites,
and Jebusites in the hill country,
and the Hivites at the foot of Hermon
in the land of Mizpah.(B)

They went out with all their armies—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore—along with a vast number of horses and chariots. All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.(C)

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to be killed before Israel.(D) You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”(E) So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them. The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the Valley of Mizpeh.[c](F) They struck them down, leaving no survivors. Joshua treated them as the Lord had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms. 11 They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying(G) them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.

12 Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord’s servant(H) had commanded. 13 However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one alive. 15 Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

Summary of Conquests

16 So Joshua took all this land—the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen,(I) the foothills,[d] the Arabah, and the hill country of Israel with its foothills[e] 17 from Mount Halak,(J) which ascends to Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.(K) 18 Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time. 19 No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites who inhabited Gibeon;(L) all of them were taken in battle. 20 For it was the Lord’s intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 At that time Joshua proceeded to exterminate the Anakim(M) from the hill country—Hebron, Debir, Anab—all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities. 22 No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites, except for some remaining in Gaza, Gath,(N) and Ashdod.

23 So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the Lord had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.(O)

Territory East of the Jordan

12 The Israelites struck down the following kings of the land and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan to the east and from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward:(P)

Sihon king of the Amorites lived in Heshbon. He ruled over the territory from Aroer(Q) on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites(R)), the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth[f] to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth(S) and southward[g] below the slopes of Pisgah.(T)

Og[h] king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.(U) He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all Bashan up to the Geshurite and Maacathite border, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon, king of Heshbon.(V)

Moses the Lord’s servant(W) and the Israelites struck them(X) down. And Moses the Lord’s servant gave their land as an inheritance to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.(Y)

Territory West of the Jordan

Joshua and the Israelites struck down the following kings of the land beyond the Jordan to the west, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak,(Z) which ascends toward Seir (Joshua gave their land as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their allotments: the hill country, the Judean foothills,[i] the Arabah, the slopes, the desert, and the Negev of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites):

the king of Jericho(AA)one
the king of Ai,(AB) which is next to Bethelone
10 the king of Jerusalem(AC)one
the king of Hebronone
11 the king of Jarmuthone
the king of Lachishone
12 the king of Eglonone
the king of Gezerone
13 the king of Debirone
the king of Gederone
14 the king of Hormahone
the king of Aradone
15 the king of Libnahone
the king of Adullamone
16 the king of Makkedahone
the king of Bethelone
17 the king of Tappuahone
the king of Hepherone
18 the king of Aphekone
the king of Lasharonone
19 the king of Madonone
the king of Hazorone
20 the king of Shimron-meronone
the king of Achshaphone
21 the king of Taanachone
the king of Megiddoone
22 the king of Kedeshone
the king of Jokneam in Carmelone
23 the king of Dor in Naphath-dor[j]one
the king of Goiim in Gilgal[k]one
24 the king of Tirzahone
the total number of all kings:31.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 11:2 Or the Shephelah
  2. Joshua 11:2 Or and in Naphoth-dor
  3. Joshua 11:8 = Mizpah; Jos 11:3; 18:26
  4. Joshua 11:16 Or the Shephelah
  5. Joshua 11:16 Or its Shephelah
  6. Joshua 12:3 = the Sea of Galilee
  7. Joshua 12:3 Or and from Teman
  8. Joshua 12:4 LXX; MT reads The territory of Og
  9. Joshua 12:8 Or the Shephelah
  10. Joshua 12:23 Or in the Slopes of Dor
  11. Joshua 12:23 LXX reads Galilee

Northern Kings Defeated

11 When Jabin(A) king of Hazor(B) heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron(C) and Akshaph,(D) and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah(E) south of Kinnereth,(F) in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor(G) on the west; to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites(H) and Jebusites in the hill country;(I) and to the Hivites(J) below Hermon(K) in the region of Mizpah.(L) 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.(M) All these kings joined forces(N) and made camp together at the Waters of Merom(O) to fight against Israel.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand(P) all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring(Q) their horses and burn their chariots.”(R)

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

10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.(U) (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed[a] them,(V) not sparing anyone that breathed,(W) and he burned(X) 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.(Y) 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.(Z) 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.(AA)

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

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites(AO) from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir(AP) and Anab,(AQ) 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,(AR) Gath(AS) and Ashdod(AT) did any survive.

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

List of Defeated Kings

12 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took(AZ) over east of the Jordan,(BA) from the Arnon(BB) Gorge to Mount Hermon,(BC) including all the eastern side of the Arabah:(BD)

Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.(BE)

He ruled from Aroer(BF) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River,(BG) which is the border of the Ammonites.(BH) This included half of Gilead.(BI) He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee[b](BJ) to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea(BK)), to Beth Jeshimoth,(BL) and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.(BM)

And the territory of Og king of Bashan,(BN) one of the last of the Rephaites,(BO) who reigned in Ashtaroth(BP) and Edrei.

He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah,(BQ) all of Bashan(BR) to the border of the people of Geshur(BS) and Maakah,(BT) and half of Gilead(BU) to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them.(BV) And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.(BW)

Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon(BX) to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev.(BY) These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:(BZ)

the king of Jericho(CA)one
the king of Ai(CB) (near Bethel(CC))one
10 the king of Jerusalem(CD)one
the king of Hebronone
11 the king of Jarmuthone
the king of Lachish(CE)one
12 the king of Eglon(CF)one
the king of Gezer(CG)one
13 the king of Debir(CH)one
the king of Gederone
14 the king of Hormah(CI)one
the king of Arad(CJ)one
15 the king of Libnah(CK)one
the king of Adullam(CL)one
16 the king of Makkedah(CM)one
the king of Bethel(CN)one
17 the king of Tappuah(CO)one
the king of Hepher(CP)one
18 the king of Aphek(CQ)one
the king of Lasharonone
19 the king of Madonone
the king of Hazor(CR)one
20 the king of Shimron Meronone
the king of Akshaph(CS)one
21 the king of Taanach(CT)one
the king of Megiddo(CU)one
22 the king of Kedesh(CV)one
the king of Jokneam(CW) in Carmel(CX)one
23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor(CY))one
the king of Goyim in Gilgalone
24 the king of Tirzah(CZ)one
thirty-one kings in all.(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 11:11 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 12, 20 and 21.
  2. Joshua 12:3 Hebrew Kinnereth