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) 2} 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; ³ 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) 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.^{(M) 5} All these kings joined forces^(N) and made camp together at the Waters of Merom^(O) to fight against Israel.

⁶ 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)

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,^(S) to Misrephoth Maim,^(T) 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.

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)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin^(A) as far as Rehob,^(B) toward Lebo Hamath.^{(C) 22} They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,^(D) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,^(E) the descendants of Anak,^(F) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)^{(G) 23} When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,^[a](H) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates^(I) and figs.^{(J) 24} That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days^(K) they returned from exploring the land.^(L)

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(M) in the Desert of Paran.^(N) There they reported to them^(O) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(P) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(Q) Here is its fruit.^{(R) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(S) We even saw descendants of Anak^(T) there.^{(U) 29} The Amalekites^(V) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(W) Jebusites^(X) and Amorites^(Y) live in the hill country;^(Z) and the Canaanites^(AA) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(AB)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(AC) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(AD) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(AE) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(AF) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(AG) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(AH) there (the descendants of Anak^(AI) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(AJ) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(AK) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(AL) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(AM) Or in this wilderness!^{(AN) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(AO) Our wives and children^(AP) will be taken as plunder.^(AQ) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(AR)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(AS)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(AT) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(AU) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(AV) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(AW) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(AX) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(AY) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(AZ) and will give it to us.^{(BA) 9} Only do not rebel^(BB) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(BC) of the people of the land,^(BD) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(BE) us.^(BF) Do not be afraid of them.”^(BG)

Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness

9 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan^(A) to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you,^(B) with large cities^(C) that have walls up to the sky.^{(D) 2} The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”^{(E) 3} But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you^(F) like a devouring fire.^(G) He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly,^(H) as the Lord has promised you.

⁴ After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself,^(I) “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness^(J) of these nations^(K) that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. ⁵ It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity^(L) that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness^(M) of these nations,^(N) the Lord your God will drive them out^(O) before you, to accomplish what he swore^(P) to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.^(Q)