Joshua Chapter 11
Showing all 23 verses for Joshua Chapter 11.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"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, "
"When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard about all this, he sent messages to Jobab king of Madon, the king of Shimron, and the king of Achshaph."
Jabin gathers allies the moment he hears what has happened in the south - fear of what I am doing spreads and provokes fresh opposition. Do not be discouraged when one victory in your life stirs up a new challenge; growth often invites new resistance, and I am ready for it.
"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, "
"He also sent to the kings north of the mountains, in the plains south of Kinneroth, in the valley, and in the region of Dor to the west."
This coalition spans a huge geographic area, north, south, east and west - showing how widespread resistance can become when many people fear losing their old way of life. Even facing broad, coordinated opposition, remember that breadth of resistance never outmatches my power.
"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. "
"He also called on the Canaanites to the east and west, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, the Jebusites in the mountains, and the Hivites at the foot of Mount Hermon in the land of Mizpah."
The list of peoples here - Canaanite, Amorite, Hittite, Perizzite, Jebusite, Hivite - shows the sheer diversity of nations arrayed against Israel. No combination of opposing forces, however varied, is too much for me to overcome on behalf of those I love.
"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. "
"They all marched out together with their armies - a huge number of people, as many as the grains of sand on a beach, along with a great many horses and chariots."
This vast army with horses and chariots 'as the sand upon the sea shore' would terrify anyone measuring by human strength - but numbers never intimidate me. However overwhelming your circumstances look, remember that size is never a match for my power.
"And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. "
"Once all these kings had joined forces, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel."
The enemy kings unite at the waters of Merom to plan their assault together, but their gathering only concentrates them for a single, decisive defeat. Sometimes what looks like strength in numbers is actually an opportunity for me to work more completely.
"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. "
"The LORD told Joshua, 'Don't be afraid of them - by this time tomorrow I will hand them all over to Israel, dead. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.'"
Before the battle I tell Joshua again, 'Be not afraid,' and promise the victory in advance along with specific instructions. I do not simply promise outcomes - I also guide you in the practical steps of what to do next; listen closely for both.
"So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. "
"So Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom and attacked them."
Joshua attacks 'suddenly' - moving decisively the moment I give the instruction, without hesitation or second-guessing. When you are confident I have spoken, act with the same boldness rather than delaying out of fear.
"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. "
"The LORD handed them over to Israel, who struck them down and chased them all the way to great Sidon, to Misrephoth-maim, and to the valley of Mizpeh in the east, until no one was left."
Once again I deliver the enemy into Israel's hand - the outcome was decided before the fighting began. Rest in the assurance that when I have promised you something, the results are already secured even while the process is still unfolding.
"And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. "
"Joshua did exactly as the LORD had told him - he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots."
Joshua does exactly as I commanded - houghing the horses and burning the chariots - even though it would have been tempting to keep such valuable spoils of war. Sometimes obedience means giving up something that looks useful to you, because I know it would become a snare instead.
"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. "
"At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor, killing its king - because Hazor had been the leading city among all those kingdoms."
Hazor, as head of all those kingdoms, receives particular attention because dismantling the source of opposition matters more than scattering its parts. Sometimes dealing with the root of a struggle in your own life accomplishes more than treating each symptom separately.
"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. "
"They struck down everyone in the city, destroying them completely - no one was left alive - and Joshua burned Hazor to the ground."
The complete destruction of Hazor, including its burning, was a severe judgement on a city that had led generations of opposition to my purposes. These hard passages point forward to how seriously I take sin and rebellion, and how completely Jesus dealt with it once for all on the cross.
"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. "
"Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, and all the kings themselves, striking them down and destroying them completely, just as Moses, the LORD's servant, had commanded."
Joshua acted 'as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded' - his obedience was not improvised but followed instructions given long before he was even leading Israel. Trust that the guidance I have given you through my word still applies, even in situations that feel entirely new.
"But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. "
"But as for the cities that were left standing on their mounds, Israel didn't burn any of them, except Hazor - that one Joshua burned."
Notice the restraint here - Israel burned none of the standing cities except Hazor. Obedience to me is precise, not excessive; do not go beyond what I have actually asked of you, even when destruction feels justified.
"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. "
"The Israelites kept all the goods and livestock from these cities for themselves, but they killed every person, until none were left alive."
Israel took the spoil and cattle for themselves but destroyed every person under the ban - showing that they distinguished between what I permitted and what I required. Learn to discern carefully between my clear instructions and your own preferences or assumptions about what should follow.
"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. "
"Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did - he left nothing undone of everything the LORD had commanded Moses."
This verse traces an unbroken chain of obedience - from me to Moses, from Moses to Joshua, and Joshua left nothing undone. Faithfulness is often passed down through generations of people who each simply do what was entrusted to them; be a faithful link in that chain.
"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; "
"So Joshua took control of the whole land - the hill country, the southern desert region, the land of Goshen, the valley, the plain, the mountains of Israel, and their valleys."
The summary of territory taken here reflects the completeness of what I had promised - hills, south country, valley, plain, and mountain, all included. When I make a promise, I do not fulfil it partially; trust that I follow through completely, even when it takes time to see the whole picture.
"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. "
"From Mount Halak, which rises towards Seir, all the way to Baal-gad in the Lebanon valley below Mount Hermon - he captured, struck down, and killed all their kings."
The territory described here stretches over an enormous distance, achieved through years of persistent obedience rather than a single dramatic moment. Big, lasting change in your own life usually comes the same way - through sustained faithfulness over time, not one great leap.
"Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. "
"Joshua waged war against all these kings over a long period of time."
'Joshua made war a long time' - a plain, honest statement that following my calling is not always quick or easy. Do not lose heart if your own calling takes far longer than you expected; endurance is part of the journey, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
"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. "
"No city made peace with Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon - all the others were taken by force."
Only Gibeon made peace with Israel - a reminder that peace was always available, but most refused to seek it. I offer peace freely to all who come to me; the tragedy is never a lack of mercy on my part, but a refusal to receive it.
"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. "
"This was because the LORD hardened their hearts to make them fight against Israel in battle, so that they would be completely destroyed, shown no mercy, and wiped out - just as the LORD had commanded Moses."
This is a hard verse about hearts being hardened, echoing Pharaoh's story, where persistent rebellion eventually meets its consequence. Be careful about repeatedly hardening your own heart against me; softness and responsiveness to me now is always better than the alternative later.
"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. "
"At that time Joshua also went and wiped out the Anakim from the hill country - from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel - destroying them completely along with their cities."
The Anakim, once a source of paralysing fear for the spies forty years earlier, are finally overcome - showing that what once seemed impossibly intimidating does eventually fall before persistent faith. Whatever fear held you back in the past need not hold power over you forever when you keep trusting me.
"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. "
"No Anakim were left anywhere in Israel's territory - only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did some remain."
A few Anakim remain in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod - a small detail that sets up the later story of Goliath, showing that unfinished business in one generation can resurface in the next. Take seriously the work I give you now, because incomplete obedience can leave challenges for those who come after you.
"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 control of the entire land, exactly as the LORD had told Moses, and gave it to Israel as their inheritance, divided among their tribes. And the land finally had rest from war."
The chapter ends with rest from war and the land divided as an inheritance - a beautiful picture of how faithful obedience leads finally to rest and provision. Every season of struggle you walk through with me is moving towards a rest and inheritance that I have already prepared for you.