The kings of the north are overthrown: the whole country is taken.
11:1. And when Jabin king of Asor had heard these things, he sent to
Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Semeron, and to the king of
Achsaph:
11:2. And to the kings of the north, that dwelt in the mountains and in
the plains over against the south side of Ceneroth, and in the levels
and the countries of Dor by the sea side:
11:3. To the Chanaanites also on the east and on the west, and the
Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Jebusite in the
mountains: to the Hevite also who dwelt at the foot of Hermon in the
land of Maspha.
11:4. And they all came out with their troops, a people exceeding
numerous as the sand that is on the sea shore, their horses also and
chariots a very great multitude,
11:5. And all these kings assembled together at the waters of Merom, to
fight against Israel.
11:6. And the Lord said to Josue: Fear them not: for to morrow at this
same hour I will deliver all these to be slain in the sight of Israel:
thou shalt hamstring their horses, and thou shalt burn their chariots
with fire.
Hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire, etc... God so
ordained, that his people might not trust in chariots and horses, but in
him.
11:7. And Josue came, and all the army with him, against them to the
waters of Merom on a sudden, and fell upon them.
11:8. And the Lord delivered them into the hands of Israel. And they
defeated them, and chased them as far as the great Sidon and the waters
of Maserophot, and the field of Masphe, which is on the east thereof. He
slew them all, so as to leave no remains of them:
11:9. And he did as the Lord had commanded him, he hamstringed their
horses and burned their chariots.
11:10. And presently turning back he took Asor: and slew the king
thereof with the sword. Now Asor of old was the head of all these
kingdoms.
11:11. And he cut off all the souls that abode there: he left not in it
any remains, but utterly destroyed all, and burned the city itself with
fire.
11:12. And he took and put to the sword and destroyed all the cities
round about, and their kings, as Moses the servant of God had commanded
him.
11:13. Except the cities that were on hills and high places, the rest
Israel burned: only Asor that was very strong he consumed with fire.
11:14. And the children of Israel divided among themselves all the spoil
of these cities and the cattle, killing all the men.
11:15. As the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command
Josue, and he accomplished all: he left not one thing undone of all the
commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses.
11:16. So Josue took all the country of the hills, and of the south, and
the land of Gosen, and the plains and the west country, and the mountain
of Israel, and the plains thereof:
11:17. And part of the mountain that goeth up to Seir as far as Baalgad,
by the plain of Libanus under mount Hermon: all their kings he took,
smote and slew.
11:18. Josue made war a long time against these kings.
A long time... Seven years, as appears from chap. 14.10.
11:19. There was not a city that delivered itself to the children of
Israel, except the Hevite, who dwelt in Gabaon: for he took all by
fight.
11:20. For it was the sentence of the Lord, that their hearts should be
hardened, and they should fight against Israel, and fall, and should not
deserve any clemency, and should be destroyed as the Lord had commanded
Moses.
Hardened... This hardening of their hearts, was their having no thought
of yielding or submitting: which was a sentence or judgment of God upon
them in punishment of their enormous crimes.
11:21. At that time Josue came and cut off the Enancims from the
mountains, from Hebron, and Dabir, and Anab, and from all the mountain
of Juda and Israel, and destroyed their cities.
11:22. He left not any of the stock of the Enacims, in the land of the
children of Israel: except the cities of Gaza, and Geth, and Azotus, in
which alone they were left.
11:23. So Josue took all the land, as the Lord spoke to Moses, and
delivered it in possession to the children of Israel, according to their
divisions and tribes. And the land rested from wars.