Joshua 11:1

CHAPTER XI

The Kings of Hazor, Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph, with those

of the mountains, plains, c., and various chiefs of the

Canaanites and Amorites, confederate against Israel, 1-3.

They pitch their tents at the waters of Merom, 4, 5.

The Lord encourages Joshua, 6.

He attacks and discomfits them, 7, 8.

Houghs all their horses, and burns all their chariots, 9.

Takes and burns several of their cities, 10-13.

The Israelites take the spoils, 14, 15.

An account of the country taken by Joshua, 16-18.

The Gibeonites only make peace with Israel, 19.

All the rest resist and are overcome, 20.

Joshua cuts off the Anakim, 21, 22.

The conquered lands are given to Israel, and the war is

concluded, 23,

NOTES ON CHAP. XI

Verse Joshua 11:1. Jabin king of Hazor] It is probable that Jabin was the common name of all the kings of Hazor. That king, by whom the Israelites were kept in a state of slavery for twenty years, and who was defeated by Deborah and Barak, was called by this name see Judges 4:2; Judges 4:23. The name signifies wise or intelligent. The city of Hazor was situated above the Lake Semechon, in Upper Galilee, according to Josephus, Antiq. lib. v., c. 6. It was given to the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua 19:36, who it appears did not possess it long; for though it was burnt by Joshua, Joshua 11:11, it is likely that the Canaanites rebuilt it, and restored the ancient government, as we find a powerful king there about one hundred and thirty years after the death of Joshua, Judges 4:1. It is the same that was taken by Tiglath-pileser, together with Kadesh, to which it is contiguous; see 2 Kings 15:29. It is supposed to have given name to the Valley or Plain of Hazor or Nasor, situated between it and Kadesh, where Jonathan and Mattathias defeated the armies of Demetrius, and slew three thousand of their men, 1Mac 11:63-74. It was in ancient times the metropolitan city of all that district, and a number of petty kings or chieftains were subject to its king, see Joshua 11:10; and it is likely that it was those tributary kings who were summoned to attend the king of Hazor on this occasion; for Joshua having conquered the southern part of the promised land, the northern parts seeing themselves exposed made now a common interest, and, joining with Jabin, endeavoured to put a stop to the progress of the Israelites. See Calmet.

Jobab king of Madon] This royal city is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture except in Joshua 12:19. The Vatican copy of the Septuagint reads Μαρων, Maron, which, if legitimate, Calmet thinks may mean Maronia or Merath in Phoenicia, to the north of Mount Libanus. The Hebrew text reads מרון Meron, Joshua 12:20, after Shimron, which is probably the same with מדון Madon, Joshua 11:19, the word having casually dropped out of the preceding place into the latter, and the ר resh and ד daleth being interchanged, which might have easily happened from the great similarity of the letters. Hence Calmet conjectures that it may be the same place with מרוז Meroz, Judges 5:23, the ז zain and final ן nun being interchanged, which they might easily, as they are so very similar.

King of Shimron] This city is supposed to be the same with Symira, in Coelosyria, joined to Maron or Marath, by Pliny and Pomponius Mela. It cannot be Samaria, as that had its name long after by Omri king of Israel. See 1 Kings 16:24.

King of Achshaph] Calmet supposes this to have been the city of Ecdippe, mentioned by Pliny, Ptolemy, Josephus, and Eusebius. The latter places it within ten miles of Ptolemais, on the road to Tyre. It fell to the tribe of Asher. See Joshua 19:26.