Joshua 11:1-5 meaning

Joshua 11:1-5 describes an alliance formed among the kings of northern Canaanite cities.

Previously, the Israelite army conquered the southern part of the land of Canaan. They defeated a league of five Amorite armies that attacked Gibeon for allying with Israel. During the battle and upon Joshua's request, God altered the earth's rotation to give the Israelites more time to slaughter the enemy. After dealing with the armies, the Israelites killed the five kings and hanged them on five trees to shame them. At sunset, they brought them down from the trees and buried them in the cave where they had hidden themselves when fleeing the Israelite army. Finally, the Israelites destroyed six Canaanite towns: Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir (Joshua 10:1-43).

The Israelite victory in the south triggered feelings of fear among the leaders in the north, prompting them to join forces to oppose Israel. The leader of this opposing group was Jabin, king of Hazor (11:1). In Joshua's day, Hazor (modern Tel el-Kedah) was a large fortified town in north Galilee. It was about 10 miles north of the Sea of Galilee and a great commercial center of the trade routes between Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The king of Hazor heard of Israel's successes and was troubled. His fear of an imminent Israelite invasion caused him to launch a call to arms to three neighboring cities. He sent to Jobab, king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, and the king of Achshaph (v 1). Madon was about 19 miles southeast of Hazor and 3 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. According to the book of Joshua, Shimron was in the territory allotted to Zebulun, about 31 miles southwest of Hazor (Joshua 19:15). Likewise, Achshaph was about 26 miles southwest of Hazor.

Next, King Jabin contacted four kings in the neighboring regions: In the north in the hill country, in the Arabah⎯south of Chinneroth and in the lowland, and on the heights of Dor on the west (v 2). The hill country in the north refers to the highlands of Galilee. The Arabah, south of Chinneroth, refers to the Jordan rift valley north of the Dead Sea (Joshua 12:3). Chinneroth was an old name for the Sea of Galilee (Deuteronomy 3:17). The lowland (the "Shephelah") was the region of the western foothills. It extends from the southern coastal plain to the mountains of Judah (Deuteronomy 1:7, Joshua 9:1, 10:40). The heights of Dor probably refer to the Mediterranean coast plains south of Mount Carmel.

To provide maximum strength for his army, King Jabin also sent the same message to several ethnic groups. He called the Canaanite on the east and the west, the Amorite and the Hittite, the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpeh (v 3). This list appeared in Joshua 9 but in a different order. In Joshua 9, the text noted that the kings of these countries agreed to fight against Israel but gave no report regarding the attack (Joshua 9:1-2). Here in our passage, they assembled again.

The Canaanites were an ethnic group that dwelt "by the sea and by the side of the Jordan" (Numbers 13:29). The father of the Canaanites was Canaan the son of Ham (Genesis 9:18-27, 10:6) The term Amorite sometimes refers to anyone living in the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:16, Joshua 24:15). In the previous chapter, it described five kingdoms in the Ancient Near East: Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon (Joshua 10:5). However, in our passage, it likely refers to the people east of the Jordan River since the Israelites had defeated the five kingdoms in their previous campaign (Joshua 10:10).

According to Genesis, the Hittites descended from Canaan through Heth and lived near Hebron (Genesis 10:15, 23:1-20). The Perizzites lived in unwalled suburbs east and west of the Jordan River. The Jebusites were the occupants of the region later associated with the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 15:63). They largely inhabited the stronghold of Jerusalem and King David would later buy a plot of land from Ornan the Jebusite which would become the site of the first and second temples (1 Chronicles 21:22, 2 Chronicles 3:1). The Hivites were the peoples of Shechem in the days of Jacob (Genesis 34:2). They lived at the foot of Hermon, a mountain located above the valley of Lebanon (Joshua 11:17). In other words, they were in the land of Mizpeh, the valley coming south through the Huleh basin flanked on the east by Mount Hermon. (see map)

The kings of these cities and regions came out, along with all their armies, to try to defeat Israel (v 4). This confederacy was numerous. It had as many people as the sand on the seashore, an expression describing the size of the enemy army. This is a host that would seem undefeatable, based on appearances. It was also impressive because it had very many horses and chariots.

Chariots were two-wheeled carts pulled by two horses and used in ancient warfare and racing. They were mobile platforms allowing soldiers to shoot arrows at their foes. The northern Canaanite armies utilized this equipment and heavily relied on it. Thus, all these kings agreed to meet because they thought they were ready for the battle (v 5). They came and encamped together at the waters of Merom (v 5), a spring running southward from the mountains of Galilee into the upper northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. Their goal was to fight against Israel and defeat them, thus keeping their dominions.

The conquest of Canaan was a war to receive the inheritance God had promised His chosen people, and to purge the land of evil cultures and practices. The enemy troops relied on their horses and chariots, the ultimate weapon of the day. However, the Israelites were to "boast in the name of the LORD," their God (Psalm 20:7). They depended on their Suzerain (or Ruler) for victory. Therefore, as an invincible warrior, Yahweh would fight for His covenant people to ensure they possessed the land of Canaan, as He had promised them (Deuteronomy 1:8, 6:23).