Joshua 11 10

Joshua 11:10 kjv

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.

Joshua 11:10 nkjv

Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms.

Joshua 11:10 niv

At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.)

Joshua 11:10 esv

And Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms.

Joshua 11:10 nlt

Joshua then turned back and captured Hazor and killed its king. (Hazor had at one time been the capital of all these kingdoms.)

Joshua 11 verses

Joshua 11 10 Meaning

Joshua 11:10 records a pivotal strategic move by Joshua in the northern conquest of Canaan. It states that after subduing other northern cities, Joshua specifically turned his attention to Hazor, capturing it and striking its king with the sword. The verse provides the crucial reason for this particular focus: Hazor was the leading city, effectively the head or capital, among all the Canaanite kingdoms in that region. Its destruction was paramount to dismantling the organized resistance.

Joshua 11 10 Context

Joshua chapter 11 narrates the third major phase of Israel's conquest of Canaan, focusing on the northern region. After victories in the central (Jericho, Ai) and southern campaigns (against the coalition of five Amorite kings), the northern kings, led by Jabin king of Hazor, formed an even larger confederacy, gathering a vast army and many chariots by the Waters of Merom. Joshua, guided by the Lord, struck this formidable coalition, utterly defeating them. Verse 10 specifically describes Joshua's targeted follow-up action against Hazor itself. The historical context is the Late Bronze Age (around 1400-1200 BCE), when Hazor was arguably the largest and most influential city-state in Canaan, often acting as a regional hegemon. Its strategic location controlled key trade routes, making its power projection significant. The command to "strike" and destroy Hazor (and its king) was part of the cherem or "ban" doctrine, where God commanded the complete destruction of certain Canaanite cities as a judgment against their rampant idolatry and depravity (including child sacrifice), and to prevent spiritual defilement of Israel. This act was also a direct polemic against the strength of Canaanite gods, demonstrating Yahweh's absolute superiority over Baal, Asherah, and other deities supposedly protecting these cities and their formidable rulers.

Joshua 11 10 Word analysis

• And Joshua at that time:
  • This phrase indicates the strategic timing of Joshua's move against Hazor. It immediately follows the decisive defeat of the northern coalition at the Waters of Merom (Josh 11:7-9).
  • It highlights Joshua's continued leadership and adherence to the divine command. He did not rest after the major battle but systematically followed up on the principal enemy.
• turned back (שָׁב - shuv):
  • Meaning: To return, turn around, go back.
  • Significance: Suggests a purposeful redirection or a second movement. After engaging the northern coalition in a large field battle and chasing them, Joshua's "turning back" signifies his calculated decision to specifically address Hazor, which he initially bypassed in pursuit of the scattered enemy. This indicates a targeted operation, not merely a sweeping general advance.
• and took (לָכַד - lakad) Hazor (חָצוֹר - Chat͡zôr):
  • "took" (lakad): Meaning "to capture," "seize," "conquer." It implies the successful overpowering of a stronghold.
  • "Hazor" (Chat͡zôr): Likely means "enclosure" or "fortress." It was the largest and most significant city-state in northern Canaan during the Late Bronze Age, supported by archaeological evidence. Excavations at Tel Hazor confirm its immense size, advanced fortifications, and role as a dominant regional power, aligning perfectly with the biblical description. Its capture was not a minor event but a monumental feat.
• and struck (נָכָה - nakah) its king (מֶלֶךְ - melech) with the sword (חֶרֶב - cherev):
  • "struck" (nakah): Meaning "to strike," "smite," "slay," often used in the context of divine judgment or military execution. It implies a fatal blow, indicating a decisive defeat.
  • "its king" (melech): This was Jabin (mentioned in Josh 11:1), who assembled the powerful northern coalition. To "strike the king" means to remove the supreme political, military, and sometimes religious head of the city-state, utterly decapitating its leadership. This was a critical step in dismantling the regional power structure.
  • "with the sword" (cherev): The primary instrument of war and execution. This specific mention emphasizes the direct, physical nature of the judgment carried out by Joshua as God's instrument. It underscores the severity and finality of the act, in line with the cherem command.
• for Hazor formerly was the head (רֹאשׁ - ro'sh) of all those kingdoms (מַמְלָכוֹת - mamlachoth):
  • "for": Introduces the justification or reason for Joshua's specific focus on Hazor.
  • "formerly was": Confirms Hazor's established reputation and standing as a major power prior to its fall.
  • "the head" (ro'sh): Literally "head," but contextually meaning "chief," "principal," "foremost," "capital." It denotes Hazor's supremacy and leadership among the northern Canaanite city-states. It implies political, military, and perhaps economic dominance, making it the strategic heart of the northern resistance.
  • "of all those kingdoms" (mamlachoth): Refers to the various independent city-states or polities in the northern region that formed the coalition. This phrase solidifies Hazor's role as the central organizing force and most powerful entity. Destroying "the head" was the key to collapsing the entire system.

Words-group analysis:

• "And Joshua at that time turned back and took Hazor": This segment emphasizes Joshua's tactical genius guided by divine wisdom. He didn't merely engage in a random conquest but strategically targeted the central stronghold of the northern alliance after their field defeat, understanding Hazor's pivotal role. This focused action allowed for efficient subjugation.
• "and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms": This second part provides the profound justification for the intensity and specificity of the action against Hazor. The king, being the embodiment of the kingdom's strength and idolatrous practices, represented the sum total of Canaanite opposition. Eliminating him and the leading city was a decisive blow, designed by God to dismantle not just a physical enemy, but also the pagan system that opposed His divine purpose for Israel.

Joshua 11 10 Bonus section

The archaeological site of Tel Hazor has revealed multiple layers of destruction, with one particular level showing massive conflagration dating to the Late Bronze Age (consistent with the period of the biblical conquest), strongly supporting the biblical narrative of a fierce and complete destruction. This layer includes evidence of sophisticated Canaanite architecture, fortifications, and administrative structures, corroborating its description as "the head" of the kingdoms. The "cherem" (or "ban") commanded for these specific cities, including Hazor, was a unique, limited judgment that demonstrates God's holiness and His opposition to the extreme wickedness prevalent in Canaanite society, rather than a general template for all future warfare. It also ensured that Israel would not be spiritually contaminated by these cultures, a vital theological boundary for God's chosen people.

Joshua 11 10 Commentary

Joshua 11:10 marks the culmination of the northern campaign and highlights the strategic and theological importance of Hazor's destruction. Joshua's action was not a mere military triumph but an obedient execution of divine judgment against a major stronghold of idolatry and resistance. The meticulous focus on Hazor—its capture and the striking of its king—was directly because it symbolized the preeminent power and coordinating force of Canaanite opposition in the north. This specific destruction fulfilled God's promise to give Israel the land and served as a powerful declaration of Yahweh's sovereignty over even the mightiest human kingdoms and their patron deities. It shattered the backbone of organized resistance in the northern land, illustrating that God grants victory through the strategic obedience of His servants, enabling His people to inherit the promised land.