Joshua 11 16

Joshua 11:16 kjv

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;

Joshua 11:16 nkjv

Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain?the mountains of Israel and its lowlands,

Joshua 11:16 niv

So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills,

Joshua 11:16 esv

So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland

Joshua 11:16 nlt

So Joshua conquered the entire region ? the hill country, the entire Negev, the whole area around the town of Goshen, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley, the mountains of Israel, and the Galilean foothills.

Joshua 11 verses

Joshua 11 16 Meaning

Joshua 11:16 states that Joshua completed the comprehensive conquest of the promised land, specifically enumerating key geographical regions: the central hill country, the southern Negev, the distinctive land of Goshen in Judah, the western lowland (Shephelah), the Arabah rift valley, and finally the hill country of Israel and its associated lowland. This verse encapsulates the successful military campaigns and the fulfillment of God's command to possess the land.

Joshua 11 16 Context

Joshua 11:16 appears as a climactic summary following the northern campaigns described in Joshua 11:1-15. These verses detail Joshua's decisive victories against the northern kings, particularly at the waters of Merom, effectively crushing organized resistance throughout Canaan. The preceding verses highlighted the fulfillment of God's command regarding total destruction and taking plunder, contrasting with previous directives. This verse, therefore, serves as a sweeping statement of military accomplishment, signifying that all the significant geographic regions of the promised land, from north to south, hill country to valley, had come under Israelite control. It signals a major turning point from the phase of unified, large-scale conquest to the subsequent period of land distribution and localized tribal efforts against remaining pockets of resistance.

Historically, the conquest was God's fulfillment of the ancient Abrahamic covenant, providing Israel with the land designated for them. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over nations and His faithfulness to His word, executed through the obedient leadership of Joshua and the unified effort of Israel. This conquest established a distinct territorial identity for the burgeoning nation of Israel, separating them from the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites.

Joshua 11 16 Word analysis

• וַיִּקַּח (Vayyikakh): "And he took" or "And he captured." From the Hebrew root לקח (lakach), meaning "to take, seize, acquire." This word indicates an active, decisive, and complete appropriation. It emphasizes that Joshua, empowered by God, truly possessed these regions, not just passed through them. This suggests military dominance and effective control.

• יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua): "Joshua." Meaning "The Lord is salvation" or "The Lord saves." He is God's chosen leader who faithfully carried out the divine commission, embodying the saving power of God in action. His name foreshadows Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), who brings ultimate salvation and rest.

• אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת (et-kol-ha'aretz hazzo't): "all this land."

  • כָּל־ (kol): "all" or "every." This particle emphasizes totality and completeness. It signifies that the conquest covered the entire extent of the divinely promised territory from Israel's perspective of effective control at this stage.
  • הָאָרֶץ (ha'aretz): "the land." Specifically, the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his descendants.
  • הַזֹּאת (hazzo't): "this." Points to the territory just described through the northern campaigns, indicating it was indeed this specific land that was taken.

• הָהָר (ha-har): "the hill country." Refers to the central mountain range running through Canaan, the backbone of the land, which included both the southern hill country (Judah's hill country) and the northern hill country of Israel. It was strategically vital.

• וְאֶת־כָּל־הַנֶּגֶב (ve'et-kol-ha'Negev): "and all the Negev." The arid southern region of Canaan, essential for completing the North-South scope of the conquest.

• וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הַגֹּשֶׁן (ve'et kol-eretz ha'Goshen): "and all the land of Goshen." Distinct from the Goshen in Egypt. This refers to a specific area in southern Judah (see Josh 15:51). Its inclusion indicates thoroughness even in specific regional areas.

• וְאֶת־הַשְּׁפֵלָה (ve'et-ha'Shefelah): "and the Lowland/Shephelah." The fertile foothills and valleys west of the central hill country, acting as a crucial buffer zone between the mountains and the coastal plain.

• וְאֶת־הָעֲרָבָה (ve'et-ha'Aravah): "and the Arabah." The great rift valley, including the Jordan Valley, stretching from the Sea of Galilee south to the Red Sea. Its inclusion signifies control over significant geographical features.

• וְאֶת־הַהַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־שְׁפֵלָתוֹ (ve'et-ha'har Yisra'el ve'et-Shefelato): "and the hill country of Israel and its lowland." This specifies the main Israelite settlement areas, differentiating it from a broader "hill country." It emphasizes the specific, central core of the Israelite patrimony now firmly in their hands.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "So Joshua took all that land...": This opening phrase underscores the fulfillment of God's direct command given to Joshua in Joshua 1:3: "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you..." The "taking" is presented as a completed action, not merely a future hope.
  • "the hill country, all the Negeb, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Arabah, as well as the hill country of Israel and its lowland": This is a detailed geographical inventory employing a literary device known as merism. By listing distinct and sometimes opposing geographical features (highlands and lowlands, northern and southern regions), the text emphasizes that the entirety of the land had come under Israelite control. It's a comprehensive claim to sovereignty over the divinely appointed territory. The repetition of "all" (Hebrew: kol) reinforces this sense of complete capture across varied terrains. The enumeration points to a strategically significant conquest rather than isolated skirmishes.

Joshua 11 16 Bonus section

The seemingly total conquest presented here (Joshua 11:16-23) must be understood within its narrative and theological context. It represents the effective overthrow of organized, pan-Canaanite resistance and the securement of strategic areas, establishing Israelite hegemony over the region. It does not imply that every single town or individual Canaanite was eliminated from every corner of the land. Subsequent chapters (e.g., Joshua 13, 15, 17, Judges 1) clarify that much "land remained to be possessed," and local tribes had to complete their inheritance. Thus, Joshua 11:16 signals the completion of the national, unified, large-scale military operation under Joshua, bringing the major phase of conquest to an end. This distinction is crucial for understanding the tension between God's promise, Joshua's success, and Israel's ongoing responsibility.

Joshua 11 16 Commentary

Joshua 11:16 is a triumphant summary statement, declaring the success of Israel's military campaigns under Joshua's leadership. It highlights that the major strongholds and strategic regions across the entire land of Canaan were decisively taken. This verse emphasizes the fulfillment of God's ancient promise to Abraham and his descendants concerning the land. It portrays a period where unified, national conquest, guided by divine command, secured the physical territory that would become Israel. The careful listing of geographical areas serves as a comprehensive inventory, assuring the reader of the scope of Israel's control. While subsequent chapters reveal that certain pockets of resistance remained for the tribes to clear out, this verse signifies that the centralized power of the Canaanites was broken, and Israel had effectively seized the land according to God's purpose. It stands as a testament to God's faithfulness, power, and the importance of obedience to His commands in bringing His promises to fruition.

For example, this comprehensive capture ensures a land where Israel can now establish its worship and follow God's laws, unlike the nomadic past or oppressive Egyptian servitude. It signifies the provision of rest from their journeying and a place for the covenant to thrive.