Joshua 11 8

Joshua 11:8 kjv

And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

Joshua 11:8 nkjv

And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining.

Joshua 11:8 niv

and the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left.

Joshua 11:8 esv

And the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining.

Joshua 11:8 nlt

And the LORD gave them victory over their enemies. The Israelites chased them as far as Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward into the valley of Mizpah, until not one enemy warrior was left alive.

Joshua 11 verses

Joshua 11 8 Meaning

Joshua 11:8 profoundly states that the Lord Almighty empowered Israel to decisively defeat the formidable northern coalition of Canaanite kings. The verse details the execution of this divine victory, highlighting the comprehensive military action—striking and relentless pursuit—that covered a vast geographical area, extending from the northwestern coastlands to the eastern valleys. The culmination of this effort was the utter annihilation of the enemy, leaving no survivors, signifying the complete fulfillment of divine judgment and the successful eradication of a significant threat to Israel's nascent possession of the Promised Land.

Joshua 11 8 Context

Joshua chapter 11 narrates the northern campaign of the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Having already subdued the southern kings, Joshua now faces a powerful and numerous coalition led by Jabin, King of Hazor, joined by various other northern kings. This was the largest assembly of enemy forces Israel had yet encountered, demonstrating the scale of resistance to God's plan for His people. Joshua 11:8 comes after the miraculous defeat of these forces by divine intervention, with God throwing them into confusion (v. 6-7). This specific verse focuses on the human execution of that divine victory—the pursuit and total destruction of the enemy across a vast geographic area. Historically, this campaign marked a crucial phase in establishing Israel's dominion over the Promised Land, extending their control and authority northward, and cleansing the land of its idolatrous inhabitants as commanded by God. The meticulous description of the chase illustrates the comprehensiveness of the victory and obedience to the herem (devotion to destruction) command.

Joshua 11 8 Word analysis

• And the LORD (וַיהוָה, waYHWH): The connective "And" (וְ, w') links this action directly to the preceding divine instruction and intervention. "The LORD" (YHWH, the covenant name of God) unequivocally identifies the true agent and initiator of this victory. It highlights that the success was not due to Israel's strength or military prowess but God's sovereign power and faithfulness. This emphasizes the theocentric nature of the conquest.
• delivered (נָתַן, nātan): Meaning "gave," "placed," or "handed over." This verb denotes a decisive transfer of ownership or control by God. It implies His intentional, active handing over of the enemies, signifying His complete authority over the outcome of battles.
• them: Refers to the collective forces of the northern kings and their armies (cf. Josh 11:1-5).
• into the hand of Israel: A common Hebrew idiom meaning to give into their power, control, or subjection. Israel served as the instrument through which God's judgment was executed. Their hand became the vessel of divine judgment, not the source of their own power.
• who struck them (וַיַּכּוּם, vayakkûm): From the verb נָכָה, nākāh, "to strike, smite, kill." This signifies the direct and immediate engagement in battle, resulting in casualties. It reflects Israel's active role as the instrument of divine judgment.
• and pursued them (וַיִּרְדְּפוּם, vayyirdᵉpûm): From רָדַף, rāḏaf, "to chase, follow, pursue." This denotes a relentless and extended pursuit after the initial rout, indicating a comprehensive strategy to prevent the enemy from regrouping or escaping. It ensured the complete eradication commanded by God.
• as far as Great Sidon (עַד צִידוֹן רַבָּה, ʿad Tsîḏôwn Rabbâ): "Sidon" was a prominent Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast, historically associated with idol worship (Baal, Ashtoreth). "Great" (רַבָּה, Rabbâ) indicates its significance and size. The mention of Sidon marks the extreme northwest geographical limit of the pursuit, showing the extensive reach of the campaign, indicating their control of the approaches to such cities, rather than direct conquest of Sidon itself at this stage. It implicitly contrasts the power of YHWH with the false deities of such cities.
• and Misrephoth-maim (וְעַד מִשְׂרְפוֹת מַיִם, wᵉʿaḏ Miśrᵉfôṯ Mayim): The exact location is uncertain, but generally understood as a place along the Mediterranean coast, north of Mount Carmel. Its name potentially means "burnings of water" or "smelting places by water." Its inclusion further underscores the vast northwesterly extent of the pursuit, affirming Israel's authority over a wide and diverse territory.
• and as far as the Valley of Mizpeh eastward (וְעַד בִּקְעַת מִצְפֶּה מִזְרָחָה, wᵉʿaḏ Biqʿaṯ Miṣpeh Mizrāḥâ): "Mizpeh" means "watchtower," possibly referring to one of several places with this name, likely near Mount Hermon, marking the northeastern extent. This indicates the broad eastward sweep of the pursuit, confirming the extensive scope of the defeat across the entire northern region.
• and they struck them until they left them none remaining (וַיַּכּוּם עַד בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִיר לָהֶם נְשָׁמָה, vayyakkûm ʿad bil·tî hišʾîr lâhem nešâmâh): "Left them none remaining" is a crucial phrase from bil·tî hišʾîr, indicating complete annihilation. The Hebrew word נְשָׁמָה (neshama) here implies "breath" or "living being." This directly references the herem command, meaning they were utterly devoted to destruction, leaving no living creature as per God's command in Deut 20:16-17, signifying a thorough purification of the land and elimination of corrupting pagan influences.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel": This phrase emphasizes the divine initiative and the theological underpinning of the conquest. It was a divinely orchestrated transfer of power. Israel's victory was not of their own making, but a gift and empowerment from YHWH, reinforcing His covenant faithfulness and power. This sets the theological framework for understanding Israel's successes.
• "who struck them and pursued them": This highlights the human obedience and instrumentality in executing God's will. The military action was thorough and systematic: direct engagement (striking) followed by an exhaustive follow-up (pursuit) to ensure total victory, leaving no enemy capable of resurgence.
• "as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and as far as the Valley of Mizpeh eastward": This triplet of geographical markers graphically illustrates the immense geographical scope and thoroughness of the pursuit. From the significant Phoenician coastal region to the strategic eastern valley, the battle's reach extended across a vast area, indicating an overwhelming and complete routing of the enemy across the northern territories, encompassing the entirety of their power base.
• "and they struck them until they left them none remaining": This climatic statement signifies the full implementation of the herem command. It was a divinely mandated eradication of the pagan inhabitants to prevent idolatry and preserve the spiritual purity of Israel, highlighting the severity of God's judgment against the wickedness of the Canaanite nations. This was not random slaughter but a holy war of judgment and spiritual cleansing.

Joshua 11 8 Bonus section

• The success described in Joshua 11:8, especially the utter annihilation of enemies "leaving them none remaining," is a direct fulfillment of promises and commands given earlier in Deuteronomy, such as Deut 7:16, 20:16-17. This underscores the continuity of God's word and His determination to fulfill His covenant with Israel.
• The extensive geographical pursuit ("as far as Great Sidon... Mizpeh eastward") establishes the boundaries of influence for Israel's dominion. While Israel did not necessarily permanently occupy or conquer Sidon itself at this stage, the pursuit reaching so far signified their capacity and the extent of their granted territory or influence according to divine promise.
• This verse stands as a powerful demonstration that Israel's battles were fundamentally holy wars. The outcome depended on God's initiative and strength, with Israel serving as the divinely appointed agent for carrying out His judgment and purifying the land. This contrasts sharply with typical ancient Near Eastern warfare, emphasizing unique theological principles.
• The thoroughness of this northern campaign under Joshua (contrasted with later partial conquests) served as a model of complete obedience. It reminds believers that full adherence to God's will, even when difficult, brings complete victory and secures the inheritance He provides.

Joshua 11 8 Commentary

Joshua 11:8 is a concise yet powerful testament to God's unwavering faithfulness and His active involvement in Israel's conquest of Canaan. It reaffirms the central theme of Joshua: divine enablement leading to complete victory when Israel walks in obedience. The verse moves beyond a simple military report; it is a theological declaration that "the LORD delivered them," emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty as the One who orchestrates history and gives triumph. Israel's role was instrumental—to strike and pursue—but the power, direction, and ultimate outcome stemmed from Yahweh.

The geographic markers, "Great Sidon," "Misrephoth-maim," and the "Valley of Mizpeh eastward," are not mere details; they underscore the unprecedented scope of this northern campaign. The reach of Israel's pursuit implies an immense distance, signifying the utterly comprehensive nature of the defeat and the establishment of Israel's dominion across significant portions of the Promised Land. This meticulous account contrasts starkly with later periods (e.g., Judges) where Israel failed to fully drive out the inhabitants, leading to spiritual decline. Joshua's campaign, particularly as described here, was a complete fulfillment of the divine command to purge the land.

Finally, "until they left them none remaining" speaks to the divine command of herem, the devotion of specific enemies to total destruction. This was not a barbaric act but a severe divine judgment against nations whose wickedness and idolatry had reached their zenith (Gen 15:16). It served as a prophylactic measure to prevent moral and spiritual corruption from infecting Israel. This thorough eradication secured the land for Israel and purified it for the worship of the one true God. The verse ultimately highlights that Israel's success was rooted in God's power and their obedient execution of His just and holy decrees.