The Northern Campaign (chapter 11)
• Joint Coalition of FORCES against Israel.
– Jabin – King of Hazor
– Joab – King of Madon
– Kings of Shimron and Achasaph
– Kings of the Northern Hill Country
– Kings in the Arabah south of Chinneroth
– Kings in Haphoth-dor
– Canaanites, Amorites, Hittes, Perizzites, Jebusites,
and Hivites
They joined forces at the waters of Merom (11.4)
God’s Word to Joshua (11.6)
• Don’t be afraid!
• Tomorrow I will give over all them, slain to
Israel
• You shall hamstring their horses and burn their
chariots with fire.
• Despite the overwhelming numbers, Joshua
would be given VICTORY over them with a 24hour period.
• Hamstring = cut the tendons on the hind legs so
that could never bear or pull a load
Israel chased them as far as the Great Sidon and
Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of
Mizpeh (11.7)
And Joshua
captured Hazor
and struck its king
with a sword…and
burned Hazor with
fire. And all the
cities of those
kings, and all their
kings, Joshua
captured, and
struck with the
edge of the sword
Hazor
HAZOR
Due to its size,
fortifications, and
strategic location on
the main north-south
route from the
Jezerel Valley to the
Beqa Valley in
Lebanon. Hazor was
considered a city of
great significance
18 Joshua
made war a long time with all
those kings. 19 There was not a city that
made peace with the people of Israel
except the Hivites, the inhabitants of
Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For
it was the LORD's doing to harden their
hearts that they should come against Israel
in battle, in order that they should be
devoted to destruction and should receive
no mercy but be destroyed, just as the
LORD commanded Moses.
Why Does God Do This?
• Why does he like he did with Pharaoh
HARDEN their hearts?
• Why does he choose to show them no
MERCY?
• What about God’s character do we have
to take into account when asking these
questions?
• What can God also do with a heart?
23 So
Joshua took the whole land,
according to all that the LORD had
spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave
it for an inheritance to Israel
according to their tribal
allotments. And the land had rest
from war.
Kings Defeated by Moses (12:1 – 6)
• First we recap the kings defeated by Moses
and Israel before they CROSSED the Jordan.
• Two kings were defeated Sihon king of the
Amorites and Ok king of Bashan.
• Moses gave the land of the defeated kings to…
– The Reubenites
– The Gadites
– The Half-Tribe of Manasseh
Kings Defeated by Joshua
• Next we recap the kings defeated by Joshua
and Israel after they crossed the Jordan
• Joshua’s forces defeated a total of 31 kings
throughout the promised land.
• Joshua was once a slave in Egypt, but now
becomes a conqueror of all these kings!
• It is because the LORD is with him.
• This same LORD promises to be with you and
will strengthen you to all that would enslave
you.
Land Still to Be Conquered
• “Joshua was old”= Joshua was 40 or older at
the time of the spying episode (Numbers 13:2
– 16);
• He served 40 more years at Moses’ side
• It is now 7 year after crossing the Jordan.
• So Joshua is now 87 years or older.
• Many parts of the Promised Land till remained
occupied or controlled by non-Israelites.
• Judges 1-3 will somewhat explain why God
does this.
Remaining Areas (13:1 – 7) …
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Philistines (five tribal rulers)
The Geshurites (from Shiho to Ekron)
The Avvim (south land of Caanan)
Mearah (belong to the Sidons)
The Gebalities
All of Lebanon and her hill country
All the Sidonians
Yahweh says “I myself will drive them out”