1I stalo se, jakmile to uslyšel chasórský král Jabín, že vzkázal k madónskému králi Jóbabovi, k šimrónskému králi a k akšáfskému králi 2a ke králům ze severu v pohoří, v Arabě jižně od Kineretu, v podhůří a v Dórských návrších na západě. 3Kenaanci byli na východě a na západě, Emorejci, Chetejci, Perizejci a Jebúsejci v pohoří a Chivejci pod Chermónem v zemi Mispě. 4Tehdy vytáhli, oni a veškerá jejich vojska s nimi, lid na množství početný jako písek, který je na mořském břehu, i koní a vozby velmi mnoho. 5Všichni tito králové se dohodli, přišli a utábořili se společně u vod Merómu, aby s Izraelem bojovali. 6Tu řekl Hospodin Jozuovi: Neboj se jich, neboť já je zítra touto dobou všechny uvrhnu probodené před Izrael. Jejich koně ochromíš a jejich válečné vozy spálíš ohněm. 7Jozue a všechen bojeschopný lid s ním na ně tedy náhle přitáhl k vodám Merómu a napadli je. 8Hospodin je vydal Izraeli do ruky. Pobíjeli je a pronásledovali je až k velkému Sidónu, do Misrefót-majimu a až na pláň Mispu na východě. Pobíjeli je, aniž by z nich nechal někoho přežít. 9A Jozue s nimi naložil podle toho, co mu řekl Hospodin: Jejich koně ochromil a jejich válečné vozy spálil ohněm. 10Jozue se v onen čas navrátil zpět, dobyl Chasór a jeho krále zabil mečem, protože Chasór byl předtím hlavou všech těchto království. 11A pobili všechno živé, co v něm bylo, ostřím meče vykonali klatbu. Nezůstalo naživu nic, co dýchalo; Chasór spálil ohněm. 12A všechna města těchto králů a všechny jejich krále Jozue dobyl a vybil je ostřím meče. Zasvětil je zkáze, jak to přikázal Mojžíš, otrok Hospodinův. 13Izrael ovšem nespálil žádná města, která stojí na hromadě sutě, kromě Chasóru. Pouze ten Jozue spálil. 14Všechnu kořist z těchto měst a dobytek jim synové Izraele zabrali. Každého člověka ovšem zabili ostřím meče, až je vyhladili. Neponechali z nich žádného, kdo dýchal. 15Jak to přikázal Hospodin svému otroku Mojžíšovi, tak přikázal Mojžíš Jozuovi a Jozue tak učinil. Neubral jediné slovo ze všech, která Hospodin Mojžíšovi přikázal. 16A tak Jozue zabral celou tuto zemi: Pohoří a celý Negeb, celou zemi Gošen a Šefelu, Arabu a izraelské pohoří i jeho podhůří. 17Od hory Chalak zvedající se k Seíru a až k Baal-gádu v libanonském údolí pod pohořím Chermón. Všechny jejich krále zajal, pobil je a usmrtil. 18Jozue vedl se všemi těmito králi válku po mnoho dnů. 19Nebylo města, které by se syny Izraele uzavřelo mír, kromě chivejských obyvatel Gibeónu. Všechna je zabrali bojem. 20Neboť se to stalo od Hospodina, že posilnil jejich srdce, aby vyvolali válku s Izraelem, aby na ně uvalil klatbu, aby pro ně nebylo smilování, aby je vyhladil, jak to Hospodin přikázal Mojžíšovi. 21V onen čas přišel Jozue a vyhladil Anákovce z pohoří, z Chebrónu, z Debíru, z Anábu, z celého judského pohoří a z celého izraelského pohoří. Jozue je zasvětil zkáze spolu s jejich městy. 22V zemi synů Izraele nezbyl žádný z Anákovců, zůstali pouze v Gaze, v Gatu a v Ašdódu. 23Jozue zabral celou tu zemi podle všech slov, která Hospodin promluvil k Mojžíšovi. Jozue ji předal Izraeli do dědictví, jejich kmenům, podle jejich podílů, a země měla klid od války.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 DIVERS KINGS OVERCOME AT THE WATERS OF MEROM. (
Josh 11:1-
Josh 11:9)
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things--The scene of the sacred narrative is here shifted to the north of Canaan, where a still more extensive confederacy was formed among the ruling powers to oppose the further progress of the Israelites. Jabin ("the Intelligent"), which seems to have been a hereditary title (
Judg 4:2), took the lead, from Hazor being the capital of the northern region (
Josh 11:10). It was situated on the borders of lake Merom. The other cities mentioned must have been in the vicinity though their exact position is unknown.
2 the kings that were on the north of the mountains--the Anti-libanus district.
the plains south of Chinneroth--the northern part of the Arabah, or valley of the Jordan.
the valley--the low and level country, including the plain of Sharon.
borders of Dor on the west--the highlands of Dor, reaching to the town of Dor on the Mediterranean coast, below mount Carmel.
3 the Canaanites on the east and on the west--a particular branch of the Canaanitish population who occupied the western bank of the Jordan as far northward as the Sea of Galilee, and also the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.
under Hermon--now Jebel-es-sheikh. It was the northern boundary of Canaan on the east of the Jordan.
land of Mizpeh--now Cślo-Syria.
4 they went out, . . . as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude--The chiefs of these several tribes were summoned by Jabin, being all probably tributary to the kingdom of Hazor. Their combined forces, according to JOSEPHUS, amounted to three hundred thousand infantry, ten thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand war chariots.
with horses and chariots very many--The war chariots were probably like those of Egypt, made of wood, but nailed and tipped with iron. These appear for the first time in the Canaanite war, to aid this last determined struggle against the invaders; and "it was the use of these which seems to have fixed the place of rendezvous by the lake Merom (now Huleh), along whose level shores they could have full play for their force." A host so formidable in numbers, as well as in military equipments, was sure to alarm and dispirit the Israelites. Joshua, therefore, was favored with a renewal of the divine promise of victory (
Josh 11:6), and thus encouraged, he, in the full confidence of faith, set out to face the enemy.
6 to-morrow, about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel--As it was impossible to have marched from Gilgal to Merom in one day, we must suppose Joshua already moving northward and within a day's distance of the Canaanite camp, when the Lord gave him this assurance of success. With characteristic energy he made a sudden advance, probably during the night, and fell upon them like a thunderbolt, when scattered along the rising grounds (Septuagint), before they had time to rally on the plain. In the sudden panic "the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them." The rout was complete; some went westward, over the mountains, above the gorge of the Leontes, to Sidon and Misrephothmaim ("glass-smelting houses"), in the neighborhood, and others eastward to the plain of Mizpeh.
8 they left none remaining--of those whom they overtook. All those who fell into their hands alive were slain.
9 Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him--(See
Josh 11:6). Houghing the horses is done by cutting the sinews and arteries of their hinder legs, so that they not only become hopelessly lame, but bleed to death. The reasons for this special command were that the Lord designed to lead the Israelites to trust in Him, not in military resources (
Ps 20:7); to show that in the land of promise there was no use of horses; and, finally, to discourage their travelling as they were to be an agricultural, not a trading, people.
11 he burnt Hazor with fire--calmly and deliberately, doubtless, according to divine direction.
13 as for the cities that stood still in their strength--literally, "on their heaps." It was a Phśnician custom to build cities on heights, natural or artificial [HENGSTENBERG].
16 So Joshua took all that land--Here follows a general view of the conquest. The division of the country there into five parts; namely, the hills, the land of Goshen, that is, a pastoral land near Gibeon (
Josh 10:41); the valley, the plains and the mountains of Israel, i. e., Carmel, rests upon a diversity of geographical positions, which is characteristic of the region.
17 from the mount Halak--Hebrew, "the smooth mountain."
that goeth up to Seir--an irregular line of white naked hills, about eighty feet high, and seven or eight geographical miles in length that cross the whole Ghor, eight miles south of the Dead Sea, probably "the ascent of Akrabbim" [ROBINSON].
unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon--the city or temple of the god of destiny, in Baalbec.
23 Joshua took the whole land--The battle of the take of Merom was to the north what the battle of Beth-horon was to the south; more briefly told and less complete in its consequences; but still the decisive conflict by which the whole northern region of Canaan fell into the hands of Israel [STANLEY].