Joshua 11:6
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Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This chapter continues and concludes the history of the conquest of Canaan; of the reduction of the southern parts we had an account in the foregoing chapter, after which we may suppose Joshua allowed his forces some breathing-time; now here we have the story of the war in the north, and the happy success of that war. I. The confederacy of the northern crowns against Israel (Jos 11:1-5). II. The encouragement which God gave to Joshua to engage them (Jos 11:6). III. His victory over them (Jos 11:7-9). IV. The taking of their cities (Jos 11:10-15). V. The destruction of the Anakim (Jos 11:21, Jos 11:22). VI. The general conclusion of the story of this war (Jos 11:16-20, Jos 11:23).
Open source ↗11:6 God again urged Joshua not to be afraid, promising Israel the victory, even against horses and chariots. • cripple their horses and burn their chariots: God wanted Israel to rely on him rather than weaponry and equipment (cp. Deut 17:16; Isa 31:1).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.”
David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.
and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.
He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.
The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
“No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.
The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.