Jabin, king of Hazor, forms a coalition of northern kings, but Joshua defeats them at the waters of Merom. He takes Hazor and the cities of the north, and the land has rest from war.
1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon , and to the king of Shimron , and to the king of Achshaph ,
2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains , and of the plains south of Chinneroth , and in the valley , and in the borders of Dor on the west ,
3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west , and to the Amorite , and the Hittite , and the Perizzite , and the Jebusite in the mountains , and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh .
4 And they went out , they and all their hosts with them, much people , even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude , with horses and chariots very many .
5 And when all these kings were met together , they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom , to fight against Israel .
6 And the LORD said unto Joshua , Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel : thou shalt hough their horses , and burn their chariots with fire .
7 So Joshua came , and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly ; and they fell upon them.
8 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 .
9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses , and burnt their chariots with fire .
10 And Joshua at that time turned back , and took Hazor , and smote the king thereof with the sword : for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms .
11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword , utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe : and he burnt Hazor with fire .
12 And all the cities of those kings , and all the kings of them, did Joshua take , and smote them with the edge of the sword , and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded .
13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength , Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn .
14 And all the spoil of these cities , and the cattle , the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword , until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe .
15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant , so did Moses command Joshua , and so did Joshua ; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses .
16 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;
17 Even from the mount Halak , that goeth up to Seir , even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon : and all their kings he took , and smote them, and slew them.
18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings .
19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel , save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon : all other they took in battle .
20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts , that they should come against Israel in battle , that he might destroy them utterly , and that they might have no favour , but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses .
21 And at that time came Joshua , and cut off the Anakims from the mountains , from Hebron , from Debir , from Anab , and from all the mountains of Judah , and from all the mountains of Israel : Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities .
22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel : only in Gaza , in Gath , and in Ashdod , there remained .
23 So Joshua took the whole land , according to all that the LORD said unto Moses ; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes . And the land rested from war .