Jabin

A king named Jabin of Hazor turns up twice in Scripture, each time at the head of a coalition against Israel. In Joshua 11 the northern kings gather, “much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude,” and the LORD tells Joshua, “Be not afraid because of them.” Hazor is burned. In Judges 4 the LORD “sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan,” and his commander Sisera is drawn to the river Kishon. The chapter ends with God subduing Jabin, and Psalm 83 later prays for the same outcome again. Read Judges 4 for the whole story.

20 verses

Joshua

Joshua 11:1

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,

Joshua 11:2

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,

Joshua 11:3

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.

Joshua 11:4

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.

Joshua 11:5

And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

Joshua 11:6

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.

Joshua 11:7

So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

Joshua 11:8

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.

Joshua 11:9

And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

Joshua 11:10

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.

Joshua 11:11

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.

Joshua 11:12

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.

Joshua 11:13

But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.

Joshua 11:14

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.

Judges

Judges 4:2

And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

Judges 4:7

And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

Judges 4:17

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Judges 4:23

So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

Judges 4:24

And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Psalms

Psalms 83:9

Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Discerner; the wise. (1.) A king of Hazor, at the time of the entrance of Israel into Canaan (Josh. 11:1-14), whose overthrow and that of the northern chief with whom he had entered into a confederacy against Joshua was the crowning act in the conquest of the land (11:21-23; comp. 14:6-15). This great battle, fought at Lake Merom, was the last of Joshua’s battles of which we have any record. Here for the first time the Israelites encountered the iron chariots and horses of the Canaanites.

(2.) Another king of Hazor, called “the king of Canaan,” who overpowered the Israelites of the north one hundred and sixty years after Joshua’s death, and for twenty years held them in painful subjection. The whole population were paralyzed with fear, and gave way to hopeless despondency (Judg. 5:6-11), till Deborah and Barak aroused the national spirit, and gathering together ten thousand men, gained a great and decisive victory over Jabin in the plain of Esdraelon (Judg. 4:10-16; comp. Ps. 83:9). This was the first great victory Israel had gained since the days of Joshua. They never needed to fight another battle with the Canaanites (Judg. 5:31).

Read the full entry

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(whom God observes).

(1.) King of Hazor, who organized a confederacy of the northern princes against the Israelites. (Joshua 11:1-3) Joshua surprised the allied forces by the waters of Merom, ver. 7, and utterly routed them. (B.C. 1448.) During the ensuing wars Joshua again attacked Jabin, and burnt his city. (Joshua 11:1-14)

(2.) A king of Hazor, whose general, Sisera, was defeated by Barak. (Judges 4:2,13) (B.C. 1316.)

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.