TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
from the bare mountain that goes up to Se'ir to Ba'al-Gad in the L'vanon Valley under Mount Hermon; and he took all their kings, struck them and put them to death.
Berean Standard Bible
from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.
American Standard Version
from mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and put them to death.
World English Bible Messianic
from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.
Geneva Bible (1599)
From the mount Halak, that goeth vp to Seir, euen vnto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon, vnder mount Hermon: and all their Kings he tooke, and smote them, and slewe them.
Young's Literal Translation
from the mount of Halak, which is going up to Seir, and unto Baal-Gad, in the valley of Lebanon, under mount Hermon; and all their kings he hath captured, and he smiteth them, and putteth them to death.
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In the KJVVerse 6,125 of 31,102
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Commentary on Joshua 11 verses 15–23
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.
We have here the conclusion of this whole matter.
I. A short account is here given of what was done in four things: - 1. The obstinacy of the Canaanites in their opposition to the Israelites. It was strange that though it appeared so manifestly that God fought for Israel, and in every engagement the Canaanites had the worst of it, yet they stood it out to the last; not one city made peace with Israel, but the Gibeonites only, who understood the things that belonged to their peace better than their neighbours, Jos 11:19. It is intimated that other cities might have made as good terms for themselves, without ragged clothes and clouted shoes, if they would have humbled themselves, but they never so much as desired conditions of peace. We here are told whence this unaccountable infatuation came: It was of the Lord to harden their hearts, Jos 11:20. As Pharaoh's heart was hardened by his own pride and wilfulness first, and afterwards by the righteous judgment of God, to his destruction, so were the hearts of these Canaanites. To punish them for all their other follies, God left them to this, to make those their enemies whom they might have made their friends. This was it that ruined them: they came against Israel in battle, and gave the first blow, and therefore might have no favour shown them. Those know not what they do who give the provocation to divine justice, or the authorized instruments of it. Are we stronger than God? Observe here, That hardness of heart is the ruin of sinners. Those that are stupid and secure, and heedless of divine warnings, are already marked for destruction. What hope is there of those concerning whom God has said, Go, make their hearts fat? 2. The constancy of the Israelites in prosecuting this war (Jos 11:18): Joshua made war a long time; some reckon it five years, others seven, that were spent in subduing this land: so long God would train up Israel to war, and give them repeated instances of his power and goodness in every new victory that he gave them. 3. The conquest of the Anakim at last, Jos 11:21, Jos 11:22. Either this was done as they met with them where they were dispersed, as some think, or rather it should seem the Anakim had retired to their fastnesses, and so were hunted out and cut off at last, after all the rest of Israel's enemies. The mountains of Judah and Israel were the habitations of those mountains of men; but not their height, nor the strength of their caves, nor the difficulty of the passes to them, could secure, no, not these mighty men, from the sword of Joshua. The cutting off of the sons of Anak is particularly mentioned because these had been such a terror to the spies forty years before, and their bulk and strength had been thought an insuperable difficulty in the way of the reducing of Canaan, Num 13:28, Num 13:33. Even that opposition which seemed invincible was got over. Never let the sons of Anak be a terror to the Israel of God, for even their day will come to fall. Giants are dwarfs to Omnipotence; yet this struggle with the Anakim was reserved for the latter end of the war, when the Israelites had become more expert in the arts of war, and had had more experience of the power and goodness of God. Note, God sometimes reserves the sharpest trials of his people by affliction and temptation for the latter end of their days. Therefore let not him that girds on the harness boast as he that puts it off. Death, that tremendous son of Anak, is the last enemy that is to be encountered; but it is to be destroyed, Co1 15:26. Thanks be to God, who will give us the victory. 4. The end and issue of this long war. The Canaanites were rooted out, not perfectly (as we shall find after in the book of Judges), but in a good measure; they were not able to make any head either, (1.) So as to keep the Israelites out of possession of the land: Joshua took all that land, Jos 11:16, Jos 11:17. And we may suppose the people dispersed themselves and their families into the countries they had conquered, at least those that lay nearest to the head-quarters at Gilgal, until an orderly distribution should be made by lot, that every man might know his own. Or, (2.) So as to keep them in action, or give them any molestation (Jos 11:23): The land rested from war. It ended not in a peace with the Canaanites (that was forbidden), but in a peace from them. There is a rest, a rest from war, remaining for the people of God, into which they shall enter when their warfare is accomplished.
II. That which was now done is here compared with that which had been said to Moses. God's word and his works, if viewed and considered together, will mutually illustrate each other. It is here observed in the close, 1. That all the precepts God had given to Moses relating to the conquest of Canaan were obeyed on the people's part, at least while Joshua lived. See how solemnly this is remarked (Jos 11:15): As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, by whose hand the law was given, so did Moses command Joshua, for Moses was faithful, as a law-giver, to him that appointed him; he did his part, and then he died: but were the commands of Moses observed when he was in his grave? Yes, they were: So did Joshua, who was, in his place, as faithful as Moses in his. He left nothing undone (Heb. he removed nothing) of all that the Lord commanded Moses. Those that leave their duty undone do what they can to remove or make void the command of God, by which they are bound to do it; but Joshua, by performing the precept, confirmed it, as the expression is, Deu 27:26. Joshua was himself a great commander, and yet nothing was more his praise than his obedience. Those that rule others at their will must themselves be ruled by the divine will; then their power is indeed their honour, and not otherwise. The pious obedience for which Joshua is here commended respects especially the command to destroy the Canaanites, and to break down their altars and burn their images, Deu 7:2-5; Exo 23:24; Exo 34:13. Joshua, in his zeal for the Lord of hosts, spared neither the idols nor the idolaters. Saul's disobedience, or rather his partial obedience, to the command of God, for the utter destruction of the Amalekites, cost him his kingdom. It should seem Joshua himself gives this account of his most careful and punctual observance of his orders in the execution of his commission, that in all respects he had done as Moses commanded him; and then it intimates that he had more pleasure and satisfaction in reflecting upon his obedience to the commands of God in all this war, and valued himself more upon that, than upon all the gains and triumphs with which he was enriched and advanced. 2. That all the promises God had given to Moses relating to this conquest were accomplished on his part, Jos 11:23. Joshua took the whole land, conquered it, and took possession of it, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses. God had promised to drive out the nations before them (Exo 33:2; Exo 34:11), and to bring them down, Deu 9:3. And now it was done. There failed not one word of the promise. Our successes and enjoyments are then doubly sweet and comfortable to us when we see them flowing to us from the promise (this is according to what the Lord said), as our obedience is then acceptable to God when it has an eye to the precept. And, if we make conscience of our duty, we need not question the performance of the promise.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–23. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
QUESTIONS ON JOSHUA 17
It is asked how this can be true, since the Hebrews were not altogether able to capture all the cities of those seven nations either in the times after the judges or in the times of the kings. But one must understand it to mean that Joshua never approached any city with hostile intent that he did not capture. Or it may mean that no city remained uncaptured except for those which were in the regions mentioned above. For those regions were enumerated in which there were cities concerning which the conclusion was made: “and he captured all of them in war.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Joshua 11:17 serves as a powerful geographical and military summary, encapsulating the vast extent of Israel's conquest under Joshua's leadership. It delineates the southern and northern boundaries of the land brought under Israelite dominion, stretching from Mount Halak near Seir in the south to Baalgad in the Valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon in the north. Beyond mere territorial acquisition, the verse emphatically declares the comprehensive defeat and elimination of the Canaanite kings within these boundaries, underscoring the decisive nature of God's victory through Israel.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Joshua 11:17 concludes a significant section of the book (chapters 9-11) detailing the southern and northern campaigns of Israel against the Canaanite coalitions. Following the Gibeonite deception in Joshua 9, Joshua leads Israel in a decisive victory over a southern confederation of kings at Gibeon, as recounted in Joshua 10. Subsequently, Joshua 11 narrates the northern campaign, culminating in the battle at the Waters of Merom against a formidable alliance led by Jabin, king of Hazor. Verse 17, along with verses 16-23, functions as a grand summary statement, providing a sweeping overview of the territorial gains and the systematic dismantling of Canaanite power across the land. It sets the stage for the detailed list of conquered kings in Joshua 12 and the subsequent division of the land among the tribes in Joshua 13-21. This summary emphasizes the fulfillment of God's promise before the narrative shifts to the allocation of territory.
Historical & Cultural Context: The period of the conquest, traditionally dated to the late Bronze Age (around 1400-1200 BCE), was characterized by numerous independent city-states in Canaan, each ruled by its own king. These kings often formed alliances for defense, as seen in the narratives of Joshua 10 and Joshua 11. The land of Canaan itself was a strategic land bridge between major ancient Near Eastern powers (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia), making it a contested region. The geographical markers in the verse—Mount Halak, Seir, Baalgad, Valley of Lebanon, and Mount Hermon—delineate a vast territory from the southern Negeb/Edomite frontier to the far north, encompassing the core of what would become Israel. The systematic defeat of kings was not merely a military tactic but a cultural imperative for establishing control, as the king embodied the sovereignty and resistance of the city-state. The destruction of their leadership was essential for the Israelites to dispossess the inhabitants and settle the land, fulfilling the divine command given in passages like Deuteronomy 7:1-2.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully reinforces several overarching themes within the book of Joshua and the broader Pentateuch. Primarily, it highlights God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, particularly the promise of land to Abraham's descendants, as articulated in Genesis 15:18-21. The comprehensive nature of the conquest, from south to north and the defeat of all kings, underscores the theme of divine sovereignty and empowerment. It is God who fights for Israel (e.g., Joshua 10:42), granting them victory against seemingly insurmountable odds. The verse also touches on the theme of judgment upon the Canaanite nations for their wickedness (e.g., Leviticus 18:24-28), with Israel serving as the instrument of divine wrath. Finally, it sets the stage for the theme of inheritance and rest as the land is now ready to be divided among the tribes, leading towards the "rest" promised to Israel (e.g., Joshua 21:44).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 11:17 employs several potent literary devices to convey the magnitude of Israel's conquest. The most prominent is Merism, where two contrasting or extreme parts are used to represent the whole. By naming "Mount Halak...to Seir" (the extreme south) and "Baalgad...under Mount Hermon" (the extreme north), the text effectively encompasses the entire breadth of the promised land from its southern ascent to its northernmost peak. This rhetorical device emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the territorial acquisition. Furthermore, the verse functions as a Summary or Recapitulation, providing a concise yet powerful overview of the preceding detailed military campaigns (chapters 9-11). It distills the extensive narrative into a single, impactful statement of achievement. The phrase "all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them" also contains an element of Hyperbole or Generalization, typical of ancient Near Eastern conquest accounts. While not every single king in the entire region was literally "taken, smitten, and slain" (as some pockets of resistance remained, and not all areas were fully settled immediately), the language conveys the decisive and overwhelming nature of the victory over the organized Canaanite leadership, signaling the effective breaking of their power across the land. This serves to magnify God's power and Israel's success.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 11:17 stands as a powerful testament to God's unwavering faithfulness and His sovereign power to fulfill His covenant promises. The comprehensive conquest, stretching from the southern Negeb to the northern reaches of Mount Hermon, and the systematic defeat of "all their kings," are direct manifestations of God's commitment to give the land to Abraham's descendants. This verse underscores that the victories were not merely due to Israel's military prowess, but were divinely orchestrated and empowered. It reinforces the theological truth that when God initiates a task and makes a promise, He also provides the means and power for its complete fulfillment, even against formidable opposition. The destruction of the Canaanite kings also highlights God's righteous judgment against the wickedness of these nations, with Israel serving as the instrument of His holy will.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 11:17 offers a profound reminder of God's faithfulness and His ability to bring about complete victory in the face of daunting challenges. Just as God empowered Joshua to conquer a vast territory and subdue powerful kings, He is faithful to equip and enable His people today to overcome spiritual obstacles and fulfill the purposes He has for them. This verse encourages us to trust in God's sovereign power, even when the "giants" in our lives seem insurmountable or the "promised land" of our calling appears distant. It calls us to recognize that true victory comes not from our own strength or strategies, but from God's leading and His provision. The comprehensive nature of the conquest should inspire confidence that God's work in us and through us is thorough and complete, leading to spiritual "dispossession" of sin and the establishment of His kingdom in our hearts and lives. We are called to step out in faith, knowing that the Lord fights for us and will bring His promises to fruition.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the geographical markers in Joshua 11:17?
Answer: The geographical markers—Mount Halak (near Seir) in the south and Baalgad (under Mount Hermon in the Valley of Lebanon) in the north—are crucial for defining the full extent of the territory brought under Israelite control during the main campaigns of the conquest. They represent the extreme southern and northern boundaries of the land, demonstrating that Joshua's victories were not confined to a small area but encompassed the vast majority of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. This "from south to north" description (a literary device known as merism) emphasizes the comprehensive and sweeping nature of the conquest, underscoring the fulfillment of God's promise to give Israel the land "from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the River, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea" (Deuteronomy 11:24).
Did Israel truly conquer "all their kings" and "all the land" as implied by this verse and others in Joshua?
Answer: Joshua 11:17, along with other summary statements like Joshua 11:23, uses language that emphasizes the decisive and comprehensive nature of the victory over the organized Canaanite resistance. In ancient Near Eastern conquest accounts, such language often denotes the breaking of the enemy's power and the establishment of overall control, rather than the literal, immediate, and complete eradication of every single inhabitant or the occupation of every square inch of territory. While significant pockets of resistance remained and some areas were not fully dispossessed until later (e.g., Judges 1:27-36), the primary objective—the breaking of Canaanite power and the securing of the land for Israelite settlement—was achieved. The "all" refers to the totality of the organized opposition and the effective possession of the core territory, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His promise to give them the land.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Joshua 11:17 describes a historical conquest, its theological implications find profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Joshua, whose name is a form of "Jesus" (Yeshua), foreshadows the ultimate Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ. Just as Joshua led Israel to conquer a physical land and defeat earthly kings, Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has conquered the spiritual enemies of sin, death, and the devil. The comprehensive nature of the conquest from "Mount Halak to Mount Hermon" points to the universal scope of Christ's victory and the extent of His spiritual kingdom, which knows no geographical bounds, reaching "to the end of the earth" (Acts/1-8). The systematic defeat of "all their kings" foreshadows Christ's triumph over "principalities and powers," disarming them and making a public spectacle of them on the cross (Colossians/2-15). Through Christ, believers are brought into a new covenant inheritance, not of a physical land, but of spiritual blessings and eternal life (Ephesians/1-3). His victory provides the true "rest" that Joshua's conquest only partially achieved, a rest from the struggle against sin and the fear of death, found in Him alone (Matthew/11-28). Thus, Joshua 11:17 is a shadow of the far greater, complete, and eternal victory achieved by our Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation/19-16).