TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'hoshua took the whole land, in keeping with all that ADONAI had said to Moshe and to Isra'el according to their divisions into tribes. Then the land rested from war.
Berean Standard Bible
So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.
American Standard Version
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Jehovah spake unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land had rest from war.
World English Bible Messianic
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD spoke to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. The land had rest from war.
Geneva Bible (1599)
So Ioshua tooke the whole land, according to all that the Lord had saide vnto Moses: and Ioshua gaue it for an inheritance vnto Israel according to their portion through their tribes: then the land was at rest without warre.
Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua taketh the whole of the land, according to all that Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, and Joshua giveth it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions, by their tribes; and the land hath rest from war.
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In the KJVVerse 6,131 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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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 15.7
I do not see that Jesus [Joshua] the son of Nun took possession of all the earth. For how much of the earth does one take who seizes only Judea? But our Lord Jesus truly took possession of all the earth, because a multitude of believers from all over the earth and out of all the nations flock to him. After these things, after “Jesus [Joshua] took possession of all the earth,” it is also added, “And the earth rested from wars.” How will this phrase—that “the earth rested from wars”—seem to have been uttered truthfully concerning the son of Nun, when the earth never entirely rested from wars in his time? This is fulfilled in my Lord Jesus Christ alone. Consider yourself—you have come to Jesus and through the grace of baptism have attained the remission of sins; and now in you “the flesh” does not “fight against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.” Your land has ceased from wars if you still “carry around the death of Jesus Christ in your body” so that, after all battles have ceased in you, you may be made “peaceable” and you may be called “a child of God.”
Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 15.5
It did not say that by war Jesus [Joshua] took some and did not take others but that he took all into his possession, that is, he captured and destroyed all. And, indeed, the Lord Jesus has purged every kind of sin and destroyed all. For we all “were irrational, unbelieving, errant, serving various desires, acting in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another,” and [we possessed] every type of sin that is found in persons before they believe. Therefore, it is well said that Jesus kills all who have gone to war. For Jesus—who is the Word and the “wisdom of God”—is greater than any kind of sin, no matter how terrible. For he overcomes and conquers all sins. Or do we not believe this, that every kind of sin is carried away when we come to the saving bath? For the apostle Paul also alludes to this, who, when he had enumerated the whole class of sins, adds something after them all and says, “And indeed you were these; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Therefore, in this way, Jesus [Joshua] is said to have seized all in battle and to have destroyed all. It happened that, through the work of the Lord, their heart predominated and they hastened into battle against Israel and were exterminated.
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 11:23 stands as a monumental declaration, encapsulating the successful culmination of Israel's major military campaigns in Canaan under Joshua's leadership. This verse powerfully affirms the faithful fulfillment of God's ancient covenant promises to Israel regarding the Promised Land, marking a pivotal transition from large-scale warfare to the systematic distribution of territory among the tribes. It profoundly underscores divine sovereignty, the concept of a divinely bestowed inheritance, and the significant theme of "rest" achieved after a period of intense conflict and obedience.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse serves as a grand, climactic summary statement for the first major section of the book of Joshua (chapters 1-12), which meticulously details the invasion and conquest of Canaan. It immediately follows the account of the decisive northern campaigns, where Joshua strategically defeated a formidable coalition of kings led by Jabin of Hazor (Joshua 11:1-15), mirroring the earlier, equally significant southern campaigns (Joshua 10). The preceding verses (Joshua 11:15-22) emphatically reinforce that Joshua executed all of God's commands with meticulous precision, leaving no instruction unfulfilled. Consequently, Joshua 11:23 functions as a comprehensive theological and historical conclusion, affirming that the primary military objectives have been decisively achieved, thereby setting the stage for the detailed and orderly distribution of land that occupies the subsequent chapters of the book (Joshua 13-21). It signifies a profound shift in Israel's national narrative, moving from the unified action of the sword to the precise allocation by the measuring line, from conquest to settlement.
Historical & Cultural Context: The conquest of Canaan unfolded during the Late Bronze Age (roughly 1550-1200 BC), a geopolitical landscape characterized not by unified empires but by a fragmented collection of independent city-states, frequently engaged in internal conflicts. Israel's military campaigns, as vividly described in Joshua, involved strategic assaults on key strongholds and the systematic dismantling of powerful military confederacies, effectively neutralizing the organized resistance of the Canaanites. The concept of "inheritance" (Hebrew: nachalah) was profoundly significant within ancient Israelite society, denoting a permanent, inalienable possession, intrinsically linked to family lineage and tribal identity, and ultimately understood as a divine grant. The declaration of "rest from war" signifies a crucial period of relative peace and security, indispensable for the nascent nation to firmly establish itself, cultivate the land, and develop its distinctive societal, religious, and political structures. This state of rest stood in stark contrast to their preceding nomadic existence and the recent, arduous period of intense warfare.
Key Themes: Joshua 11:23 powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes central to the book of Joshua and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost among these is the theme of Divine Faithfulness and Fulfillment. The pivotal phrase "according to all that the LORD said unto Moses" directly links Joshua's actions and Israel's success to the ancient covenant promises made to Abraham (as seen in Genesis 12:7) and meticulously reiterated through Moses (for example, Deuteronomy 1:8). This verse stands as an irrefutable testament to God's unwavering commitment to His word, demonstrating that His promises are always brought to pass with precision. Another vital theme is Inheritance and Possession, highlighting that the land was not merely conquered by human might but was a divinely bestowed gift, a permanent "inheritance" for Israel, distributed "according to their divisions by their tribes" (a process detailed in Numbers 26). Finally, the solemn declaration "And the land rested from war" introduces the profound theme of Rest, signifying a cessation of hostilities and the enjoyment of God's blessing. This "rest" is a foundational concept throughout the Old Testament, pointing forward to a deeper, spiritual rest (as explored in Hebrews 4:9).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 11:23 is rich in literary significance, primarily functioning as a Summary Statement that encapsulates the preceding narrative of conquest and skillfully foreshadows the subsequent distribution of the land. The phrase "according to all that the LORD said unto Moses" employs powerful Fulfillment Language, directly linking the present reality to past divine promises and commands, thereby profoundly emphasizing God's unwavering faithfulness and absolute sovereignty. There is a clear and impactful implicit Thematic Juxtaposition between the intense, arduous period of "war" and the subsequent, divinely provided "rest," highlighting God's provision of peace after struggle. The verse also utilizes Repetition of Divine Promise, echoing the foundational covenantal assurances given to the patriarchs and Moses regarding the land as an "inheritance." The overall tone is one of Triumphal Affirmation, celebrating God's power, His meticulous plan, and His people's obedient participation in securing the promised land.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 11:23 stands as a profound theological statement, affirming God's absolute and unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. It powerfully demonstrates that God's word is not merely a suggestion or a possibility, but a guaranteed reality; what He declares, He meticulously brings to pass, often through human agency but always by divine power and precise timing. The concept of the land as an "inheritance" profoundly underscores God's benevolent provision and Israel's unique identity as His chosen people, receiving a gift not earned by merit or might, but by sovereign grace. The "rest from war" foreshadows a deeper, spiritual peace that God ultimately desires for His people, a cessation of striving and a secure dwelling in His abiding presence. This verse thus serves as a powerful reminder that God's plans are sovereignly executed, leading His people into the abundant blessings He has meticulously prepared for them.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 11:23 offers profound encouragement and a timeless lesson for believers today, powerfully reminding us of God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises. Just as He meticulously fulfilled His ancient word to Israel, leading them into their physical inheritance and a period of much-needed rest, so too can we trust implicitly in His faithfulness concerning our spiritual inheritance and the profound peace He offers. This verse invites us to deeply reflect on areas of our lives where we might still be striving in our own strength, battling anxieties or insecurities, encouraging us instead to surrender to God's sovereign plan and find true, abiding rest in Him. It calls us to live fully in the reality of the spiritual "land" He has already given us through Christ, walking in the freedom, security, and peace that come from knowing His promises are absolutely true and His purposes will ultimately prevail. Our spiritual battles, though real and often intense, are ultimately fought and decisively won by Him, leading us into His promised rest and an eternal inheritance that far surpasses any earthly possession or temporary peace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Israel truly conquer "the whole land" as stated in Joshua 11:23, given later accounts of unconquered territories?
Answer: The phrase "took the whole land" in Joshua 11:23 should be understood in a strategic and military sense, not as an immediate, exhaustive, and total occupation of every single square inch. It signifies that Israel had decisively broken the organized military power of the Canaanite city-states, subdued their major strongholds, and established dominion over the central and strategically vital areas as commanded by God. This effectively removed the primary, unified resistance to Israelite settlement. Subsequent chapters (e.g., Joshua 13:1) openly acknowledge that pockets of resistance and unconquered territories remained, which were to be dealt with by individual tribes as part of their ongoing inheritance. Thus, Joshua 11:23 marks the completion of the unified conquest phase under Joshua, not the immediate, complete eradication of all Canaanites or the full settlement of every boundary. It signifies the fulfillment of God's promise to give them the land, making it available for occupation.
What does "the land rested from war" mean if the book of Judges describes further conflicts?
Answer: The "rest from war" in Joshua 11:23 refers specifically to the cessation of the large-scale, unified military campaigns led by Joshua against the combined forces of the Canaanite kings. It marks the end of the initial, comprehensive conquest phase, signifying a period of relative peace and stability that was absolutely necessary for the tribes to settle their allotted territories. It does not imply the absence of all future conflict. Indeed, the book of Judges records numerous localized battles and periods of oppression where individual tribes or groups of tribes had to contend with remaining Canaanite enclaves or new external threats. The "rest" in Joshua 11:23 is therefore a specific, significant milestone—the end of the major war of conquest—rather than a perpetual state of absolute peace for all time. It signifies that the primary objective of securing the land from widespread, organized resistance had been achieved.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 11:23, with its profound themes of divine faithfulness, promised inheritance, and rest from war, finds its ultimate and most glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. Just as God faithfully brought Israel into their physical inheritance in Canaan, so too has He, in Christ, secured for all believers a far greater, eternal inheritance. Jesus is the ultimate Joshua, the true leader who brings His people not merely into an earthly land, but into the spiritual reality of God's eternal kingdom and presence. The "rest from war" foreshadows the ultimate spiritual rest found exclusively in Christ. While Israel's rest in Canaan was partial and temporary, always subject to future conflicts and disobedience, Jesus declares, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He is our true Sabbath rest, the one who has definitively conquered sin, death, and the powers of darkness, thereby providing a complete and enduring peace that transcends all earthly struggles and anxieties (Hebrews 4:1-11). Through His finished work on the cross and His glorious resurrection, Christ has secured our spiritual "inheritance" (Ephesians 1:11-14) and brought us into a new covenant of grace and peace, fulfilling all of God's ancient promises in a way that is infinitely richer, more profound, and eternally secure.