What happened during the conquest of Canaan?
Answered from the commentary of H. Forbes Witherby, The Bible Treasury, Michael Hardt and 7 others
The conquest began after Israel entered Canaan, with the fall of Jericho, then a defeat at Ai after hidden sin and self-confidence disrupted Israel’s progress; after the sin was judged, Ai was taken. When the Gibeonites made peace with Israel by deceit, a southern coalition attacked them, and Joshua came to their aid; the coalition was defeated, and Israel conquered the south. A northern coalition then gathered with a vast host, horses and chariots, but Joshua defeated it, burned Hazor, and subdued the northern kingdoms. The campaigns broke Canaan’s resistance: thirty-one kings west of the Jordan were defeated, the Anakim were cut off from the Israelite-held land, and there was rest from war.
The conquest is described as God’s judgment on nations whose iniquity had become full, and as righteous vengeance carried out through Israel; it was not Israel’s own vengeance. The land was taken and allotted, but the victory did not mean every enemy had been driven out or every part fully possessed: nations remained, and Israel still had to dispossess them.
Verses: Joshua 1:1, Joshua 1:2, Joshua 1:3, Joshua 1:4, Joshua 1:5, Joshua 1:6, Joshua 1:7, Joshua 1:8, Joshua 1:9, Joshua 2:1, Joshua 7:1, Joshua 9:1, Joshua 11:1, Joshua 13:1, Joshua 23:1, Judges 1:1
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
In this great campaign of chapter 10 Joshua completely conquered all the Southland, the mountain country and the lowland, from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza and all the country of Goshen (vs.40-41). All of this he took at one time, but nothing could account for this except that the Lord God fought for Israel. This is likely the most amazing and decisive military engagement that history has ever seen.
All the land from south to north, whether mountainous or plain, Joshua conquered, from Mount Halak in the south to the Valley of Lebanon in the north, below Mount Hermon (vs.16-17). To accomplish this, it was necessary to continue warfare for a long time (v.1,8). No other city besides Gibeon made peace with Israel: all were taken in battle (v.19).
Joshua 11, Joshua 12. From Gilgal Joshua went again in strength against the confederacy of the north, being encouraged by Jehovah, and conquered everywhere, cutting off the Anakims from the mountains, and "so Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord said unto Moses." The Gibeonites and their allies from three other cities (Joshua 9:17) were the only ones that made a league with Israel. The names then are given of the two kings conquered by Moses on the east of Jordan and thirty-one kings on the west smitten by Joshua.
Thus we find the Lord strengthening Joshua at this time to do His will to a very considerable extent. The chief cities were dealt with, and every creature that breathed was destroyed. "As Jehovah commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that Jehovah commanded Moses. 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; even from the mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings."
The campaign of the south country accomplished, and the combination of the kings under their "Lord of Righteousness" overthrown, the kings of the north arrayed themselves against Israel, under the leadership of Jabin, King of Hazor. They came in vast host, and pitched together at the waters of Merom. There, at their camp, at the bidding of Jehovah, Israel came suddenly upon them, destroyed their horses, burnt their chariots, and smote their hosts, till none remained. The horses and the chariots were precisely that in which the peoples of Canaan trusted; hence these were to be destroyed lest Israel should confide in such power and forsake confidence in Jehovah. It ever has been God's way to work deliverances for His people with weapons of war that seem to say, "It is not of might, nor of power, but My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts," as David's sling and stone, Samson's jawbone of the ass, and Gideon's pitchers and trumpets testify.
Joshua and his armies therefore, without any maneuvering of any kind, directly attacked this great company (v.7). The Lord gave them the victory immediately, so that the enemy fled in total disarray, in contrast to their previous united front. Israel pursued them, killing them with such slaughter as to leave none remaining. Would Israel then not be thankful they had returned to Gilgal to be in the presence of God before rushing to engage in battle?
After defeating the northern armies, Joshua returned and attacked the city of Hazor, which was the head of all the other kingdoms that had mustered themselves against Israel. The king Jabin was killed and all the inhabitants of the city, and also the city was burned (vs.10-11). The city was not simply captured by Israel, for it means "enclosure," implying independent sectarianism in the land, and Israel was not to have any of this.
"So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. And Jehovah said to Joshua, Fear them not." Why should they? yea, why should they not? "Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore came to them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. And Jehovah discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and to Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them to Azekah, and they died; they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."
From this time nothing arrests Israel's victorious progress (v. 19); they must smite the enemies till none remain. The five kings are taken, and hung on five trees; Joshua sees his way to this more clearly, from a previous page in his history learnt in the presence of God. Joshua has got into the way which suits God's holiness (vv. 26, 27). Encouraged himself by the word of God (v. 8), he can encourage the people (v. 25); Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, Debir, are their victorious stages; they take possession of their inheritance, and then "they return to the camp to Gilgal." (v. 43)
(2) The results are now summed up: the land within its limits for the time, from Mount Halak, the "smooth" or bald mountain bordering Seir upon the south, to Baal-gad, under Mount Hermon, in the north. Not a city except Gibeon that yielded itself to God: all were taken in battle. This was the effect of God's retributive justice, making the hearts firm in resistance to Israel's power that had shut themselves up against the God of Israel. Thus they met the judgment rightly decreed upon them.
Thus we are told that Joshua fulfilled the commandments of the Lord given to him by Moses (v.15). He was a leader of remarkable faith and God-given ability. These two great victories over the south and the north of the land gave Israel undisputed domination over all the land, though they had not as yet destroyed all their enemies, as chapter 13:1-6 shows. Does this not tell us also that, though we may have in general taken possession of our heavenly inheritance, yet there are many details of that inheritance that we have failed to apprehend or enjoy?
Verses
- Joshua 1:1–91And it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' attendant, saying, 2Moses my servant is dead; and now, rise up, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, into the land which I give unto them, to the children of Israel. 3Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread have I given to you, as I said unto Moses. 4From the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, to the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. 5None shall be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee. 6Be strong and courageous, for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth; and thou shalt meditate upon it day and night, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou have good success in thy ways, and then shalt thou prosper. 9Have I not commanded thee Be strong and courageous? Be not afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.