Joshua

Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering it through many battles.

Chapter 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,

*Then, when Jabin, the king of Hazor, heard about these events, he sent messengers to Jobab, the king of Madon, and also 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,

*To the kings north of the mountains, south of Chinneroth in the plains, in the valley, and at Dor's borders 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.

*To the people living east and west, like Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the mountains, and Hivites near Hermon in Mizpeh's land, this message is for you.

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.

*So they left, along with all their armies, a huge number of people, like the sand on a beach, with lots and lots of horses and chariots.

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

*Then, when all these kings gathered, they joined forces and camped by the Merom waters to battle 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.

*And God told Joshua, "Don't be scared of them. Tomorrow, I will make all of them dead in front of Israel. You should capture 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.

*Joshua and his fighting soldiers surprised their enemies near the waters of Merom and attacked 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.

*Then God let the enemies fall into Israel's hands, who fought against them and chased them all the way to a place called great Zidon, Misrephothmaim, and the Mizpeh valley in the east. They kept fighting until there were no enemies left.

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

*Joshua followed God's instructions. He crippled the horses' legs and burned the 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.

*At that moment, Joshua went back and captured Hazor. He defeated the city's ruler with a sword because Hazor used to be the leader of all those other 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.

*They killed everyone inside the city using swords, completely wiping them out; no one survived. Then, they burned 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.

*Joshua took over all the cities of those kings and defeated them with his sword, completely destroying them as Moses, God's servant, had instructed.

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

*But the cities that didn't attack, Israel didn't destroy them all, only Hazor was destroyed by Joshua.

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.

*The people of Israel took everything from these cities and the animals as their prize. They killed everyone with swords, leaving no one alive.

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.

*As the LORD told Moses, his helper, so Moses instructed Joshua, and Joshua followed too; he didn't miss any of the commands the LORD gave to 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;

*So Joshua captured all that area, including the hills, the southern region, the land of Goshen, the valleys, the plains, and the mountains and valleys of Israel.

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.

*From Mount Halak to Seir, down to Baalgad in the Lebanon valley near Mount Hermon, he captured all their rulers, defeated them, and killed them.

18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

*Joshua fought against many kings for a long time.

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.

*No city agreed with Israel's kids except the Hivites from Gibeon; everyone else, they fought and won.

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.

*It was God's plan to make their hearts stubborn so they would attack Israel in a fight. He wanted to completely destroy them with no mercy, following his instructions to 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.

*At that time, Joshua arrived and eliminated the Anakims from the mountains, including Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the mountains of Judah and Israel. He completely destroyed them along 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.

*No Anakims were left in the land of the Israelites except for a few places: Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

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.

*Joshua took control of all the land as God told Moses. He then divided the land among the Israelites based on their tribes. After this, the land experienced no more fighting.

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