Joshua 11:12
Joshua 11:12 in Multiple Translations
Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.
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.
And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and he smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded.
And all the towns of these kings, and all the kings, Joshua took, and put them to the sword: he gave them up to the curse, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had said.
Joshua captured all these towns and killed their kings. He set them apart and completely destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had ordered.
So all ye cities of those Kings, and all the kings of them did Ioshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and vtterly destroyed them, as Moses the seruant of the Lord had commanded.
and all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, hath Joshua captured, and he smiteth them by the mouth of the sword; he devoted them, as Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded.
Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, Joshua took, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
And he took and put to the sword and destroyed all the cities round about, and their kings, as Moses the servant of God had commanded him.
Joshua’s army captured all of those cities and killed all of their kings. They did that like Moses, the man who served Yahweh well, had commanded them to do.
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 11:12
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Joshua 11:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Joshua 11:12
Study Notes — Joshua 11:12
Context — Conquest of the Northern Cities
12Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.
13Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 20:16–17 | However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. For you must devote them to complete destruction —the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 7:2 | and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy. |
| 3 | Numbers 33:50–53 | On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places. You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. |
| 4 | Joshua 10:30 | And the LORD also delivered that city and its king into the hand of Israel, and Joshua put all the people to the sword, leaving no survivors. And he did to the king of Libnah as he had done to the king of Jericho. |
| 5 | Joshua 10:35 | That day they captured Eglon and put it to the sword, and Joshua devoted to destruction everyone in the city, just as he had done to Lachish. |
| 6 | Joshua 10:37 | They captured it and put to the sword its king, all its villages, and all the people. Joshua left no survivors, just as he had done at Eglon; he devoted to destruction Hebron and everyone in it. |
| 7 | Joshua 10:32 | And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He put all the people to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. |
| 8 | Joshua 8:8 | And when you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded! See, I have given you orders.” |
| 9 | Joshua 9:24 | The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. |
| 10 | Joshua 11:15 | As the LORD had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses. |
Joshua 11:12 Summary
In this verse, Joshua is following God's command to destroy the cities and kings of Canaan, as given through Moses. This was part of God's plan to establish the Israelites in the land and to remove the influence of pagan practices, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:1-6. By obeying God's command, Joshua is demonstrating his trust in God's plan and his commitment to following God's will, even when it is difficult. This verse reminds us of the importance of following God's commands, even when they are hard to understand, and of trusting in God's sovereignty and wisdom, as taught in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Romans 11:33-36.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Joshua put the kings and their cities to the sword?
Joshua was following the command of Moses, as recorded in Deuteronomy 20:16-18, to devote the cities to destruction in order to prevent the Israelites from being influenced by the pagan practices of the inhabitants, and to fulfill God's judgment on these nations for their wickedness, as seen in Leviticus 18:24-25.
What does it mean to 'devote them to destruction'?
To devote something to destruction means to set it apart for God's judgment, completely destroying it, as commanded in Numbers 21:2-3, and as seen in the example of Jericho in Joshua 6:17-18, where everything was devoted to the Lord and destroyed.
How does this verse relate to Moses' command?
This verse shows that Joshua was obedient to Moses' command, as given in Deuteronomy 7:1-6, to destroy the nations in the land, and not to make treaties with them or show them mercy, in order to maintain the purity of the Israelites' faith and to fulfill God's plan for them.
Is this kind of destruction still commanded by God today?
No, this kind of destruction was specific to the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, as part of God's plan to establish the Israelites in the land, as seen in Joshua 1:1-9, and is not applicable to believers today, who are called to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, as taught in Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14-21.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His relationship with the nations?
- How does Joshua's obedience to Moses' command demonstrate his trust in God's plan?
- What can we learn from this verse about the importance of following God's commands, even when they are difficult or seem extreme?
- How does this verse relate to the broader theme of God's judgment and mercy in the Bible, as seen in passages like Psalm 98:9 and Romans 11:22?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 11:12
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 11:12
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 11:12
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 11:12
Sermons on Joshua 11:12
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Through the Bible - Deuteronomy by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Deuteronomy and its three main themes: looking back at God's faithfulness, looking upwards at God's laws, and looking forward to G |
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(Through the Bible) Joshua 9-16 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker addresses a popular but false story about NASA scientists discovering a missing day in time. He emphasizes that this story is not factual and has no bas |
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Deception by the Gibeonites by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the deception by the Gibeonites as described in Joshua chapter 9. He emphasizes the importance of heeding the warnings that God gives u |
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The Faithfulness of a Co-Worker by Theodore Andoseh | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the faithfulness of a co-worker, using Joshua 11:15 as a reference. The speaker emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's instructions a |
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Finishing Our Work by A.B. Simpson | A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of finishing our work in his sermon 'Finishing Our Work.' He reflects on the ministry's fruitful two years, expressing gratitude for the soul |




