Joshua 11 -- It appears Joshua simply extended the effort in the same year for the northern half of Canaan. The description is rather terse and routine, indicating that once again, it was the locals who sought a pre-emptive strike against the invading Israelites, the promise of victory from Jehovah, and subsequent destruction of the cities and inhabitants. Hazor ("Village") led the Northern Confederation under their king, Jabin ("Wise and Intelligent One") -- no doubt a title rather than a proper name. Having mobilized the entire army of the north, Jabin marshaled them around the Merom Springs that fed a major tributary of the Jordan via the Sea of Galilee (called the Sea of Chinneroth at the time). While they were preparing for their battle with Israel, Joshua had been marching troops up from Gilgal and caught them by surprise. As in the south, having defeated the armies in the field, it was easier to capture the cities from whence they came. It is noteworthy that Hazor was one of only three cities -- along with Jericho and Ai -- that were actually razed and destroyed. Each was a symbol for Israel and for the inhabitants of the land. Jericho was "devoted" in that it could have no use by man again. At least part of the reason for destroying Ai was what it meant to Israel after dealing with the sin of Aachan. Hazor was probably the single most powerful city in the whole of Canaanite territory. Estimates place its population at some 40,000.
The Wars of Conquest continued for at least five years (see below). Once the primary source of resistance was removed, there was still a great deal of mopping up here and there, and putting out small fires of resistance as they arose. This was all accomplished by soldiers on foot. Jabin's horses were hamstrung, and the wooden chariots burned, destroying the ancient equivalent of cavalry, by order of Jehovah. It was more than just a means to keep them humble and dependent on Jehovah. These and other nations in the north used their chariots and horses in pagan rituals, and their use in combat always represented a faith in pagan gods. The riders were a select group, sacred and apart from the common soldier. While Israel also had professional soldiers, they were hardly held as a class apart from the conscripted citizen-soldiers. Conscripted troops were drawn from a population that valued men brave and athletic, familiar with the weapons of war. Each man had his own short-sword of bronze, roughly a foot long (30cm), or a lance with a bronze head. Many had both. There were also lighter throwing javelins, along with slings and stones, mentioned previously. A few even had scimitars, such as Joshua used to signal the successful attack at Ai. It all compares favorably to modern Switzerland, where virtually every able-bodied person is a lifetime member of the defense militia, and required to keep a weapon at home.
Joshua 12-24 -- We know that Joshua was 40 at the time he helped with the original spying mission, then approximately 80 at the beginning of the Conquest. We also know his close friend Caleb was roughly the same age. When Caleb asks permission to possess the area of Hebron, he tells us that it has been 45 years since that first spying mission under Moses (ch. 14:6ff). His request seems to indicate that enough national targets have been removed that it is time to pass the remaining occupation fighting tasks to the tribes. In the 5-year interval between the first battles and Caleb's request, his inheritance must be re-taken from when the Anakim were destroyed (10:38-39). We deduce it may have been remnants of the original residents.
When the primary targets of conquest had been disposed of, Joshua began the long task of parceling the land among the tribes. The text serves as the official record, and goes into great detail (chs. 13-21), but many of the landmarks are no longer recognized by the names recorded. Overseeing the surveying and marking of tribal borders, plus settling a couple of disputes, took quite some time. When next we are told Joshua's age, he is 110. Jehovah told Joshua to retire, with a rough dating of 1387 B.C. With his retirement the flush of victorious conquest lasted well into the next generation. However, almost immediately, small failures of faith became readily apparent here and there. Until much later, the tendency to pursue pagan gods and goddesses remained present, though at times subdued. Thus, the Nation of Israel never quite rose to the standard God had set forth.
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Ed Hurst
revised 02 March 2004
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