Conquering the North and South: Joshua’s Military Campaigns

Posted on Aug 1, 2024 in History

Chapter 11: Conquering the North

The Northern Alliance

  1. The king of Hatzor, Yavin, hears of Joshua’s victories in the south.
  2. He rallies his fellow kings from the north.
  3. They gather a vast army with chariots and weapons.

Joshua’s Strategy

  1. God assures Joshua of victory.
  2. Joshua and his army march to Me Merom.
  3. God instructs Joshua to disable the enemy’s horses and burn their chariots.

The Battle of Me Merom

  1. Joshua’s army attacks the northern alliance.
  2. The northern kings are defeated and killed.
  3. Joshua conquers their cities and kills their inhabitants.

Aftermath

  1. Joshua fulfills God’s instructions regarding the horses and chariots.
  2. Joshua returns to Hatzor and kills King Yavin.
  3. Joshua eradicates all threats from the northern kings.
  4. He kills all the inhabitants of Hatzor, sparing none.
  5. Joshua conquers all the hilltop cities and burns Hatzor.
  6. Joshua kills all the kings of the north, as commanded by Moses.
  7. Joshua conquers the majority of the northern cities, except for a few coastal strongholds.
  8. The Israelites are allowed to take spoils of war.
  9. Joshua follows God’s commands and conquers the land from south to north.
  10. It takes a long time to conquer the north compared to the south.
  11. Only the Gibeonites make peace with Israel.
  12. God hardens the hearts of the Canaanites to prevent them from showing mercy.
  13. Joshua and Caleb kill the giants in Hebron.
  14. There are no giants left in Israel, except for a few in the coastal cities.
  15. Joshua divides the land among the tribes.

Chapter 12: Land Distribution for Reuben, Gad, and Half-Manasseh

  • Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh request land east of the Jordan River.
  • Moses initially refuses, but God instructs him to grant their request.
  • Conditions for their land grant:
    • They must serve as the frontline in war.
    • Half-Manasseh must assist in conquering the land outside Israel.
    • The other tribes are not obligated to help them in war.

Chapter 13: Land Distribution for the Remaining Tribes

  • God instructs Joshua to divide the remaining land among the nine and a half tribes.
  • The Levites do not receive a land inheritance because they serve God and teach the Israelites.
  • Their cities are designated as cities of refuge.
  • Borders of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh are described.

Chapter 14: Caleb’s Inheritance

  • Joshua and Eleazar assist in distributing the land.
  • Caleb, who had spied out the land and remained faithful, requests a specific inheritance.
  • He asks for Mount Hebron, which was inhabited by giants.
  • Joshua grants Caleb’s request, and God promises to be with him in conquering the land.
  • Caleb conquers Mount Hebron and drives out the giants.
  • The land of Hebron is given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite.
  • Hebron was formerly known as Kiriath Arba, named after the three giants and their father.

Chapter 15: Territory of Judah

  • Judah receives the first inheritance because of their repentance.
  • Caleb conquers the land he requested and drives out the giants.
  • Caleb offers his daughter, Achsah, as a wife to whoever conquers Kiriath Sepher.
  • Othniel Ben Kenaz conquers the land and marries Achsah.
  • Achsah requests a blessing from her father and receives both upper and lower springs.
  • Judah is unable to drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem due to a covenant made by Abimelech with Abraham.