Joshua 11:13
in Joshua 11Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
KJV
But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
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This verse in Joshua 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Render: “But the cities standing each on its own hill” (compare Jer 30:18). The meaning is simply that, with the exception of Hazor, Joshua did not burn the cities, but left them standing, each on its former site. This site is spoken of as a hill, because such was the ordinary site chosen for cities in Canaan (compare Mat 5:14).
This site's exposition
Joshua captured all these kings and their cities
on Joshua 11:12-14
Keil and Delitzsch read the “cities built on their mounds” as towns left standing, as Deuteronomy 6:10-11 promised. Plunder and livestock are kept under the allowance of Deuteronomy 20:14. Jericho went whole to God as the firstfruits at 6:18-19, but the rest of the land is held more loosely.
This site's exposition
the cities built on their mounds
Barnes explains the mounds as the hills on which the towns stood, and he compares Jeremiah 30:18, where the city is rebuilt on her ruins. John Wesley gives the reason Hazor alone was burned. It had begun the war, and as the royal city it could have renewed it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In their strength - Hebrew. with their fence, walls or bulwarks, that is, which were not ruined with their walls in taking them. Save Hazor - Because this city began the war, and being the chief and royal city, might renew the war.
But as for the cities that stood still in their strength,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
as for the cities that stood still in their strength--literally, "on their heaps." It was a Phœnician custom to build cities on heights, natural or artificial [HENGSTENBERG].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-curly-quotes
The cities that stood still in their strength - The word תלם tillam, which we translate their strength, and the margin, their heap, has been understood two ways. 1. As signifying those cities which had made peace with the Israelites, when conditions of peace were offered according to the command of the law; and consequently were not destroyed. Such as the cities of the Hivites; see Jos 11:19. 2. The cities which were situated upon hills and mountains, which, when taken, might be retained with little difficulty. In this sense the place is understood by the Vulgate, as pointing out the cities quae erant in collibus et tumulis sitae, “which were situated on hills and eminences.” As the cities of the plain might be easily attacked and carried, Joshua destroyed them; but as those on mountains, hills, or other eminences, might be retained with little trouble, prudence would dictate their preservation, as places of refuge in any insurrection of the people, or invasion of their adversaries. The passage in Jeremiah, Jer 30:18, Jerusalem shall be builded on her own heap, תלה tillah, if understood as above, conveys an easy and clear sense: Jerusalem shall be re-established on her Own Hill.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Remained with their walls intact. Their walls were not destroyed like Yericho, whose walls fell, and similarly Ai, as it is said, “[And Yehoshua burned Ai] and made it into a mound forever, a ruin.” 3 See Chapter:28 above.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רַ֣ק | rak | only | H7535 → | 109 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הֶעָרִ֗ים | hearim | the cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הָעֹֽמְדוֹת֙ | haomedot | which were standing | H5975 → | 521 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| תִּלָּ֔ם | tilam | mounds their | H8510 → | |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שְׂרָפָ֖ם | serafam | it burned them | H8313 → | 117 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| זוּלָתִ֛י | zulati | except | H2108 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חָצ֥וֹר | chatzor | Hazor | H2674 → | 18 times |
| לְבַדָּ֖הּ | levadah | to alone it | H905 → | 200 times |
| שָׂרַ֥ף | saraf | he burned | H8313 → | 117 times |
| יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
רַ֣קonly
rakH7535 →109 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הֶעָרִ֗יםthe cities
hearimH5892 →1090 times
הָעֹֽמְדוֹת֙which were standing
haomedotH5975 →521 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
תִּלָּ֔םmounds their
tilamH8510 →
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
שְׂרָפָ֖םit burned them
serafamH8313 →117 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
זוּלָתִ֛יexcept
zulatiH2108 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חָצ֥וֹרHazor
chatzorH2674 →18 times
לְבַדָּ֖הּto alone it
levadahH905 →200 times
שָׂרַ֥ףhe burned
sarafH8313 →117 times
יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃Joshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 30:18This is what the LORD says: “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins, and the palace will…
it leads to
- Haggai 2:7–9
I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.
- Psalms 102:13
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— the appointed time has come.
- Jeremiah 30:3
For behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore from captivity My people Israel and Judah, declares the LORD. I will restore them to the land that I gave to…
- Jeremiah 33:7
I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times.
- Jeremiah 49:39
“Yet in the last days, I will restore Elam from captivity,” declares the LORD.
- Haggai 2:7–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
On this chapter
About Joshua
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.