Joshua 11:18
in Joshua 11Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
KJV
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
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This verse in Joshua 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseJoshua made war a long time - The whole of these conquests were not effected in one campaign: they probably required six or seven years. There are some chronological notices in this book, and in Deuteronomy, by which the exact time may be nearly ascertained. Caleb was forty years old when he was sent from Kadesh-barnea by Moses to search out the land, about A.M.
This site's exposition
So Joshua took this entire region
on Joshua 11:16-18
Verse 18 checks any reading of chapters 10 and 11 as a few weeks, since Joshua waged war “for a long period of time”. Caleb’s ages at 14:7-10, forty when sent and eighty-five at Hebron, leave about seven years of campaigning on the usual reckoning.
This site's exposition
for a long period of time
John Wesley says the verse is there to stop a reader from taking a short account for a short war. Albert Barnes counts at least five years and notes others who count seven. Chapters 10 and 11, he adds, give only leading events.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
A long time - For divers years together, as is evident by the following history. And this is here expressed, lest it should be thought that as all these wars are here recorded in a short narration, so they were dispatched in a short time.
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
Thus the war carried on by the preaching of the gospel against Satan's kingdom was at first forwarded by miracles; but, the war being by them sufficiently proved to be of God, the managers of it are now left to the ordinary assistance of divine grace in the use of the sword of the Spirit, and must not expect hail-stones nor the standing still of the sun.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A long time - At least five years; according to others, seven years (see Jos 14:10, and Introduction). This and the preceding chapter contain a very condensed account of the wars of Joshua, giving particulars about leading events only.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
For many days did Yehoshua. This verse was said to criticize Yehoshua, who intended to delay the conquest of the land, in order to lengthen his days, for it is said, “And you will apportion it to them.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The bare, divided mountain. A smooth mountain. 5 It was so called because there were no trees on it. It was divided between Yaakov and Eisov. The part belonging to Yaakov was bare and smooth as Yaakov himself. See Bereishis:11.
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
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָמִ֣ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| רַבִּ֗ים | rabim | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| עָשָׂ֧ה | ʾasah | he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמְּלָכִ֥ים | hamelakhim | the kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הָאֵ֖לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| מִלְחָמָֽה׃ | milchamah | battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
יָמִ֣יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
רַבִּ֗יםmany
rabimH7227 →454 times
עָשָׂ֧הhe did
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַמְּלָכִ֥יםthe kings
hamelakhimH4428 →2525 times
הָאֵ֖לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
מִלְחָמָֽה׃battle
milchamahH4421 →320 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
Joshua 11:23So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then…
it leads to
- Joshua 21:44–45
And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their…
- Numbers 26:52–55
Then the LORD said to Moses,
- Psalms 46:9
He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
- Joshua 14:1–15
Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of…
- Exodus 23:27–31
I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
- Joshua 21:44–45
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name 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); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.