Joshua 11:6
in Joshua 11Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them; for to-morrow at this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hock their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
KJV
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
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This verse in Joshua 11
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBe not afraid - of them - To meet such a formidable host so well equipped, in their own country, furnished with all that was necessary to supply a numerous army, required more than ordinary encouragement in Joshua’s circumstances. This communication from God was highly necessary, in order to prevent the people from desponding on the eve of a conflict, in which their all was at stake.
This site's exposition
Do not be afraid of them
on Joshua 11:6-7
Deuteronomy 20:1 told Israel not to fear when it saw horses and chariots, and verse 4 has just described that sight. To hamstring a horse puts it beyond use without killing it. Destroying the captured equipment instead of fielding it runs with Deuteronomy 17:16 on a king not multiplying horses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Such is the list, therefore, of the entire army of invisible foes who are assembled by King Jabin in order to fight against us who follow Jesus, our leader and Savior. But what does the Lord declare? "Do not shrink back from their appearance," he says "because by tomorrow at this hour, I shall deliver them into your hands."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): Be not afraid because of them. Joshua was remarkable for his courage--it was his master grace, and yet it seems he had need to be again and again cautioned not to be afraid.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And the Lord said unto Joshua, be not afraid because of them,.... Of their number, of their horsemen, and of their scythed chariots; which might at first hearing occasion some fear and dread. And according to Josephus (f), the multitude of them terrified both Joshua and the Israelites; and therefore the Lord appeared and spoke to him for his encouragement: though what was said was for the sake of the Israelites, and to animate them who might be disheartened, rather than for the sake of Joshua, who was of a bold and courageous spirit.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Jabin ("the Intelligent"), which seems to have been a hereditary title (Jud 4:2), took the lead, from Hazor being the capital of the northern region (Jos 11:10). It was situated on the borders of lake Merom. The other cities mentioned must have been in the vicinity though their exact position is unknown.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hough their horses - i. e. cut the sinews of the hinder hoofs. This sinew once severed cannot be healed, and the horses would thus be irreparably lamed. This is the first appearance of horses in the wars with the Canaanites (Deu 17:16 and note).
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֣א | tira' | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מִפְּנֵיהֶם֒ | mipeneihem | <from> because of them | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָחָ֞ר | machar | tomorrow | H4279 → | 52 times |
| כָּעֵ֣ת | kaet | about the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| הַזֹּ֗את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| אָנֹכִ֞י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| נֹתֵ֧ן | noten | [am] delivering up | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כֻּלָּ֛ם | kulam | all of them | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חֲלָלִ֖ים | chalalim | slain | H2491 → | |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| סוּסֵיהֶ֣ם | suseihem | horses their | H5483 → | 140 times |
| תְּעַקֵּ֔ר | teaker | you will hamstring | H6131 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם | markevoteihem | chariots their | H4818 → | |
| תִּשְׂרֹ֥ף | tisrof | you will burn | H8313 → | 117 times |
| בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ | baesh | with <the> fire | H784 → | 378 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮Joshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֣אyou be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
מִפְּנֵיהֶם֒<from> because of them
mipeneihemH6440 →2123 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מָחָ֞רtomorrow
macharH4279 →52 times
כָּעֵ֣תabout the time
kaetH6256 →296 times
הַזֹּ֗את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
אָנֹכִ֞יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
נֹתֵ֧ן[am] delivering up
notenH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כֻּלָּ֛םall of them
kulamH3605 →5413 times
חֲלָלִ֖יםslain
chalalimH2491 →
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
סוּסֵיהֶ֣םhorses their
suseihemH5483 →140 times
תְּעַקֵּ֔רyou will hamstring
teakerH6131 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖םchariots their
markevoteihemH4818 →
תִּשְׂרֹ֥ףyou will burn
tisrofH8313 →117 times
בָּאֵֽשׁ׃with <the> fire
baeshH784 →378 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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 10:8The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.”
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 3:2
But the LORD said to me, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon…
- Isaiah 41:10–15
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Joshua 1:5–9
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Romans 8:31
Through
1 Samuel 11:9So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the…
it leads to
- Psalms 18:17
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.
- Psalms 18:17
Through
Judges 20:28and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered,…
it leads to
- Judges 7:9
That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
- Deuteronomy 18:5
For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
- Judges 7:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 14.2.