Chapter 48—Home at Last
This chapter is based on
Joshua 10:40-43
;
11
;
14
to 22.
The victory at Beth-horon was speedily followed by the conquest
of southern Canaan. “Joshua smote all the country of the hills and of
the south, and of the vale... . And all these kings and their land did
Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for
Israel.”
The tribes of northern Palestine, terrified at the success which had
attended the armies of Israel, now entered into a league against them.
“And they went out, they and all their hosts with them.” This army
was much larger than any that the Israelites had before encountered
in Canaan—“much people, even as the sand that is upon the seashore
in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when all these
kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters
of Merom, to fight against Israel.”
Again a message of encouragement was given to Joshua: “Be not
afraid because of them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver
them up all slain before Israel.”
Near Lake Merom he fell upon the camp of the allies, and “the Lord
delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased
them ... until they left them none remaining.” At the command of God
the chariots were burned, and the horses lamed, and thus rendered unfit
for use in battle. The Israelites were not to put their trust in chariots or
horses, but “in the name of the Lord their God.”
One by one the cities were taken, and Hazor, the stronghold of the
[364]
confederacy, was burned. The war was continued for several years,
but its close found Joshua master of Canaan. “And the land had rest
from war.”
But though the power of the Canaanites had been broken, they had
not been fully dispossessed. Joshua was not, however, to continue the
war. The whole land, both the parts already conquered and that yet
unsubdued, was to be apportioned among the tribes. And it was the
314