God delivers His people and fulfills His promises, defending them so thoroughly that no foe can remain.
“The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and the valley of Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them.” (v.8)
Joshua, who led Israel around 1400 BC after Moses’s death (Joshua 1:1-9), faithfully depended on God to secure victory throughout the Promised Land. Here, the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel (v.8), showing that God’s power and plan were the primary reasons for Israel’s success. The phrase so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and the valley of Mizpeh (v.8) highlights how the Israelites chased these enemy kings northward toward Sidon (an influential city in the ancient world) and to Misrephoth-maim, a region sometimes thought to be near the Phoenician border. The valley of Mizpeh might have been a strategic location eastward, showing the vast territory Israel covered in these campaigns.
They struck them until no survivor was left to them (v.8) illustrates how thoroughly the LORD empowered Israel to overcome their foes. God’s promise to give the land to Abraham’s descendants came closer to fulfillment with each victory (Genesis 15:18-21). The mention of chasing the enemy to well-known places such as Sidon further underscores the far-reaching influence of the conquests, as Joshua firmly established Israel’s presence in Canaan. By acting in obedience and courage, Joshua and the Israelites exemplified reliance on the LORD’s guidance for success, a reliance later commended throughout Scripture (Hebrews 11:30).
God powerfully fought on behalf of His people, laying a foundation for Israel’s eventual settlement in the Promised Land. This demonstration of God’s faithfulness would become a spiritual reminder for generations, pointing ahead to the complete rest He promises to those who trust Him (Hebrews 4:6-9).
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Joshua 11:8 meaning
“The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and the valley of Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them.” (v.8)
Joshua, who led Israel around 1400 BC after Moses’s death (Joshua 1:1-9), faithfully depended on God to secure victory throughout the Promised Land. Here, the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel (v.8), showing that God’s power and plan were the primary reasons for Israel’s success. The phrase so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and the valley of Mizpeh (v.8) highlights how the Israelites chased these enemy kings northward toward Sidon (an influential city in the ancient world) and to Misrephoth-maim, a region sometimes thought to be near the Phoenician border. The valley of Mizpeh might have been a strategic location eastward, showing the vast territory Israel covered in these campaigns.
They struck them until no survivor was left to them (v.8) illustrates how thoroughly the LORD empowered Israel to overcome their foes. God’s promise to give the land to Abraham’s descendants came closer to fulfillment with each victory (Genesis 15:18-21). The mention of chasing the enemy to well-known places such as Sidon further underscores the far-reaching influence of the conquests, as Joshua firmly established Israel’s presence in Canaan. By acting in obedience and courage, Joshua and the Israelites exemplified reliance on the LORD’s guidance for success, a reliance later commended throughout Scripture (Hebrews 11:30).
God powerfully fought on behalf of His people, laying a foundation for Israel’s eventual settlement in the Promised Land. This demonstration of God’s faithfulness would become a spiritual reminder for generations, pointing ahead to the complete rest He promises to those who trust Him (Hebrews 4:6-9).