Joshua 11:11
New International Version
Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.

New Living Translation
The Israelites completely destroyed every living thing in the city, leaving no survivors. Not a single person was spared. And then Joshua burned the city.

English Standard Version
And they struck with the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction; there was none left that breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.

Berean Standard Bible
The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.

King James Bible
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

New King James Version
And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.

New American Standard Bible
They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.

NASB 1995
They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.

NASB 1977
And they struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.

Amplified Bible
They struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he set fire to Hazor.

Christian Standard Bible
They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one alive. Then he burned Hazor.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.

American Standard Version
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was none left that breathed: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

Contemporary English Version
and everyone else, then they set the town on fire.

English Revised Version
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was none left that breathed: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They claimed everyone for the LORD by destroying them with swords. Not one person survived. Joshua also burned Hazor.

Good News Translation
They put everyone there to death; no one was left alive, and the city was burned.

International Standard Version
They executed all of the people who lived in it, completely destroying it and leaving no one alive. Then he burned Hazor in fire.

Majority Standard Bible
The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself.

NET Bible
They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword--no one who breathed remained--and burned Hazor.

New Heart English Bible
They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burnt Hazor with fire.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they smote all the souls that were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

World English Bible
They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burned Hazor with fire.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they strike every person who [is] in it by the mouth of the sword; he has devoted—he has not left anyone breathing, and he has burned Hazor with fire;

Young's Literal Translation
and they smite every person who is in it by the mouth of the sword; he hath devoted -- he hath not left any one breathing, and Hazor he hath burnt with fire;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will smite every soul which is in it with the mouth of the sword, exterminating: and no breath was left: and he burnt Hazor in fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he cut off all the souls that abode there: he left not in it any remains, but utterly destroyed all, and burned the city itself with fire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he struck down all the souls that were staying there. He did not leave in it any remains, but he destroyed everything unto utter annihilation, and he destroyed the city itself with fire.

New American Bible
He also struck down with the sword every person there, carrying out the ban, till none was left alive. Hazor itself he burned.

New Revised Standard Version
And they put to the sword all who were in it, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed, and he burned Hazor with fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they smote with the edge of the sword all the people that were in it, utterly destroying them; there was not a soul left among them; and he burned Hazor with fire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he destroyed all the souls in it by the mouth of the sword and he did not leave one of them breathing, and Khetsur he burned in fire
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was none left that breathed; and he burnt Hazor with fire.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they slew with the sword all that breathed in it, and utterly destroyed them all, and there was no living thing left in it; and they burnt Asor with fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Conquest of the Northern Cities
10At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword, because Hazor was formerly the head of all these kingdoms. 11The Israelites put everyone in Hazor to the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and Joshua burned down Hazor itself. 12Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and put them to the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the LORD’s servant had commanded.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 7:2
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

Deuteronomy 20:16-17
However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. / For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,

1 Samuel 15:3
Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

Numbers 33:52
you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

Judges 1:8
Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

1 Kings 9:21
their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.

2 Chronicles 8:7-8
As for all the people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites)— / their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites had not destroyed—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.

Psalm 106:34-35
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, / but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.

Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

Ezekiel 9:5-6
And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone! / Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.

Matthew 22:7
The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Luke 19:27
And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”

Acts 13:19
And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.

Hebrews 11:30-31
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. / By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

Revelation 19:11-21
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. / He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. / He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

any left to breathe [heb] any breath

Joshua 10:40
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.

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Breathe Breathed Breathing Burned Burning Burnt Curse Death Destroyed Destroying Devoted Edge Hazor Itself Mercy Mouth Smite Smote Souls Sparing Struck Sword Therein Totally Utterly
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Breathe Breathed Breathing Burned Burning Burnt Curse Death Destroyed Destroying Devoted Edge Hazor Itself Mercy Mouth Smite Smote Souls Sparing Struck Sword Therein Totally Utterly
Joshua 11
1. Diverse kings overcome at the waters of Merom
10. Hazor is taken and burnt
16. All the country taken by Joshua
21. The Anakims cut off
23. The land rests from war














They struck down everyone in it with the sword
This phrase reflects the execution of divine judgment as commanded by God. The Hebrew word for "struck down" is "nakah," which implies a decisive and forceful action. The use of the sword symbolizes the instrument of God's justice. In the ancient Near Eastern context, warfare was often seen as a means of divine retribution. The Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, were fulfilling God's command to cleanse the land of Canaanite idolatry and immorality, which had reached its full measure of iniquity.

devoting them to destruction
The Hebrew term here is "herem," which means to devote something to God by completely destroying it. This concept is rooted in the idea of holiness and the need to purify the land from anything that could lead Israel astray from worshiping Yahweh. The act of "herem" was not merely about physical destruction but was a spiritual act of consecration, ensuring that nothing would remain that could corrupt the Israelites' covenant relationship with God.

Not a single person was left
This phrase underscores the totality of the judgment executed upon Hazor. It reflects the completeness of God's command being carried out. Historically, this was a common practice in ancient warfare, where leaving no survivors was a way to prevent future retaliation and to demonstrate the total victory of one nation over another. Spiritually, it signifies the thoroughness with which sin and idolatry must be eradicated from the lives of God's people.

and Hazor was burned down
Hazor was a significant Canaanite city, known for its size and strength. Archaeological evidence supports the biblical account, showing layers of destruction that align with the time of Joshua. The burning of Hazor symbolizes the complete overthrow of Canaanite power and the establishment of Israelite dominance in the land. From a theological perspective, the destruction of Hazor serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises to give the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Verse 11. - Utterly destroying them (see note on Joshua 6:17; so below, ver. 12). There was not any left to breathe (see note on Joshua 10:40). And he burnt Hazor with fire. Comparing this verse with verses 13 and 21, there can be little doubt that Joshua had heard that the Anakim had succeeded in re-occupying the cities he had captured in the south. He resolved to prevent this in the case of Hazor, which had been the capital of the neighbourhood, though he did not think the same step necessary in the case of the inferior cities. Hazor was afterwards rebuilt and reoccupied by the Canaanites (Judges 4:2), though not in the time of Joshua. For the present, this destruction of the stronghold of Phoenician power in the north was a decisive measure, and would have been so permanently had the Israelites followed up the policy of Joshua.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[The Israelites] struck down
וַ֠יַּכּוּ (way·yak·kū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5221: To strike

everyone
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

in [Hazor]
בָּ֤הּ (bāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

with the sword,
חֶ֙רֶב֙ (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

utterly destroying [them].
הַֽחֲרֵ֔ם (ha·ḥă·rêm)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose

Nothing
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

that breathed
נְשָׁמָ֑ה (nə·šā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5397: A puff, wind, angry, vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect, an animal

remained,
נוֹתַ֖ר (nō·w·ṯar)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preserve

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

[Joshua] burned down
שָׂרַ֥ף (śā·rap̄)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

Hazor itself.
חָצ֖וֹר (ḥā·ṣō·wr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2674: Hazor -- the name of several places in Palestine, also one in Arabia


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OT History: Joshua 11:11 They struck all the souls who were (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 11:10
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