Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses. New Living Translation For the LORD hardened their hearts and caused them to fight the Israelites. So they were completely destroyed without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses. English Standard Version For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses. Berean Standard Bible For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses. King James Bible For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. New King James Version For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses. New American Standard Bible For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. NASB 1995 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. NASB 1977 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Legacy Standard Bible For it was of Yahweh to strengthen their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might devote them to destruction, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Amplified Bible For it was [the purpose] of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle so that Israel would utterly destroy them, that they would receive no mercy, but that Israel would destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Christian Standard Bible For it was the LORD’s intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Holman Christian Standard Bible For it was the LORD’s intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. American Standard Version For it was of Jehovah to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Jehovah commanded Moses. English Revised Version For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD made their enemies stubborn enough to continue fighting against Israel so that he could claim them all for destruction without mercy, as he had commanded Moses. Good News Translation The LORD had made them determined to fight the Israelites, so that they would be condemned to total destruction and all be killed without mercy. This was what the LORD had commanded Moses. International Standard Version because the LORD had hardened their hearts so they would fight Israel in war, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be completely wiped out, as the LORD had commanded Moses. NET Bible for the LORD determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses. New Heart English Bible For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. Webster's Bible Translation For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses. World English Bible For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionfor it has been from YHWH to strengthen their heart, to meet in battle with Israel, in order to devote them, so that they have no grace, but in order to destroy them, as YHWH commanded Moses. Young's Literal Translation for from Jehovah it hath been to strengthen their heart, to meet in battle with Israel, in order to devote them, so that they have no grace, but in order to destroy them, as Jehovah commanded Moses. Smith's Literal Translation For from Jehovah it was to strengthen their heart to meet Israel in war in order to destroy them; no favor to be to them, but to destroy them as Jehovah commanded Moses. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor it was the sentence of the Lord, that their hearts should be hardened, and they should fight against Israel, and fall, and should not deserve any clemency, and should be destroyed as the Lord had commanded Moses. Catholic Public Domain Version For it was the sentence of the Lord that their hearts would be hardened, and that they would fight against Israel and fall, and that they did not deserve any clemency, and that they should perish, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. New American Bible For it was the LORD’s doing to make their hearts obstinate to meet Israel in battle, that they might be put under the ban without mercy, and be destroyed as the LORD had commanded Moses. New Revised Standard Version For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts so that they would come against Israel in battle, in order that they might be utterly destroyed, and might receive no mercy, but be exterminated, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor it was of the LORD to encourage their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that they might destroy them utterly, and that they might not have compassion upon them, but that they might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because this was from the presence of LORD JEHOVAH, that their heart would be empowered, so that they would go out to battle against Israel, so that they would destroy them and they would not have a prayer, so that he destroyed them just as LORD JEHOVAH commanded Moshe OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that they might be utterly destroyed, that they might have no favour, but that they might be destroyed, as the LORD commanded Moses. Brenton Septuagint Translation For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts to go forth to war against Israel, that they might be utterly destroyed, that mercy should not be granted to them, but that they should be utterly destroyed, as the Lord said to Moses. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Joshua Takes the Whole Land…19No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle. 20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses. 21At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction, along with their cities.… Cross References Exodus 4:21 The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day. Romans 9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. Isaiah 63:17 Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage. 1 Samuel 2:25 If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, / in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for His purpose—even the wicked for the day of disaster. John 12:40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” Isaiah 6:9-10 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Romans 11:8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Exodus 9:12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses. Deuteronomy 29:4 Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. Mark 4:12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’” Matthew 13:14-15 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ Treasury of Scripture For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. it was Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. Exodus 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. as the Lord Joshua 11:12-15 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded… Deuteronomy 20:16,17 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: … Jump to Previous Battle Commanded Curse Destroy Destroyed Destruction Exterminated Harden Hardened Heart Hearts Israel LORD's Meet Mercy Moses Order Receive Shewn Strong Totally Utterly Wage WarJump to Next Battle Commanded Curse Destroy Destroyed Destruction Exterminated Harden Hardened Heart Hearts Israel LORD's Meet Mercy Moses Order Receive Shewn Strong Totally Utterly Wage WarJoshua 11 1. Diverse kings overcome at the waters of Merom10. Hazor is taken and burnt 16. All the country taken by Joshua 21. The Anakims cut off 23. The land rests from war For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts This phrase indicates divine sovereignty in the events that unfold. The hardening of hearts is a recurring theme in the Bible, notably seen in the account of Pharaoh during the Exodus (Exodus 9:12). It suggests that God, in His omniscience and justice, allows or causes certain individuals or groups to resist His will, ultimately fulfilling His divine purposes. This hardening is not arbitrary but serves a greater plan within God's redemptive history. to engage Israel in battle so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The sovereign God of Israel, who orchestrates events according to His divine will and purpose. 2. Joshua The leader of Israel, succeeding Moses, tasked with leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and executing God's commands. 3. The Canaanite Kings The collective adversaries of Israel, whose hearts were hardened by God to engage in battle against Israel. 4. Israel The chosen people of God, led by Joshua, who are executing God's judgment on the Canaanite nations. 5. Moses The former leader of Israel, who received God's commandments regarding the conquest of Canaan. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty and JusticeGod's actions, including the hardening of hearts, are rooted in His sovereign will and perfect justice. Believers are called to trust in His divine plan, even when it is beyond human comprehension. The Seriousness of Sin The complete destruction of the Canaanites serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and God's intolerance of idolatry and wickedness. Christians are encouraged to examine their lives and remove anything that leads them away from God. Obedience to God's Commands Joshua's leadership and Israel's obedience to God's commands highlight the importance of following God's instructions fully. Believers are challenged to live in obedience to God's Word, trusting in His guidance. The Role of Faith in God's Plan The Israelites' victory over the Canaanites was not due to their own strength but because of God's intervention. This teaches Christians to rely on faith in God's power rather than their own abilities. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 11:20?2. How does Joshua 11:20 demonstrate God's sovereignty in Israel's conquests? 3. What role did divine hardening play in the Canaanites' resistance? 4. How can we discern God's will in challenging situations today? 5. Compare Joshua 11:20 with Pharaoh's hardening in Exodus. What similarities exist? 6. How should believers respond when facing seemingly insurmountable opposition? 7. Why did God harden the hearts of the Canaanites in Joshua 11:20? 8. How does Joshua 11:20 align with the concept of free will? 9. What is the historical evidence for the events described in Joshua 11:20? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 11? 11. How do we address potential contradictions or editing in Exodus 33 when compared to other Pentateuch texts describing Moses's encounters with God? 12. Who were the believers in the Old Testament? 13. How does the absolute obedience in Joshua 11:12-15 align with prior instructions about sparing certain peoples? 14. What is the main theme of the Book of Numbers? What Does Joshua 11:20 Mean For it was of the LORD• The verse opens by grounding the whole episode in God’s sovereign purpose. Nothing here is accidental; “The LORD has made everything for His purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). • As earlier with Pharaoh—“Still I will harden Pharaoh’s heart…and I will gain glory through him” (Exodus 14:17-18)—God is actively directing history for His glory and Israel’s deliverance. • Paul later reflects, “So then, He has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden” (Romans 9:18). to harden their hearts • This hardening is moral and spiritual, not mechanical. It intensifies the Canaanites’ existing rebellion, pushing them to persist instead of repent. • Pharaoh’s story in Exodus 9:12 illustrates the pattern: a heart already resistant becomes more so when God removes restraining grace. • By hardening, God ensures that justice, not negotiation or half-measures, will prevail (cf. Deuteronomy 2:30). to engage Israel in battle • The Canaanite coalition could have sued for peace, but God’s plan moved them to fight. • Their aggression provided the context for a decisive judgment, much like the Amorite kings who “gathered together to fight against Israel” in Joshua 10—only to be defeated utterly. • Judges 14:4 hints at the same principle in Samson’s day: God sometimes stirs conflict to expose and judge sin. so that they would be set apart for destruction • “You must devote them to complete destruction” (Deuteronomy 7:2) describes the herem, a total ban removing a people from the land they had defiled. • This was not random violence but a judicial act against cultures steeped in child sacrifice and gross idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:31). • The land itself was to be cleansed so it could become a holy dwelling for God’s covenant people (Leviticus 18:24-25). and would receive no mercy • Mercy had been long delayed: Genesis 15:16 notes that “the iniquity of the Amorites” took centuries to reach full measure. • When sin reaches the tipping point, “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (James 2:13). • God’s severity here underscores that final judgment is real (Hebrews 10:31) while still leaving room for individual exceptions like Rahab who embraced faith (Joshua 6:25). being annihilated • “So Joshua conquered the whole region…he left no survivor” (Joshua 10:40) parallels this verse. • The language emphasizes total defeat of organized resistance, not necessarily the extermination of every individual, as later pockets of Canaanites still appear (Joshua 13:13). • The focus is the removal of wicked rule, clearing the land for covenant life under God (Numbers 21:3). as the LORD had commanded Moses • Joshua’s actions rest on earlier revelation: “In the cities of these peoples…the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes” (Deuteronomy 20:16-17). • Obedience to God’s word, already delivered through Moses, shapes Joshua’s strategy (Numbers 33:52-55). • The pattern reminds us that God’s commands are consistent and must be followed fully, even when they challenge human sentiment. summary Joshua 11:20 shows God directing events so that hardened Canaanite kings would choose battle, incur just destruction, and fulfill the commands already given to Moses. The verse underlines God’s sovereign rule, the certainty of judgment on entrenched wickedness, and the necessity of complete obedience to revealed truth. (20) It was of the Lord to harden their hearts . . . that he might destroy them.--Or rather to strengthen their heart--i.e., render them obstinate. These words go to prove what has been said elsewhere, that the conquest of Canaan was not intended to be a massacre of the unresisting inhabitants.Verse 20. - To harden their hearts (cf. Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:23). Muller, 'Christian Doctrine of Sin,' 2:412, says that "Scripture never speaks of God's hardening men's hearts, save in connection with His revelations through Moses or Christ." This passage evidently had not occurred to him when writing. His explanation of the difficulty is hardly satisfactory. We are not to suppose that the free will of the Canaanites was in any way interfered with. God no doubt left them to themselves as the due punishment of their iniquities. Sin in general, by God's own appointment, and especially the sensual sins in which the Canaanites were steeped, has a tendency to produce insensibility to moral or even prudential considerations, and to beget a recklessness which urges on the sinner to his ruin. Some have argued that had they all come, like the Gibeonites, as suppliants, they must all have been massacred in cold blood. But this is not likely. Rather we must imagine that God foresaw that they would not believe the signs He would give in favour of the Israelites, and that by meeting them in battle they brought a swift and speedy destruction on themselves.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Forכִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction it was הָיְתָ֡ה (hā·yə·ṯāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be of מֵאֵ֣ת (mê·’êṯ) Preposition-m | Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case the LORD יְהוָ֣ה ׀ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel to harden לְחַזֵּ֣ק (lə·ḥaz·zêq) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer their hearts לִבָּם֩ (lib·bām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre to engage לִקְרַ֨את (liq·raṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 7125: Against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc in battle, הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה (ham·mil·ḥā·māh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4421: A battle, war that they would be completely destroyed הַֽחֲרִימָ֔ם (ha·ḥă·rî·mām) Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 2763: To seclude, to devote to religious uses, to be blunt as to the nose without לְבִלְתִּ֥י (lə·ḇil·tî) Preposition-l Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until mercy תְּחִנָּ֑ה (tə·ḥin·nāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 8467: Favor, supplication for favor and כִּ֚י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction be annihilated הַשְׁמִידָ֔ם (haš·mî·ḏām) Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 8045: To be exterminated or destroyed as כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ka·’ă·šer) Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that the LORD יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel had commanded צִוָּ֥ה (ṣiw·wāh) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order Moses. מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver Links Joshua 11:20 NIVJoshua 11:20 NLT Joshua 11:20 ESV Joshua 11:20 NASB Joshua 11:20 KJV Joshua 11:20 BibleApps.com Joshua 11:20 Biblia Paralela Joshua 11:20 Chinese Bible Joshua 11:20 French Bible Joshua 11:20 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 11:20 For it was of Yahweh to harden (Josh. 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