Joshua 11:4 So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.

◄ Joshua 11:4 ►

New International Version
They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

New Living Translation
All these kings came out to fight. Their combined armies formed a vast horde. And with all their horses and chariots, they covered the landscape like the sand on the seashore.

English Standard Version
And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

Berean Standard Bible
So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.

King James Bible
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

New King James Version
So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.

New American Standard Bible
Then they came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

NASB 1995
They came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

NASB 1977
And they came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

Amplified Bible
They went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

Christian Standard Bible
They went out with all their armies—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore —along with a vast number of horses and chariots.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They went out with all their armies—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore—along with a vast number of horses and chariots.

American Standard Version
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

English Revised Version
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They came out with all their armies. Their troops were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They also had horses and chariots.

Good News Translation
They came with all their soldiers--an army with as many men as there are grains of sand on the seashore. They also had many horses and chariots.

International Standard Version
So they went out, they and all of their armies with them—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore—accompanied by many horses and chariots.

Majority Standard Bible
So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.

NET Bible
These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.

New Heart English Bible
They went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, many people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very numerous.

World English Bible
They went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and they go out, they and all their camps with them, a people numerous, as the sand which [is] on the seashore for multitude, and [with] very many horse and charioteer;

Young's Literal Translation
and they go out, they and all their camps with them, a people numerous, as the sand which is on the sea-shore for multitude, and horse and charioteer very many;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will come forth, they, and their camps with them, many people, as the sand upon the lip of the sea for multitude, and horse and chariot exceeding many.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they all came out with their troops, a people exceeding numerous as the sand that is on the sea shore, their horses also and chariots a very great multitude,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they all went forth with their troops, a people exceedingly numerous, like the sand that is on the shore of the sea. And their horses and chariots were an immense multitude.

New American Bible
They came out with all their troops, an army numerous as the sands on the seashore, and with a multitude of horses and chariots.

New Revised Standard Version
They came out, with all their troops, a great army, in number like the sand on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And they came out with all their hosts, many people, as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with many horses and chariots.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And those went out and all their camps with them, abundant as the sand that is upon the edge of the sea, and the horses and chariots very abundant

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they and their kings with them went forth, as the sand of the sea in multitude, and horses, and very many chariots.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Conquest of the Northern Cities
…3to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah. 4So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots. 5All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Judges 4:7
And I will draw out Sisera the commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his troops to the River Kishon, and I will deliver him into your hand.’”

Judges 7:12
Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the other people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as countless as the sand on the seashore.

1 Samuel 13:5
Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

2 Samuel 10:6
When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

2 Samuel 10:18
But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.

1 Kings 20:1
Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.

1 Kings 20:27
The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

2 Kings 6:14
the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 33:16-17
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength. / A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.

Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Jeremiah 46:9
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.

Ezekiel 38:4
I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army—your horses, your horsemen in full armor, and a great company armed with shields and bucklers, all brandishing their swords.

Revelation 9:16
And the number of mounted troops was two hundred million; I heard their number.

Revelation 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.

Treasury of Scripture

And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is on the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

as the sand

Genesis 22:17
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Genesis 32:12
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Judges 7:12
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

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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

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

So they came out
This phrase indicates a decisive action taken by the kings of the northern coalition. The Hebrew root for "came out" is "yatsa," which often implies a purposeful departure or going forth. In the context of ancient warfare, this signifies a strategic mobilization, suggesting that these kings were not merely reacting but were proactively engaging in battle. This reflects the spiritual truth that opposition to God's people often comes with intentionality and force.

with all their armies
The phrase underscores the totality of the military force assembled. The Hebrew word for "armies" is "machaneh," which can also mean camp or encampment, indicating a well-organized and structured force. Historically, this reflects the common practice of ancient Near Eastern coalitions, where multiple city-states would unite their forces against a common enemy. Spiritually, it reminds believers of the organized nature of spiritual opposition.

a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore
This hyperbolic expression is a common biblical idiom used to describe an exceedingly large number. The imagery of "sand on the seashore" evokes the promise to Abraham in Genesis 22:17, where God promised descendants as numerous as the sand. Here, it contrasts the overwhelming human opposition with the divine promise, highlighting that no matter how vast the enemy, God's promises to His people remain steadfast.

along with a great many horses and chariots
Horses and chariots were the pinnacle of military technology in the ancient world, symbolizing power and might. The Hebrew word for "chariots" is "rekeb," which denotes a vehicle of war. Archaeological findings have confirmed the use of chariots in Canaan during this period, underscoring the formidable nature of the enemy's forces. From a spiritual perspective, this emphasizes that God's people often face seemingly insurmountable challenges, yet victory is assured through divine intervention, not human strength.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Canaanite Kings
These were the leaders of various city-states in Canaan who united against Israel. Their coalition represents the opposition to God's people and His promises.

2. Joshua
The leader of the Israelites, tasked with leading God's people into the Promised Land and conquering it according to God's command.

3. Israelites
The people of God, chosen to inherit the land of Canaan as promised to their forefathers.

4. Canaan
The Promised Land, a region that the Israelites were commanded to conquer and inhabit.

5. Horses and Chariots
Symbols of military strength and power in ancient warfare, representing the formidable opposition faced by the Israelites.

Teaching Points

Trust in God's Promises
Just as God promised Abraham that his descendants would be numerous, He also promised the Israelites victory over their enemies. Believers today can trust in God's promises, knowing He is faithful.

Facing Overwhelming Odds
The Israelites faced a coalition as numerous as the sand on the seashore. In our lives, we may face overwhelming challenges, but we can be assured that God is greater than any opposition.

Reliance on God, Not Human Strength
The Canaanite armies relied on horses and chariots, symbols of human strength. As Christians, we are called to rely on God's power rather than our own abilities or resources.

Unity in Opposition
The unity of the Canaanite kings against Israel serves as a reminder that the world may unite against God's people. However, God's purposes will prevail.

Spiritual Warfare
The physical battles in the Old Testament often parallel spiritual battles in the New Testament. Believers are called to put on the full armor of God and stand firm against spiritual forces.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. And they went out. Dean Stanley (Lectures, 1:259) compares this "last struggle" of the Canaanites with the conflict between the Saxons and the British chiefs "driven to the Land's End." The comparison is more picturesque than accurate. In the first place, it was by no means a "last struggle" (see ver. 21; Joshua 18:3; Joshua 19:47; Judges 4. throughout). In the next, the Britons were never driven to the Land's End, but Dorsetshire, which retained its independence for 200 years, was treated by Ina as Gezer (Joshua 16:10), was treated by the Ephraimites, while Devonshire and Cornwall came very gradually and almost peacefully under the hands of the conquerors. And thirdly, even had it been otherwise, there is a vast difference between a handful of desperate men driven to bay on a tongue of land surrounded nearly on every side by the sea, and a powerful, though defeated, nation with a vast continent in its rear. Yet there are many features common to the history of the Israelites in Canaan, and of the Teutonic tribes in Britain (see Introduction). As the sand that is upon the sea shore. This poetic phrase is common in the Hebrew writings (see Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; Judges 7:12; 1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Kings 4:20, etc.). Solomon's capacious intellect is compared to the sand on the sea shore, in 1 Kings 4:29. The word translated "shore" is "lip" in the original, a word which adds to the poetry of the passage. And horses and chariots very many. Literally, many exceedingly. The Israelites appear to have held cavalry and chariots in great awe (see Exodus 14:18, and the song of triumph in Exodus 15; cf. also Joshua 17:16, 18; Judges 1:19; Judges 4:3). In later times they appear to have become more used to them. See, for instance, 1 Samuel 13:5, where the historian gives their number, large as it was, instead of regarding it as past all computation. This battle must have taken place on level ground, or the chariots would have been useless. Accordingly the historian fixes its scene on the banks of "the waters of Merom," where such ground is to be found - another instance of his historical accuracy (see Vandevelde, Journey 2:413, who places the battle on the great plain southwest of the latter). The use of chariots in battle dates from an early period. Homer's heroes are described as driven to battle in them. But perhaps the scythe chariots are here meant, which are not found on early Egyptian monuments, but which Xenophon in his Cyropaedia says were introduced By Cyrus. We find them, however, in use in Britain, in the days of Julius Caesar, and they could hardly have obtained the idea from the Persians. Potter (Antiquities, bk. 3. ch. 1.) says that they were gradually abandoned when they were found more dangerous to those who used them than to the enemy. That this kind of chariot is here meant seems pretty certain from the alarm they caused. No such alarm would have been caused by chariots simply used to convey the chieftains to the fight (see Gesenius, s.v. Xenophon, Cyr. 6:4; and 2 Macc. 13:2). All their hosts. The LXX. reads מַלְכֵיהֶמ their kings, for מַחֲנֵיהֶם.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

So [these kings]
הֵ֗ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

came out
וַיֵּצְא֣וּ (way·yê·ṣə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

with
עִמָּ֔ם (‘im·mām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

their armies,
מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם֙ (ma·ḥă·nê·hem)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

a multitude
עַם־ (‘am-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

as numerous
רָ֕ב (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

as the sand
כַּח֛וֹל (ka·ḥō·wl)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2344: Sand

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the seashore,
שְׂפַת־ (śə·p̄aṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

along with a great number
רַב־ (raḇ-)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

of horses
וְס֥וּס (wə·sūs)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

and chariots.
וָרֶ֖כֶב (wā·re·ḵeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

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OT History: Joshua 11:4 They went out they and all their (Josh. Jos)