How does Joshua's action in Joshua 11:9 connect to Deuteronomy 7:2? Setting the Scene • Israel is poised to conquer Canaan. • God’s marching orders were given through Moses long before Joshua stepped onto the battlefield. “and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.” What Deuteronomy 7:2 Commands • Total destruction of Canaanite military strength and culture. • No covenants, alliances, or compromises. • Mercy to be withheld in this unique, judicial act of divine judgment. Joshua 11:9—Carrying Out the Command “Joshua did to them as the LORD had commanded: he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.” • Joshua disables (“hamstrings”) the captured horses—rendering them useless for war. • He torches the chariots—eliminating the most advanced military technology of the day. • Notice the phrase “as the LORD had commanded,” directly linking his action back to Moses’ earlier instruction. How the Verses Connect • Deuteronomy 7:2 called for the annihilation of enemy forces; Joshua 11:9 shows that obedience in real-time. • Destroying horses and chariots ensured the Canaanites’ fighting capability was “completely destroyed,” fulfilling the mandate. • Joshua’s refusal to keep the horses avoided an implicit treaty: adopting their war-assets would have tied Israel to Canaanite methods and dependence. Why Hamstring Horses? • Deuteronomy 17:16 warned Israel’s future kings against amassing horses—symbols of self-reliance. • Burning chariots and crippling horses forced Israel to rely on the LORD rather than firepower (Psalm 20:7; Isaiah 31:1). • The act wiped out any temptation to trust in captured technology or to profit from it. Takeaways for Believers • God’s past commands remain authoritative; obedience means aligning present actions with revealed truth. • Compromise with entrenched sin or worldly security undermines spiritual victory. • Reliance on divine power, not human resources, is the path of faith—then and now. |
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