What is the meaning of Joshua 11:2? Kings of the north in the mountains “to the kings of the north in the mountains” (Joshua 11:2) • The phrase paints the rugged highlands stretching from Upper Galilee toward Lebanon, a region dotted with fortified cities such as Hazor (Joshua 11:1). Think of steep ridges, thick forests, and strategic passes. • Scripture presents these heights as daunting, yet never beyond the reach of the LORD’s promise. Earlier, Caleb eyed Hebron’s mountains with confidence because “the LORD will be with me” (Joshua 14:12). The same principle steadies Israel here—God’s presence renders intimidating terrain irrelevant. • When Psalm 125:2 says, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people,” it echoes the security Israel enjoys even while enemies occupy taller peaks. The mountains may belong to northern kings temporarily, but sovereignty belongs to the One who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). • Practically, Joshua 11 shows that no altitude, literal or figurative, exempts opposition from God’s judgment—a truth later affirmed when Elijah confronted Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19-40). In the Arabah south of Chinnereth “in the Arabah south of Chinnereth” • The Arabah is the broad rift valley running alongside the Jordan River; “south of Chinnereth” points to the flatlands below the Sea of Galilee. Genesis 13:10 describes similar lowlands as “well watered,” appealing for agriculture yet vulnerable to swift troop movement. • Deuteronomy 3:17 had already fixed Sea of Chinnereth as Israel’s eastern border. Now enemy kings mass there, hoping open terrain favors their chariots. Still, Psalm 20:7 reminds us, “Some trust in chariots… but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • God defeats them on their own ground. Joshua 11:7-8 records Israel’s surprise attack and pursuit “to Misrephoth-maim and as far as the Valley of Mizpeh.” Whether in fertile valleys or barren stretches, the covenant-keeping God proves He rules “the desert and its parched lands” (Isaiah 35:1). In the foothills “in the foothills” • The Hebrew text calls this the Shephelah, the rolling low country between the mountains and the Mediterranean plain. Here Goliath once challenged Israel (1 Samuel 17:1-3), and here Philistine raids often erupted (2 Chronicles 28:18). • By listing the foothills, Scripture confirms that the entire middle band of Canaan—highlands, valleys, transitional slopes—has rallied against Joshua. Yet Joshua 10:40 already announced victory over the same belt in the south, setting precedent for triumph in the north. • Zechariah 4:7 pictures a “great mountain” becoming “a plain” before God’s servant. Joshua’s campaign previews that promise; elevations and depressions alike yield to divine purpose. • For believers, the foothills illustrate life’s in-between places—neither peak nor valley—where opposition can still feel relentless. Joshua 11 assures us that God’s faithfulness is just as steady on the gentle slopes. In Naphoth-dor to the west “and in Naphoth-dor to the west” • Naphoth-dor refers to the coastal heights near Dor on the Mediterranean, south of Mount Carmel. Waves crash below, while trade routes hug the shoreline. Judges 1:27 notes that Manasseh later struggled to dislodge Dor’s Canaanites, underscoring the area’s toughness. • Including this western strip shows the alliance stretching from sea to summit—a comprehensive front meant to crush Israel. Yet Psalm 93:4 declares, “Mightier than the breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is majestic.” • Joshua 12:23 will list “the king of Dor in Naphoth-dor” among thirty-one defeated rulers, confirming that even maritime strongholds cannot outlast God’s decree. • The Mediterranean horizon also hints at the global reach of God’s plan; centuries later the gospel will sail from this same coast (Acts 10:24-48), fulfilling God’s promise to bless all nations. summary Joshua 11:2 strings together mountains, valleys, rolling hills, and coastal cliffs to show that every kind of terrain—and every corresponding political power—stood united against Israel. The verse is not poetic exaggeration; it is a literal roster of real places and real kings, underscoring the vastness of the threat and the greatness of God’s ensuing victory. From highest peak to lowest plain, the LORD proves unrivaled, keeping His covenant word and securing the land for His people. |
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