Joshua 11:20 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The nations' refusal to seek peace and their march to battle came about under the Lord's hand, bringing them to the judgment long decreed.
What Does Joshua 11:20 Mean?
The narrator offers a window into the deeper movement behind the wars. The nations' hardened resolve to come against Israel in battle, rather than seek peace, served the judgment the Lord had decreed against the long-corrupted peoples of the land. Their own choices and the Lord's purpose are spoken of together in a single breath.
Scripture sets the Lord's overruling hand and human responsibility side by side without dissolving either. The nations are answerable for their resistance, and yet nothing falls outside God's purpose. This is a hard verse, and it asks the reader to hold reverence for a justice longer and deeper than human sight, trusting that the Judge of all the earth does right.
Joshua 11:20 in the Original Language
harden (חָזַק, 'to make strong, firm') -- to confirm or strengthen a resolve, here the nations' settled determination to make war.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 11:20
What does Joshua 11:20 mean?
The nations' refusal to seek peace and their march to battle came about under the Lord's hand, bringing them to the judgment long decreed.