Joshua 11:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Lord tells Joshua not to fear, promising victory by the next day, and commands him to cripple the horses and burn the chariots.
What Does Joshua 11:6 Mean?
Into the daunting scene the Lord speaks. He answers the vast host not with strategy but with a promise: do not be afraid, for by this time tomorrow they will all lie slain before Israel. He then commands Joshua to hamstring the horses and burn the chariots, the very weapons Israel might have been tempted to keep and trust.
The instruction is as much spiritual as military. Israel is not to lean on the strength that the nations lean on. By destroying the chariots, Joshua confesses that the victory belongs to God alone. The word that steadies him, be not afraid, is the same word the Lord speaks again and again to those He sends, and it rests at last on the promise that He goes before them.
Joshua 11:6 in the Original Language
hough (from the Hebrew עָקַר, 'to hamstring') -- to cut the leg tendons of a horse, rendering it useless for war.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 11:6
What does Joshua 11:6 mean?
The Lord tells Joshua not to fear, promising victory by the next day, and commands him to cripple the horses and burn the chariots.