I. JABIN, King of Hazor, in the northern part of the Land of Canaan. This Prince, amazed at Joshua’s conquests, who had already subdued the whole southern part of Canaan, sent to the other Kings in the northern part along the river Jordan and the Mediterranean, and in the Mountains which lie to the north of the Land of Canaan, to engage them in a league offensive and defensive; in order whereunto, he represented to them, how much reason they had to apprehend every thing, and that the Israelites would be soon masters of the whole country, if they suffered themselves to be attacked one after another: but this was of no other use than to hasten their destruction, and make Joshua’s victory more compleat, since he gained more ground, and won more cities in one day, and by one battle only, than he could have run over in many days. Jabin therefore entred into a confederacy with the Kings of Madon, Jobab, Shimron, and Achshaph, and several other people of Canaan, to fall upon the Israelites, who were under the conduct of Joshua, before they were settled in the country. All these Kings and confederated troops rendezvous’d at the waters of Merom, in order to engage the Israelites. Hereupon the Lord said to Joshua, Be not afraid, for to-morrow about this time, I will deliver them all into your hands; you shall hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. Joshua therefore marched against them, and attacked them suddenly at the waters of Merom, defeated, and pursued them as far as great Zidon, unto Mizrephoth-maim, and unto the Valley of Mizpeh. He lamed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. This done, Joshua marched back to Hazor, took it, and killed the King of that city. This was the end of Jabin. He was put to death about the year of the World 2555.
Observations on the King of Hazor’s defeat, and of the other Kings confederated against the Israelites. Josh. xi. 1, &c. aIt is surprizing that the sacred Writer should have so much neglected to relate the circumstances of so memorable a battle, since Josephus a affirms, that the confederate army belonging to the Kings in alliance against Israel, consisted of three hundred thousand foot, ten thousand horse, and twenty thousand chariots of war: it must have been at least so numerous, since
Antiq. l. v. c. 1.Joseph. Josh. xi. 4.the Scripture compares it with the sand of the sea.
Joshua was no doubt dismayed when he understood, that Jabin and all the other Kings were in league against him, and had drawn together so formidable an army, in order to resist him more easily, and oppress the Hebrews with their numbers; but God encouraged him in these words, Fear not, for to-morrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. This however did not hinder Joshua, who was an able and experienced General, from putting every thing in practice that artifice and cunning could suggest, in order to succeed in his undertaking. Nothing is more a proof of a General’s capacity and understanding, than the stratagems he makes use of, when he is not able to employ open force, to overpower an enemy; surprize is the surest and most honourable means, and stratagems of this kind are very frequent in history.
Joshua therefore thought to surprize his enemies, who having too great an opinion of their strength, were less upon their guard. Nothing is more common than negligence and want of providence in a General, who sees himself at the head of an army infinitely superior to his enemies; he cannot imagine that it ever so much as once enters into their thoughts, to venture to attack him; his soldiers likewise sleep upon this confidence, and are the more remiss; this is what gives occasion for those extraordinary, and almost always fortunate enterprizes, of the weaker against the stronger. Observe this; small armies, under good conduct and command, have at all times been used to beat others that were more numerous; of the defeat whereof there are more examples in history, than of disadvantages received by the others, who have ventured to prevent and surprize them by hard marches made without their notice, upon which all the success of surprizes absolutely depends.
Josh. xi. 7, 8.I see no prodigy nor extraordinary miracle, in this famous defeat of the King of Hazor, and his allies; the sacred text sufficiently demonstrates, that there was none. Joshua marched with great expedition against them, and his whole army with him as far as the waters of Merom, and charging them on a sudden, the Lord delivered them into the hands of the children of Israel, who defeated them, and pursued them every way… so that not so much as one of them escaped. According to the recital in the sacred Author, Dom Calmet says very much to the purpose, “ That Joshua must have “ divided his army into several bodies, “ in order to pursue the fugitives; and “ that he sent part of it beyond Jordan, “ and part towards Zidon, and Mizrephoth; the situation of the places leaving room to judge, that he pursued “ them several days, wheresoever the battle “ was fought.”
The only circumstance we find in Scripture, relating to the march of the Israelitish army, very much perplexes the Commentators. Josephus says, that Joshua Joseph. Ant’q. l. v. c. i.was in sight of the enemy after five days march. From Gilgal, whence Joshua set out, to Merom, is, according to Eusebius’s position, says Dom Calmet, about twenty leagues. The Israelites might be very well five days a travelling twenty leagues; the greater or less expedition of marches depends upon the nature of the country, and a great army can with much ado march two or three leagues a day, in a country where there are mountains and narrow passes: nor could it be any miracle, if an enemy that was ill served by spies, should have no intelligence of their march; this is too frequently to be seen in our days, to disbelieve any thing of the like nature’s happening in more remote ages. Joshua might likewise have made himself master of all the passes, to prevent the enemy’s having any intelligence of his march, which must have been slow through the defilées and mountains, which were to be passed by him before he could come at them. Suppose again, that Joshua had directed his march on the side of the lake Semechon, by which way he would have had forty leagues to go; I have nothing to say against such a supposition: for when the business on foot is to surprize an army, the least difficult way, though it be the longest, is the best; it is that which the enemy least distrusts, and by which an army is often attacked in flank or rear, at a time least expected. But be this as it will, Joshua surprized the King of Hazor and his Allies, and cut their troops in pieces.
We find many examples in Scripture of surprizing camps and armies in this manner, particularly under the Maccabees, wherein we see things were carried on with admirable conduct, and in a way not at all inferior to the most memorable actions of this kind in antiquity.
As to the order of battle, wherein the two armies were drawn up, as the sacred Writer gives us no detail of the circumstances of this action, I can offer nothing thereupon but conjectures and probabilities: there is all the appearance that can be, that it happened in a plain; that Joshua according to the method of the Asiaticks, which was that likewise of the Jews, ranged his whole infantry in one line in the form of a Phalanx, distinguished by great bodies, with very small intervals between them. There is no mention of horse, wherefore I have not mentioned any in the army of the Israelites. The King of Hazor had them in great numbers: I suppose them to have their station upon the wings, and the foot in the center. The people of Asia, and all the Eastern nations, used to post the horse upon the wings, that they might be more easily detached against the run-aways after the victory.