Joshua 11:4

Jos 11:4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that [is] upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

Ver. 4. They and all their hosts.] These were, as one said of Carthage, half destroyed, Morientium ferarum ultimi nixus, et violentiores morsus, the last spruntings and bitings of these dying beasts.

And chariots very many.] Chariots armed with scythes and hooks: concerning which Vegetius saith, that at first they were a terror, and afterwards a scorn.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:4 In the ancient Near East at this time, horses only pulled chariots; cavalry and mounted bowmen did not appear until centuries later. • Israel probably faced chariots for the first time in this battle against the northern coalition, where the land was flatter than in southern Canaan. As the heavy weapons of the battlefield, chariots easily overpowered foot soldiers. Scythes were often attached to the axles, and charioteers drove at opposing infantry to mow them down.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

they went out, . . . as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude--The chiefs of these several tribes were summoned by Jabin, being all probably tributary to the kingdom of Hazor. Their combined forces, according to JOSEPHUS, amounted to three hundred thousand infantry, ten thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand war chariots.

with horses and chariots very many--The war chariots were probably like those of Egypt, made of wood, but nailed and tipped with iron. These appear for the first time in the Canaanite war, to aid this last determined struggle against the invaders; and "it was the use of these which seems to have fixed the place of rendezvous by the lake Merom (now Huleh), along whose level shores they could have full play for their force." A host so formidable in numbers, as well as in military equipments, was sure to alarm and dispirit the Israelites. Joshua, therefore, was favored with a renewal of the divine promise of victory (Jos 11:6), and thus encouraged, he, in the full confidence of faith, set out to face the enemy.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. Much people, even as the sand] This form of speech, by some called a hyperbole, conveys simply the idea of a vast or unusual number - a number of which no regular estimate could be easily formed. Josephus, who seldom finds difficulties in such cases, and makes no scruple of often speaking without book, tells us that the allied armies amounted to 300,000 foot 10,000 horse, and 20,000 chariots of war. Antiq. lib. v., c. 1.

That chariots were frequently used in war, all the records of antiquity prove; but it is generally supposed that among the Canaanites they were armed with iron scythes fastened to their poles and to the naves of their wheels. Terrible things are spoken of these, and the havoc made by them when furiously driven among the ranks of infantry. Of what sort the cavalry was, we know not; but from the account here given we may see what great advantages these allies possessed over the Israelites, whose armies consisted of infantry only.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. And they went out] “As the British chiefs were driven to the Land’s End before the advance of the Saxon, so at this Land’s End of Palestine were gathered for this last struggle, not only the kings of the north in the immediate neighbourhood, but from the desert valley of the Jordan south of the Sea of Galilee, from the maritime plain of Philistia, from the heights above Sharon, and from the still unconquered Jebus.” Stanley, Lectures, 1:259.

as the sand] “as the grauel that is in the brenk of the see,” Wyclif. Comp. the description (a) of the hosts of the Midianites and Amalekites in the time of Gideon (Jdg_7:12); and (b) of the Philistines in the time of Saul (1Sa_13:5).

with horses and chariots very many] These now for the first time appear in Canaanite warfare, and “it was the use of these which probably fixed the scene of the encampment by the lake, along whose level shores they could have full play for their force.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they went out,.... The several kings and people sent to; these went out from the places they inhabited:

they and all their hosts with them; the kings of those several places, with their armies:

much people, even as the sand that is upon the seashore in multitude; a proverbial expression, to denote an exceeding great number:

with horses and chariots very many; being supplied with horses from Egypt, and their chariots were chariots of iron; see Jdg 4:3; Josephus (z) gives us the number of this great army, and says it consisted of three hundred thousand footmen, ten thousand horse, and thirty thousand chariots; some copies read only twenty thousand; and these chariots were armed with iron hooks or scythes, to cut down men as they drove along, and so were very terrible.

(z) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Shore. The Scripture sometimes uses an hyperbole, as well as the other figures of speech. (St. Augustine, City of God xvi. 21.) Josephus says they had 300,000 foot, 10,000 horse, and 20,000 chariots. These were frequently armed with scythes. The ancient heroes often fought on chariots of a different kind. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

4. Even as the sand that is upon the sea shore — This exaggerated comparison is in perfect keeping with the style of the Oriental writers. It is to be interpreted rhetorically, and not literally. It is to be expected that an inspired writer will employ the style of his country and age. Josephus reckons this army at three hundred thousand foot, ten thousand horse, and twenty thousand chariots. Anciently chariots supplied the place of artillery in modern times, so that among the Egyptians and Syrians the number of these indicated their military power. The Hebrews, having been forbidden to multiply horses, did not to any great extent provide themselves with chariots of war till the reign of David. By reason of this lack of chariots in Joshua’s army the odds were heavily against him, so that there was occasion for the encouragement which the Lord gives in Jos_11:6.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they went out. Dean Stanley (Lectures, 1:259) compares this "last struggle" of the Canaanites with the conflict between the Saxons and the British chiefs "driven to the Land"s End." The comparison is more picturesque than accurate. In the first place, it was by no means a "last struggle" (see ver. 21; Jos_18:3 Jos_19:47 Jud_1:4 throughout). In the next, the Britons were never driven to the Land"s End, but Dorsetshire, which retained its independence for 200 years, was treated by Ina as Gezer, (Jos_16:10) was treated by the Ephraimites, while Devonshire and Cornwall came very gradually and almost peacefully under the hands of the conquerors. And thirdly, even had it been otherwise, there is a vast difference between a handful of desperate men driven to bay on a tongue of land surrounded nearly on every side by the sea, and a powerful, though defeated, nation with a vast continent in its rear. Yet there are many features common to the history of the Israelites in Canaan, and of the Teutonic tribes in Britain (see Introduction). As the sand that is upon the sea shore. This poetic phrase is common in the Hebrew writings. (see Gen_22:17 Gen_32:12 Jud_1:7:12 1Sa_13:5 1Ki_4:20, etc.) Solomon"s capacious intellect is compared to the sand on the sea shore, in 1Ki_4:29. The word translated "shore" is "lip" in the original, a word which adds to the poetry of the passage. And horses and chariots very many. Literally, many ex ceedingly. The Israelites appear to have held cavalry and chariots in great awe. (see Exo_14:18, and the song of triumph in Ex 15; cf. also Jos_17:16, 18 Jud_1:19 4:3) In later times they appear to have become more used to them. See, for instance, 1Sa_13:5, where the historian gives their number, large as it was, instead of regarding it as past all computation.

This battle must have taken place on level ground, or the chariots would have been useless. Accordingly the historian fixes its scene on the banks of "the waters of Merom," where such ground is to be found another instance of his historical accuracy (see Vandevelde, Journey 2:413, who places the battle on the great plain southwest of the latter). The use of chariots in battle dates from an early period. Homer"s heroes are described as driven to battle in them. But perhaps the scythe chariots are here meant, which are not found on early Egyptian monuments, but which Xenophon in his Cyropaedia says were introduced By Cyrus. We find them, however, in use in Britain, in the days of Julius Caesar, and they could hardly have obtained the idea from the Persians. Potter (Antiquities, bk. 3. ch. 1.) says that they were gradually abandoned when they were found more dangerous to those who used them than to the enemy. That this kind of chariot is here meant seems pretty certain from the alarm they caused. No such alarm would have been caused by chariots simply used to convey the chieftains to the fight. (see Gesenius, s.v. Xenophon, Cyr. 6:4; and RAPC 2Ma 13:2) All their hosts. The LXX reads mhykelm their kings, for

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

All the Canaanite kings attack Joshua and the nation of Israel.

a great number of soldiers, in number like the sand on the seashore

No one can count the grains of sand on the seashore. This exaggeration emphasizes the very large number of soldiers that these kings assembled. AT: "such a great number of soldiers that there appeared to be as many of them as there are grains of sand on the seashore" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

Merom

This is the name of a place. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

chariot

king

appoint

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.