Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 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.
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.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
4, 5. they went out, . . . as thesand that is upon the sea-shore in multitudeThe chiefs ofthese several tribes were summoned by Jabin, being all probablytributary to the kingdom of Hazor. Their combined forces, accordingto JOSEPHUS, amounted tothree hundred thousand infantry, ten thousand cavalry, and twentythousand war chariots.
with horses and chariots verymanyThe war chariots were probably like those of Egypt, madeof wood, but nailed and tipped with iron. These appear for the firsttime in the Canaanite war, to aid this last determined struggleagainst the invaders; and “it was the use of these which seemsto 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, wasfavored with a renewal of the divine promise of victory (Jos11:6), and thus encouraged, he, in the full confidence of faith,set out to face the enemy.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 Jud 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, many people, even as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And all these kings met together, and they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.’
This was something which Joshua had not faced before and for which YHWH had been preparing him. This was a major army and was equipped with many horses and chariots. Israel probably had no horses, and certainly no chariots. Thus they would have to face this great army on foot.
So the sections of this great army went out from their differing headquarters and met together under their kings at some rendezvous from where they proceeded to the waters of Merom. Merom is mentioned in the lists of Tuthmosis III. One possible site is the village of Meiron near Safed, which is near springs that feed the Wadi Leimun (or Wadi Meiron). Another is Maroun er-Ras which is above a valley leading to the Huleh basin north of Hazor. There they prepared ‘to fight against Israel’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 4. And they went out,and all their hosts, &c. Entering the field with so numerous an army, that the sacred writer does not scruple to express it by an hyperbole very familiar in Scripture, even as the sand upon the sea shore in multitude. The allied army was so much the more formidable, in that, as the host of the Israelites was wholly composed of foot-soldiers, in this there were not only cavalry, but armed chariots, in great numbers. Josephus makes it amount to 300,000 infantry, 10,000 horse, and 20,000 chariots. Hist. Jud. l. v. c. 1. Bochart, in his Hieroz. l. ii. c. 9. informs us, that Egypt supplied the Canaanites with all these horses. God forbad his people the use of them in their armies. See on Deu 17:16; Deu 20:1. With respect to the chariots of the Canaanites, they were, in all probability, armed with iron, such as were anciently used to break the enemies’ battalions, and which, in fact, made the most terrible havoc in armies. They are described by the ancients as follows: “The pole to which the horses were fastened, was armed with spikes, or iron points, which advanced forward; the yokes also of the horses had points, three cubits in length; to the axletree were fixed iron spits, armed at the ends with scythes; the spokes of the wheels were armed with javelins, sticking out, and the very fellies with scythes, which tore to pieces every thing they met with; the axletree was longer, and the wheels stronger than usual, that they might be the better able to bear a shock, and the chariot be less liable so be overturned.” The charioteer, who was covered all over with armour, sat in a kind of tower, made of very solid wood, about breast high, and sometimes men well armed were put into the chariot and fought from thence with darts and arrows. Hence we may judge that these machines must have made dreadful slaughter at first, when they met with the enemy’s troops: but in time, when men came to find out the way of opposing them, they did not so much execution, and were of course disused. See Diod. Sic. l. ii. c. 93. Q. Curt. l. iv. c. 15. Xenoph. Cyr. l. vi. Lucret. l. vi. ver. 635. 641, &c. God Almighty forbad the Israelites the use of chariots, for the same reasons that he had prohibited that of cavalry; see Isa 31:1. Psa 20:7. Pro 21:31. Hos 1:7.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
they went out, &c. Compare Jos 11:4 with Rev 20:8, Rev 20:9. as, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
as the sand: Gen 22:17, Gen 32:12, Jdg 7:12, 1Sa 13:5, 2Sa 17:11, 1Ki 4:20
Reciprocal: Deu 20:1 – horses Jos 8:27 – the cattle Jos 17:18 – for thou shalt Psa 33:16 – no king Heb 11:12 – as the sand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
According to Josephus the combined armies of the Canaanite tribes totaled 300,000 armed footmen, 10,000 horsemen, and 20,000 chariots. [Note: Josephus, 5:1:18.]
"The northern coalition was Israel’s most formidable foe in terms of both numbers and weaponry. Each successive battle that Israel fought was more difficult than the last." [Note: Madvig, p. 309.]
The waters of Merom (Jos 11:5) were evidently small lakes close to the village of Merom that was west of Hazor. Some scholars equate the waters of Merom with Lake Huleh. Lake Huleh lay to the north of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee). Others equate Merom with Madon, about five miles west of modern Tiberias. [Note: Hess, p. 209.] These locations seem less likely.
Hamstringing involved cutting the hamstring muscle of the horses’ legs. Hamstringing the horses and burning the chariots (Jos 11:6; Jos 11:9) had two effects. The enemy could not use them again, and the Israelites could not use them or trust in them.