Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 11:18
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
18. a long time ] “Myche time,” Wyclif. Five years at least. Caleb was 40 years old when Moses sent him out of Kadesh-Barnea as a spy, and 80 years old when, on the conquest of the land, he received his portion at the hands of Joshua. Thus 45 years had elapsed since the former date, of which 40, or 38, had been spent in the wanderings of the wilderness. The campaigns of Joshua must therefore have occupied at least five or seven years for their accomplishment.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A long time – At least five years; according to others, seven years (see Jos 14:10, and Introduction). This and the preceding chapter contain a very condensed account of the wars of Joshua, giving particulars about leading events only.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Joshua made war a long time] The whole of these conquests were not effected in one campaign: they probably required six or seven years. There are some chronological notices in this book, and in Deuteronomy, by which the exact time may be nearly ascertained. Caleb was forty years old when he was sent from Kadesh-barnea by Moses to search out the land, about A.M. 2514; and at the end of this war he was eighty-five years old; (compare Jos 14:10 with Nu 13:16, and De 1:36😉 consequently the war ended in 2559, which had begun, by the passage of Jordan, on the tenth day of the first month of the year 2554. From this date to the end of 2559 we find exactly six years; the first of which Joshua seems to have employed in the conquest of the south part of the land of Canaan, and the other five in the conquest of all the territories situated on the north of that country. See Dodd.
Calmet computes this differently, and allows the term of seven years for the conquest of the whole land. “Caleb was forty years old when sent from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. At the conclusion of the war he was eighty-five years old, as himself says, Jos 14:10. From this sum of eighty-five subtract forty, his age when he went from Kadesh-barnea, and the thirty-eight years which he spent in the wilderness after his return, and there will remain the sum of seven years, which was the time spent in the conquest of the land.”
1. By protracting the war the Canaanites had time to repent, having sufficient opportunity to discern the hand of Jehovah.
2. Agriculture was carried on, and thus provision was made even for the support of the conquerors, for had the land been subdued and wasted at once, tillage must have stopped, and famine would have ensued.
3. Wild beasts would have multiplied upon them, and the land have been desolated by their means.
4. Had these conquests been more rapid the people of Israel would have been less affected, and less instructed by miracles that had passed in such quick succession before their eyes; and, as in this case they would have obtained the dominion with comparatively little exertion, they might have felt themselves less interested in the preservation of an inheritance, to obtain which they had been but at little trouble and little expense.
What we labour under the Divine blessing to acquire we are careful to retain; but what comes lightly generally goes lightly. God obliged them to put forth their own strength in this work, and only blessed and prospered them while they were workers together with him. See Clarke on Jos 13:6.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For divers years together, as is evident by the following history, and by comparing Deu 2:14 with Jos 14:7, &c. And this is here expressed, lest it should be thought that as all these wars are here recorded in a short narration, so they were despatched in a short time. And God would have the land to be conquered gradually, for many weighty reasons:
1. Lest the sudden extirpation of those nations should have made a great part of the land desert, and thereby have increased the numbers of wild beasts, Deu 7:22.
2. Lest being done suddenly and easily, it should soon be forgotten and despised, as the nature of man is apt to do in those cases.
3. That by long exercise the Israelites might grow skilful in the art of war, which was very useful and needful for them in that land.
4. For the trial and exercise of their patience, and courage, and trust in God.
5. To oblige them to the greater care to please and obey God, whom they yet needed for their help against their enemies.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. For, though the account of the conquest of them is put together, and lies in a small compass, yet those victories were not obtained at once, or in a few days, as were those of the five kings, and others, related in the preceding chapter, Jos 10:10; but were the work of some years; Josephus b says five years, but the common notion of the Jews is, that Joshua was seven years in subduing the land of Canaan c; our Bishop Usher d thinks it was done in six years; and it may be concluded that it was about six or seven years ere this work was completely finished.
b Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 19. c Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. d Annal. Vet. Test. p. 39, 40.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Joshua made war with the kings of Canaan a long time; judging from Jos 14:7, Jos 14:10, as much as seven years, though Josephus (Ant. v. 1, 19) speaks of five (see at Jos 14:10). No town submitted peaceably to the Israelites, with the exception of Gibeon: they took the whole in war. “ For it was of the Lord ” (Jos 11:20), i.e., God ordered it so that they (the Canaanites) hardened their heart to make war upon Israel, that they might fall under the ban, and be destroyed without mercy. On the hardening of the heart as a work of God, see the remarks upon the hardening of Pharaoh (Exo 4:21). It cannot be inferred from this, that if the Canaanites had received the Israelites amicably, God would have withdrawn His command to destroy them, and allowed the Israelites to make peace with them; for when they made peace with the Gibeonites, they did not inquire what as the will of the Lord, but acted in opposition to it (see at Jos 9:14). The remark is made with special reference to this, and has been correctly explained by Augustine (qu. 8 in Jos.) as follows: “Because the Israelites had shown mercy to some of them of their own accord, though in opposition to the command of God, therefore it is stated that they (the Canaanites) made war upon them so that none of them were spared, and the Israelites were not induced to show mercy to the neglect of the commandment of God.”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
18. Joshua made war a long time, etc Before, he had, in a short time, and, as it were, with the swiftness of running, seized possession of five kingdoms; in the others the case was different, not from hesitation, or weariness, or sloth, but because the Lord exercised his people variously, that he might give a brighter display of his manifold grace, which usually loses its value in our eyes, if it is exhibited only in one and the same way. Therefore, as the divine power had formerly been signally manifested by incredible facility of accomplishment, when the enemy were routed in an instant, so a lingering warfare now furnished numerous proofs of heavenly aid. (116) Nor did this happen suddenly and unexpectedly; for God had foretold by Moses that so it would be, lest, if the land were at once converted into a desert, the wild beasts might gain the ascendancy. (Deu 7:22) In short, we here perceive, as in a mirror, that whatever the Lord had promised by Moses was accomplished in reality, and by no dubious event. But while we recognize the certainty of the promises of God, we ought also to meditate on the favor confirmed towards his chosen people, in that he acted as the provident head of a family, not neglecting or omitting anything which tended to their advantage.
(116) According to Josephus, (Antiquit., 5:2,) the time which Joshua spent in his wars was five years; others make it seven, and justify their estimate by the following calculation: — In Jos 14:7, Caleb says that he was forty years old when he was sent from Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land, and that since then to the present time (apparently that when the wars had just terminated) forty-five years had elapsed. Of these forty-five years, thirty-eight were spent in the desert, and consequently the remaining seven constitute the whole period which had elapsed from the passage of the Jordan up to the time when Caleb made his statement. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) A long time.See Note on Jos. 14:10. The war seems to have lasted seven years, a long time when compared with the desultory incursions and single campaigns which made up the greater part of ancient warfare, when there were no standing armies.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Joshua made war a long time The only note of time in this book is the age of Caleb, forty when a spy to search out the land, (Jos 14:7,) and eighty-five at the end of the war. Subtract thirty-nine years in the wilderness after the sending of the spies Calmet says thirty-eight and we have six or seven years for the length of the conquest, the first of which was spent in the subjugation of the South. One reason for the length of the war was “lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.”
Deu 7:22. Another may have been the purpose of God to test their faith in his promises, to bind them together by the endurance of common hardships, and to awaken a strong love for the country purchased at such a cost.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.’
All this took time. Only the highlights have been described in detail. But gradually Joshua’s war of attrition succeeded. The last part of Joshua’s life was taken up with it. Jos 14:7-10 may suggest a period of five or so years but we must recognise that Caleb was using round numbers (note how often such numbers related to age end in nought or five. There was no specific calendar and it is doubtful if many accurately recorded the passing of any but the most recent ‘years’, and ‘years’ were anyway seen differently by different people).
Certainly five or so years of continuous warfare would appear to be a long time (roughly the same length as the second world war).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 18. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings Joshua did not make all these conquests in one single campaign; Josephus says, that he was five years about them; Hist. Jud. lib. 5: cap. 2 and some make him out to have employed six years in them. Caleb was forty years old when he was sent to discover the land of Canaan, in the year of the world 2514, and in the second year after the departure from Egypt. Now, at the end of the war he was eighty-five years old, according to his own account, chap. Jos 14:10. Consequently, the war ended in 2559, and probably towards the end of the year. But it had begun the 10th day of the first month of the year 2554, by the passage over Jordan, and soon after that followed the siege of Jericho; from this date, to the end of the year 2559, we find exactly six years; the first of which Joshua seems to have employed in the conquest of south Canaan, and the five others in the conquest of all the territories situated on the north of that country.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
Ver. 18. Joshua made war a long time. ] Near seven years, though in few words related. Of him it might be said, as was once of our Alfred,
“ Si modo victor eras, ad crastina bella pavebas;
Si modo rictus eras (as at Ai The Romans’ war with the pirates was finished by Pompey with
incredible swiftness, and in a very short time, saith Augustine; a
but so was not this with the Canaanites. “Slay them not, lest my
people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them
down.” Psa 59:11
a Incredibili celeritate confectum. – Aug., De Civ. Dei.
a long time = many days.
long time
(See Scofield “Jos 10:42”).
a long time: Caleb was forty years old when sent from Kadesh-barnea to spy the land, and he was eighty-five at the conclusion of this war – Jos 14:10. Almost thirty-nine years of this time were spent before Israel passed Jordan; which leaves between six and seven for the term of Joshua’s wars. Jos 11:23, Jos 14:7-10
Reciprocal: Jdg 11:26 – three hundred Hab 3:6 – and drove
Jos 11:18. Joshua made war a long time For divers years together, five or six at least, according to Josephus. And this is here expressed, lest it should be thought that as all these wars are here recorded in a short narration, so they were despatched in a short time. God would have the land to be conquered gradually, for many weighty reasons; 1st, Lest the sudden extirpation of those nations should have made a great part of the land desert, and thereby have increased the number of wild beasts, which is particularly noticed by Moses, Exo 23:29; Deu 7:22. 2d, Lest, being done suddenly and easily, it should soon be forgotten and despised. 3d, That by long exercise the Israelites might grow skilful in the art of war. 4th, For the trial and exercise of their patience and courage, and trust in God. 5th, To keep them in awe, and chastise them by these Canaanites when they forsook God; and to oblige them to be more careful to please him, since they saw they still needed his help and protection against their enemies.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments