Joshua 11:20 · Bible study
Joshua 11:20 Commentary: Divine Hardening and Justice
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Joshua 11:20: why God hardened Canaanite hearts, the justice of divine judgment, and the theology of herem (total destruction).
Research Summary
- Meaning: God sovereignly hardened the Canaanite hearts to ensure they would fight Israel and receive the judgment of total destruction, fulfilling His command through Moses.
- Key words: Chazaq (strengthen, harden), implies reinforcing an existing hardness, not creating evil; herem (utterly destroy), devotion to destruction as a holy act; teḥinnah (favor, mercy), the mercy they did not receive.
- Main debate: Does God actively harden hearts de novo, or does He judicially strengthen hearts that have already hardened themselves against Him?
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty and human responsibility coexist in judgment; God’s justice is both severe and measured, responding to prior sin.
- Best use: As a sobering text to teach God’s holiness, the reality of judgment, and the truth that persistent rebellion invites divine confirmation of that path.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
KJV King James Version 1769
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For it was of Jehovah to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for from Jehovah it hath been to strengthen their heart, to meet in battle with Israel, in order to devote them, so that they have no grace, but in order to destroy them, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For it was of Jehovah that their heart was hardened, to meet Israel in battle, that they might be utterly destroyed, and that there might be no favour shewn to them, but that they might be destroyed, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For it was the sentence of the Lord, that their hearts should be hardened, and they should fight against Israel, and fall, and should not deserve any clemency, and should be destroyed as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque esto vino de Jehová, que endurecía el corazón de ellos para que resistiesen con guerra á Israel, para destruirlos, y que no les fuese hecha misericordia, antes fuesen desarraigados, como Jehová lo había mandado á Moisés.
Porque isto veio do SENHOR, que endurecia o coração deles para que resistissem com guerra a Israel, para destruí-los, e que não lhes fosse feita misericórdia, antes fossem desarraigados, como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés.
Car l’ Éternel permit que ces peuples s’ obstinassent à faire la guerre contre Israël, afin qu’ Israël les dévouât par interdit, sans qu’ il y eût pour eux de miséricorde, et qu’ il les détruisît, comme l’ Éternel l’ avait ordonné à Moïse.
Und das alles geschah also von dem HERRN, daß ihr Herz verstockt würde, mit Streit zu begegnen den Kindern Israel, auf daß sie verbannt würden und ihnen keine Gnade widerführe, sondern vertilgt würden, wie der HERR dem Mose geboten hatte.
Want het was van den HEERE, hun harten te verstokken, dat zij Israel met oorlog tegemoet gingen, opdat hij hen verbannen zoude, dat hun geen genade geschiedde, maar opdat hij hen verdelgen zoude, gelijk als de HEERE Mozes geboden had.
perché l’Eterno facea sì che il loro cuore si ostinasse a dar battaglia ad Israele, onde Israele li votasse allo sterminio senza che ci fosse pietà per loro, e li distruggesse come l’Eterno avea comandato a Mosè.
Albowiem od Pana się to stało, że zatwardził serca ich, aby szli ku bitwie przeciw Izraelowi, żeby je wyniszczył, nie mając nad nimi miłosierdzia, ale żeby je wytracił, jako był rozkazał Pan Mojżeszowi.
ибо от Господа было то, что они ожесточили сердце свое и войною встречали Израиля — для того, чтобы преданы были заклятию и чтобы не было им помилования, но чтобы истреблены были так, как повелел Господь Моисею.
因為 耶和華 的意思 是要 使 他們心 裡剛硬，來 與 以色列 人爭戰，好叫 他們盡被殺滅，不 蒙 憐憫，正如耶和華 所 吩咐 摩西的。
For the Lord made them strong in heart to go to war against Israel, so that he might give them up to the curse without mercy, and that destruction might come on them, as the Lord had given orders to Moses.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 11:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the hardening was a judicial act of God on peoples already guilty of persistent sin. Adam Clarke states God 'left them justly to the hardness, obstinacy, and pride of their own hearts.' The Cambridge Bible notes that all instances of divine hardening in Scripture come as judgment on those 'who had previously acted contrary to the Divine will.' Wesley explains it as God giving them up to their own animosity and stubbornness so that their abominable wickedness might be punished. Keil and Delitzsch, citing Augustine, add that the statement prevents the impression that Israel failed to show mercy: God ordered the conflict so that the Canaanites would not receive mercy and Israel would not violate His command to destroy them. The Hebrew verb chazaq (to strengthen) suggests God reinforced an existing hardness rather than creating it from nothing. Together the sources see here not arbitrary cruelty but divine justice meeting human rebellion.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judicial hardening: God strengthens hearts already hardened by persistent sin, acting as judge giving sinners over to their own choices (supported by Cambridge, Wesley, Clarke; parallels Exodus 4:21, Deuteronomy 2:30).
- Sovereign causation: God directly hardens hearts to accomplish His purposes of judgment and to ensure fulfillment of His command (supported by Gill, Keil & Delitzsch; seen in Exodus 14:17 and the broader context of Joshua).
What is clear: God is sovereign over the events of the conquest, and the hardening is a judgment upon persistent sin, not an arbitrary act.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Divine hardening and human responsibility | All traditions agree that God is sovereign over hardening and that it is a response to prior human sin (e.g., Pharaoh’s oppression, Canaanite idolatry). | Interpreters differ on whether God directly causes hardness (Augustinian/Calvinist view) or merely permits and strengthens an already existing hardness (Arminian/Wesleyan view). |
| Justice of total destruction (herem) | Christians agree that the Canaanites were judged for deep-rooted sin (idolatry, child sacrifice, immorality) and that God’s judgment is never arbitrary. | Some traditions see the herem as a unique, non-repeatable command for a specific historical situation; others read it as a type of final judgment, with implications for how God deals with evil. |
| God’s sovereignty vs. free will | All affirm that God is ultimately in control and that no event occurs outside His will. | The extent to which God’s hardening overrides human freedom is debated: some hold that God’s hardening is consistent with genuine human choice, while others see it as a form of determinism. |
| Moral character of God | All Christians affirm that God is just, holy, and merciful; His judgment is never capricious. | The tension between God’s love and His command to destroy whole peoples is resolved differently: some emphasize God’s patience (centuries of Canaanite sin), others focus on His righteousness requiring punishment. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Joshua 11:20 sits within the account of the northern campaign of the conquest. Jabin king of Hazor had assembled a large coalition of kings from the hill country, the Arabah, and the regions near Sidon and Mizpeh. Israel had already conquered the south (Joshua 10) and now faced a league far larger than the southern one. The verse explains why none of these cities made peace, unlike the Hivites of Gibeon who had deceived Joshua earlier (Joshua 9). The Gibeonite episode shows that some Canaanites sought peace, but Israel failed to inquire of the Lord and made a treaty contrary to His command. Now, with the northern coalition, God ensures that no such error repeats. The hardening guarantees that Israel will not again act on their own judgment but will carry out the herem, the total destruction commanded in Deuteronomy 7 and 20.
The Hebrew text uses the verb chazaq (to strengthen, make firm) rather than a verb meaning to create evil. This same root appears in the Exodus narratives of Pharaoh: God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart after Pharaoh had already hardened his own (Exodus 4:21; 7:13; 9:12). The Canaanites, like Pharaoh, had a history of deep-rooted idolatry, child sacrifice, and sexual immorality, which the surrounding chapters describe as abominable. The hardening is thus not the first cause of their rebellion but the divine confirmation of a path they had already chosen. The verse assures readers that the conquest was not a random slaughter but a carefully ordered judgment fulfilling the command Moses had received from God. It also explains the otherwise puzzling fact that no northern city offered terms: God had closed that door.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Joshua 11:20. The Masoretic Text (MT) is consistent across Hebrew manuscripts, and the Septuagint (LXX) rendering of κατισχῦσαι (to strengthen, prevail) aligns with the Hebrew chazaq. No major critical issues affect the interpretation of this verse.
Reception History
This verse has been a focal point for discussions of God’s justice and sovereignty throughout church history. Early church fathers such as Augustine used it to defend the doctrine of divine judgment against charges of arbitrariness, arguing that hardening is a just response to sin. The reformers, including Calvin, saw the verse as a clear proof of God’s sovereign rule over human wills, while Wesleyan and Arminian traditions emphasized that the hardening follows human choice, as seen in Clarke and Wesley. In modern times, the verse often raises questions about the violence of the Old Testament, with commentators across traditions pointing to the judicial nature of the action. Some have read it as a warning against persistent rebellion; others as a mystery we accept by faith. It remains a text that humbles readers before the holiness of God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Why no peace? The verse answers the question raised by verse 19: why did no city seek peace except Gibeon? The answer is theological, not tactical, God hardened their hearts so they would fight and be destroyed.
- God’s sovereignty in judgment. The hardening is presented as an act of God, yet always in response to prior sin. God does not create rebellion; He confirms the direction sinners have chosen, bringing justice upon them.
- Fulfilling the command. The final clause, “as Yahweh commanded Moses,” ties the entire campaign to the divine word given at Sinai. The conquest is not conquest for its own sake; it is obedience to a holy God’s decree concerning a corrupt culture.
Five-point outline
- Context: the northern league and the Gibeonite exception (vv. 1, 19).
- The theological explanation: “it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts.”
- The purpose: that they would come against Israel in battle and be utterly destroyed.
- The result: no favor shown, no mercy extended, total annihilation.
- The foundation: all this was as the Lord commanded Moses, the conquest was a divine mission.
Illustration hooks
- A judge who gives a defendant what he asked for: the man demanded his rights, and the court gave him exactly that, no leniency, no favor. God gives the Canaanites what they wanted: opposition to Israel, but with the consequences that follow.
- The parent who lets a stubborn child choose a hard road after repeated warnings. Not because the parent has stopped loving, but because the child must learn that choices have outcomes. God’s hardening is the solemn space where He says, “You have chosen; I will not overrule you.”
- An architect building with joints: sometimes the only way a structure holds is if the pieces lock together. God’s hardening of the Canaanite hearts locked into place exactly what His justice required and what His command to Israel demanded.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can a good God harden anyone’s heart? Does that make Him the author of sin?
- Why did God command total destruction of whole peoples? Wasn’t there another way?
- What does this teach us about God’s character? Is He just, merciful, or both?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a difficult place in the biblical story: it directly states that God hardened the hearts of the Canaanite kings so that they would fight and be destroyed. Before you rush to conclusions, read the verse carefully with your group. Notice the Hebrew verb chazaq, to strengthen, not to create evil. Notice also the final phrase: this happened “as Yahweh commanded Moses.” The passage invites us to wrestle with God’s justice, human responsibility, and the nature of judgment. Approach the text humbly, aware that this is a hard teaching that the Bible itself does not soften.
Discussion questions
- Read Joshua 11:18, 20. Why does the writer feel the need to explain that God hardened the Canaanites’ hearts? What question is he answering?
- Look at the cross-references: Exodus 4:21; Deuteronomy 2:30; Romans 9:17, 18. In each case, what is the prior condition of the people whose hearts are hardened? (Consider Pharaoh’s earlier oppression and Sihon’s resistance.)
- The Hebrew verb chazaq means “to strengthen.” How does this nuance change the way you understand the hardening? Does it suggest God creates hardness or reinforces what is already there?
- What does verse 20 say about God’s purposes? Verse 19 notes that the Gibeonites made peace, but no other city did. Why might God have allowed that one exception?
- Many Christians struggle with the concept of total destruction (herem). Does the explanation in verse 20, that God hardened their hearts, make the command easier or harder to accept? Why?
- How does this passage challenge or deepen your understanding of God’s justice? Where do you see God’s mercy even here? (Consider the Gibeonites, and also the fact that judgment comes only after centuries of Canaanite sin.)
- If someone asked you, “How can a loving God harden hearts?” what would you say based on this study? How does the broader biblical story of redemption shape your answer?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 4:21 | Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. |
| Exodus 9:16 | but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth, |
| Exodus 14:17 | Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. |
| Deuteronomy 2:30 | But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today. |
| Deuteronomy 7:16 | You shall consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God shall deliver to you. Your eye shall not pity them. You shall not serve their gods; for that would be a snare to you. |
| Deuteronomy 20:16 | But of the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes; |
| Deuteronomy 20:17 | but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Yahweh your God has commanded you; |
| Joshua 11:12 | Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke sees the hardening as God’s just response to their prior sin: they had already rejected the light they received, so God left them to the stubbornness they chose. Because they refused to make peace, they proved they were committed to idolatry, and destruction became necessary.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary stresses that when Scripture describes God hardening someone's heart, it is always a judgment on people who have already acted against his will. Pharaoh, the Canaanites, and even Israel all fell under this hardening after persisting in sin, not before. It is never arbitrary punishment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that God actively hardened the hearts of Israel's enemies, causing them to attack so they would be completely destroyed without mercy. This destruction was not incidental but the direct fulfillment of what God had commanded Moses earlier.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that God actively hardened the hearts of Israel's enemies so they would attack, be destroyed, and receive no mercy. They were denied even a spirit of supplication, so they could not pray or make peace like the Gibeonites. Their complete destruction fulfilled God's command against their abominable wickedness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that God himself hardened the Canaanites' hearts to make war, ensuring they would receive the full ban of destruction. This divine action prevented the Israelites from repeating their error with Gibeon, where they showed mercy in disobedience to God's command.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Joshua carried out every detail of God's orders, from Moses to himself, leaving nothing undone. The Lord hardened the Canaanites' hearts to ensure they would fight and be destroyed, fulfilling the command to Moses. The result was total conquest and the land rested from war.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees God's hardening of hearts not as creating fresh sin but as giving stubborn people over to their own animosity and pride. This served to punish their already incorrigible wickedness and to keep Israel separate, undiluted by mixture with them, in possessing the land.