The Meaning of Joshua 11:1 Explained

Joshua 11:1

KJV: And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

YLT: And it cometh to pass when Jabin king of Hazor heareth, that he sendeth unto Jobab king of Madon, and unto the king of Shimron, and unto the king of Achshaph,

Darby: And it came to pass when Jabin king of Hazor heard this, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

ASV: And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard thereof, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when Jabin  king  of Hazor  had heard  [those things], that he sent  to Jobab  king  of Madon,  and to the king  of Shimron,  and to the king  of Achshaph, 

What does Joshua 11:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 11:1-15 - Joshua's Obedience To The Lord's Commands
The scene is removed to the waters of Merom, near the sources of the Jordan. Hazor was the capital of the region; Jabin, like Pharaoh, was an hereditary title, Judges 4:2. All the northern nations combined. Joshua's heart might well have failed, had it not been for the divine promise on the night before the battle, Joshua 11:6.
His attack under cover of night was like the falling of a thunderbolt. The effect was immediate. The huge host dissolved. The hocking of the horses disabled them, so that Israel was not tempted to trust in chariots and horses, Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 31:1. God's will was literally carried out. But what a noble record is given of this simple-minded soldier! "He left nothing undone," Joshua 11:15. It is only as we literally obey that we can count on such success as his. See 2 Timothy 4:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 11

1  Diverse kings overcome at the waters of Merom
10  Hazor is taken and burnt
16  All the country taken by Joshua
21  The Anakims cut off
23  The land rests from war

What do the individual words in Joshua 11:1 mean?

And it came to pass when heard [these things] Jabin king of Hazor that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron of Achshaph
וַיְהִ֕י כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־ חָצ֑וֹר וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֶל־ יוֹבָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מָד֔וֹן וְאֶל־ מֶ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְר֖וֹן אַכְשָֽׁף

וַיְהִ֕י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ  when  heard  [these  things] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יָבִ֣ין  Jabin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָבִין  
Sense: a king of Hazor who organised a confederacy of the northern princes against Joshua; confederacy routed by the waters of Merom.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
חָצ֑וֹר  of  Hazor 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָצֹור 
Sense: a royal city of northern Palestine allotted to Naphtali.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח  that  he  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יוֹבָב֙  Jobab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄובָב 
Sense: the last in order of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מָד֔וֹן  of  Madon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מָדֹון  
Sense: one of the principal cities of Canaan who joined Jabin and his confederates in their battle against Joshua at the waters of Merom and were defeated.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מֶ֥לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שִׁמְר֖וֹן  of  Shimron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁמְרֹון 
Sense: 4th son of Issachar and the progenitor of the family of Shimronites.
אַכְשָֽׁף  of  Achshaph 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַכְשָׁף  
Sense: city in north Canaan at foot of Mt Carmel.