The Meaning of Joshua 11:12 Explained

Joshua 11:12

KJV: And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

YLT: and all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, hath Joshua captured, and he smiteth them by the mouth of the sword; he devoted them, as Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded.

Darby: And all the cities of those kings and all their kings did Joshua take; and he smote them with the edge of the sword, destroying them utterly, as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded.

ASV: And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and he smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And all the cities  of those kings,  and all the kings  of them, did Joshua  take,  and smote  them with the edge  of the sword,  [and] he utterly destroyed  them, as Moses  the servant  of the LORD  commanded. 

What does Joshua 11:12 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 11:12 mean?

So all the cities of kings these and their kings took Joshua and struck with the edge of the sword He utterly destroyed them as had commanded Moses the servant of Yahweh
וְֽאֶת־ כָּל־ עָרֵ֣י הַמְּלָכִֽים־ הָ֠אֵלֶּה וְֽאֶת־ מַלְכֵיהֶ֞ם לָכַ֧ד יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ וַיַּכֵּ֥ם לְפִי־ חֶ֖רֶב הֶחֱרִ֣ים אוֹתָ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֥בֶד יְהוָֽה

וְֽאֶת־  So 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עָרֵ֣י  the  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַמְּלָכִֽים־  of  kings 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הָ֠אֵלֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מַלְכֵיהֶ֞ם  their  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לָכַ֧ד  took 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָכַד  
Sense: to capture, take, seize.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
וַיַּכֵּ֥ם  and  struck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
לְפִי־  with  the  edge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חֶ֖רֶב  of  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
הֶחֱרִ֣ים  He  utterly  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
צִוָּ֔ה  had  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
עֶ֥בֶד  the  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.