The Meaning of Joshua 11:21 Explained

Joshua 11:21

KJV: And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.

YLT: And Joshua cometh at that time, and cutteth off the Anakim from the hill-country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, even from all the hill-country of Judah, and from all the hill-country of Israel; with their cities hath Joshua devoted them.

Darby: And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountain of Judah, and from all the mountain of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly, with their cities.

ASV: And Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill-country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill-country of Judah, and from all the hill-country of Israel: Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And at that time  came  Joshua,  and cut off  the Anakims  from the mountains,  from Hebron,  from Debir,  from Anab,  and from all the mountains  of Judah,  and from all the mountains  of Israel:  Joshua  destroyed them utterly  with their cities. 

What does Joshua 11:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 11:16-23 - Much Land Yet To Be Possessed
We do not know how long the war lasted. Probably about seven years, Joshua 14:10 (forty-five less thirty-eight). It was only in David's reign that the Canaanites were finally subdued. Note that Joshua took the land and then gave it to Israel. So Christ received the fullness of the Spirit and all spiritual blessings as the Trustee of those who believe; but we must claim and appropriate our heritage. So at last there will be rest, Joshua 11:23.
With Joshua 13:1 begins the second division of this book. A Doomsday Book! How significant is the sentence, "Much land to be possessed." This is true of tracts of the Bible, seldom read by ordinary Christians; of regions of experience, such as those alluded to in Colossians 3:1-4; and of countries in the world which have never been trodden by the feet of the missionary!
Read also Joshua 13:13. What pathos it contains! Either they did not believe in God's assurances, or were too indolent to claim them! [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 11:21 mean?

And came Joshua at time that and cut off - the Anakim from the mountains Hebron Debir Anab and from all the mountains of Judah and from all of Israel with their cities Utterly destroyed them Joshua
וַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא וַיַּכְרֵ֤ת אֶת־ הָֽעֲנָקִים֙ מִן־ הָהָ֤ר חֶבְרוֹן֙ דְּבִ֣ר עֲנָ֔ב וּמִכֹּל֙ הַ֣ר יְהוּדָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עִם־ עָרֵיהֶ֖ם הֶחֱרִימָ֥ם יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ

וַיָּבֹ֨א  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ  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.
בָּעֵ֣ת  at  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֗יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַיַּכְרֵ֤ת  and  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽעֲנָקִים֙  the  Anakim 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֲנָק  
Sense: a race of giants, descendants of Anak, which dwelled in southern Canaan.
הָהָ֤ר  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
חֶבְרוֹן֙  Hebron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
דְּבִ֣ר  Debir 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דְּבִיר 
Sense: the king of Eglon, one of the five kings hanged by Joshua.
עֲנָ֔ב  Anab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲנָב  
Sense: a city in the mountains of southern Judah, 8 miles southwest of Hebron.
וּמִכֹּל֙  and  from  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַ֣ר  the  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וּמִכֹּ֖ל  and  from  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עָרֵיהֶ֖ם  their  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הֶחֱרִימָ֥ם  Utterly  destroyed  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ  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.