Joshua 11 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: MT 11:19
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Joshua 11
Hebrew source for this chapter: BHS1997 [H], directly reviewed in this revision. The original Mechon Mamre access fallback [H-S] is retained in the historical source record.
The northern kings defeated: victory and the peace of Christ
Editorial Christian reading: the chapter’s warfare and rest are considered alongside Hebrews 4:8–11. The translation preserves both its totalizing claims and its notices of exceptions and survivors.
11:1–9 | The northern coalition at the waters of Merom
Verse MT 11:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:1
When Jabin king of Hazor heard, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:1
When Jabin king of Hazor heard, he sent to Jobab king of Marron, to the king of Symoon, and to the king of Aziph,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The royal coalition corresponds, but Greek Marron, Symoon, and Aziph are retained without silently imposing identification. Hebrew chapter 11 was provisionally based on Mechon Mamre; it has now been checked throughout against the adopted BHS1997 main text.
Verse MT 11:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:2
and to the kings who were in the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:2
and to the kings near Sidon the Great, in the hill country, in the Raba opposite Chinneroth, in the plain, and in Napheddor,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew specifies the north and southern Chinneroth; Greek specifies Sidon and the Raba opposite Chinneroth. Napheddor preserves the Greek form corresponding to the Dor district.
Verse MT 11:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:3
to the Canaanites on the east and west, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites beneath Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:3
and to the coastal Canaanites from the east, the coastal Amorites, the Hivites, Jebusites, and Perizzites in the hill country, and the Hittites beneath Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The coastal wording differs, and Hivites and Hittites occupy different positions in the regional description.
Verse MT 11:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:4
They came out, with all their camps—a people as numerous as the sand on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:4
They came out, with their kings—as numerous as the sand of the sea, with very many horses and chariots.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has their camps and a numerous people; Greek has their kings with them. Both emphasize overwhelming numbers.
Verse MT 11:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:5
All these kings joined together, came, and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:5
All these kings assembled, came together, and camped at the water of Marron to fight Israel.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The assembly and purpose agree; Merom and the Greek form Marron are displayed independently.
Verse MT 11:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:6
YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for tomorrow at this time I am giving all of them over, slain, before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:6
The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for tomorrow at this hour I am handing them over, routed, before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew ḥalalim describes the enemies as slain; Greek tetropōmenous describes them as routed. The commands concerning horses and chariots agree.
Verse MT 11:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:7
Joshua and all the fighting people with him came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom and fell upon them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:7
Joshua and all the fighting people came upon them suddenly at the water of Marron and fell upon them in the hill country.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds the hill-country location to the attack; the sudden assault corresponds.
Verse MT 11:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:8
YHWH gave them into Israel’s hand. They struck them and pursued them as far as Sidon the Great, Misrephoth-maim, and the valley of Mizpeh eastward. They struck them until they left them no survivor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:8
The Lord handed them over to Israel. Striking them, they pursued them as far as Sidon the Great, Maseron, and the plains of Massoch toward the east. They cut them down until none of them was left alive.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The pursuit and destruction agree; the two further place names and valley/plains wording differ.
Verse MT 11:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:9
Joshua did to them as YHWH had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:9
Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him: he hamstrung their horses and set their chariots on fire.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both report fulfillment of the command in verse 6.
11:10–15 | Hazor and the other royal cities
Verse MT 11:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:10
Joshua turned back at that time, captured Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor had formerly been the head of all these kingdoms.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:10
Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and its king; Hazor had formerly ruled all these kingdoms.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek reports the king’s capture but lacks this verse’s explicit statement that Joshua struck him with the sword.
Verse MT 11:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:11
They struck every person in it with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction. Nothing that breathed remained, and he burned Hazor with fire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:11
They killed everything that breathed in it with the sword and destroyed them all. Nothing that breathed was left in it, and they set Hazor on fire.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both report total destruction; the burning is attributed to he in Hebrew and they in Greek.
Verse MT 11:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:12
Joshua captured all the cities of these kings and all their kings, struck them with the edge of the sword, and devoted them to destruction, as Moses the servant of YHWH had commanded.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:12
Joshua took all the cities of the kings and their kings and killed them with the edge of the sword. They destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had ordered.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The acts and command agree; Greek shifts to a plural subject for the destruction.
Verse MT 11:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:13
But Israel did not burn any of the cities standing on their mounds; Hazor alone Joshua burned.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:13
But Israel did not burn any of the cities enclosed with earthworks; Hazor alone Joshua burned.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes cities standing on their tells or mounds; Greek kechōmatismenas describes cities provided with earthworks. The exception agrees.
Verse MT 11:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:14
The sons of Israel took for themselves all the spoil of these cities and the livestock. But they struck all the people with the edge of the sword until they destroyed them, leaving nothing that breathed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:14
The sons of Israel took all its spoil for themselves. But they destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword until he had destroyed them; they left not even one of them breathing.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek has singular its spoil and no separate livestock clause. Its shifts between plural and singular agency are retained.
Verse MT 11:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:15
As YHWH commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that YHWH had commanded Moses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:15
As the Lord ordered Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He transgressed none of all that Moses had ordered him.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both affirm the chain of obedience; the final clause names YHWH’s command to Moses in Hebrew and Moses’ command to Joshua in Greek.
11:16–23 | The conquered regions, the remaining Anakim, and rest
Verse MT 11:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:16
Joshua took all this land: the hill country, all the Negeb, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel, and its lowland,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:16
Joshua took all the hill country, all the Negeb, all the land of Gosom, the plain, the western region, the mountain of Israel, and the low places,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek has the western region where Hebrew has the Arabah; Gosom preserves its own name form. The sentence continues in verse 17.
Verse MT 11:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:17
from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon beneath Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:17
those near the mountain, from Mount Achel and what rises toward Seir as far as Baal-gad and the plains of Lebanon beneath Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, did away with them, and killed them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The geographical syntax differs, including Achel/Halak and plains/valley. Both retain the repeated verbs of killing.
Verse MT 11:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:18
Joshua made war with all these kings for many days.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:18
Joshua waged war against these kings for many days.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe a prolonged campaign.
Verse MT 11:19 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:19
No city made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites who lived in Gibeon. They took all the others in battle.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:19
There was no city that Israel did not take; they took everything in war.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew expressly exempts Gibeon from conquest by battle. Greek gives an unqualified conquest summary here and lacks the peace exception; its own covenant narrative in chapter 9 remains present.
Verse MT 11:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:20
For it was from YHWH that their hearts were strengthened to meet Israel in battle, so that they might be devoted to destruction and receive no mercy, but be destroyed, as YHWH had commanded Moses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:20
For through the Lord their hearts were strengthened to meet Israel in war, so that they might be destroyed, that no mercy might be given them, but that they might be destroyed, as the Lord had said to Moses.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both explicitly attribute the strengthening of their hearts to God and connect it with destruction without mercy. No difference in agency is manufactured here.
Verse MT 11:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:21
At that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the hill country—from Hebron, Debir, Anab, all the hill country of Judah, and all the hill country of Israel. Joshua devoted them and their cities to destruction.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:21
At that time Joshua came and destroyed the Anakim from the hill country—from Hebron, Debir, Anaboth, all the stock of Israel, and all the hill country of Judah—with their cities. Joshua destroyed them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek has genos, stock or people, where Hebrew has the hill country of Israel. Its unusual expression and Anaboth are retained.
Verse MT 11:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:22
No Anakim remained in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did they remain.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:22
None of the Anakim was left among the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod were they left.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew specifies the land; Greek refers to the sons of Israel. Both give the same three exceptions.
Verse MT 11:23 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 11:23
Joshua took all the land, according to all that YHWH had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by tribes. And the land rested from war.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 11:23
Joshua took all the land, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and Joshua gave these as an inheritance to Israel, in a division according to their tribes. And the land ceased being at war.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek uses a plural object for the grant after singular land. Both conclude with the land’s rest from war.