When King Jabin of Hazor heard of Joshua's victories, he rallied other northern kings—Jobab of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Acshaph, and rulers from the mountains, the plains south of Kinnereth, the western foothills, and the region near Dor. From every side, armies gathered—Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Hivites from the region below Mount Hermon—forming a vast host as countless as the sand on the seashore, with horses and chariots ready for war.
These kings united and camped together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel. But the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow, I will deliver them all slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots."
So Joshua and his warriors marched suddenly against them at the Waters of Merom, taking them by surprise. The Lord gave Israel victory—chasing the enemies as far as Sidon, Misrephoth Maim, and the Valley of Mizpah, until not one remained. Joshua obeyed God's command: he hamstrung the horses and burned the chariots.
Then he turned and captured Hazor, the head of all these kingdoms. Its king and all its people were slain, and the city itself was burned to the ground. None were spared, and Hazor was utterly destroyed. All the other cities were conquered, their kings slain, but only Hazor was burned. Israel took the livestock and plunder but destroyed all who lived within those cities, as Moses had commanded.
Joshua obeyed every instruction given through Moses. From Mount Halak near Seir to Baal Gad below Mount Hermon, Joshua took all the land—the hills, the Negev, the lowlands, and the mountain slopes. He fought these kings for a long time, for none except the Hivites of Gibeon made peace with Israel.
The Lord Himself hardened their hearts so they would face Israel in battle and be completely destroyed, leaving no mercy, just as the Lord had said to Moses. Joshua also wiped out the Anakites from the hill country—from Hebron, Debir, and Anab, throughout Judah and Israel—leaving none except in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.
At last, Joshua took the entire land and gave it as an inheritance to Israel, dividing it among the tribes as the Lord had directed Moses. And then… the land rested from war.