Joshua 11:7
New International Version
So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them,

New Living Translation
So Joshua and all his fighting men traveled to the water near Merom and attacked suddenly.

English Standard Version
So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them.

Berean Standard Bible
So by the waters of Merom, Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly and attacked them,

King James Bible
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

New King James Version
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them.

New American Standard Bible
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom, and attacked them.

NASB 1995
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.

NASB 1977
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they fell upon them.

Amplified Bible
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.

Christian Standard Bible
So Joshua and all his troops surprised them at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them.

American Standard Version
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.

Contemporary English Version
Joshua and his army made a surprise attack against the enemy camp at Merom Pond

English Revised Version
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joshua and all his troops arrived suddenly at the Springs of Merom and attacked the Canaanite armies.

Good News Translation
So Joshua and all his men attacked them by surprise at Merom Brook.

International Standard Version
So Joshua and his entire fighting force approached them suddenly by the waters of Merom and attacked them.

Majority Standard Bible
So by the waters of Merom, Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly and attacked them,

NET Bible
Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.

New Heart English Bible
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell on them.

Webster's Bible Translation
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and they fell upon them.

World English Bible
So Joshua came suddenly, with all the warriors, against them by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Joshua comes, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom, and they suddenly fall on them;

Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua cometh, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and they fall on them;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua will come, and all the people of war with him, upon them by the water of Merom suddenly, and they will fall upon them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josue came, and all the army with him, against them to the waters of Merom on a sudden, and fell upon them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Joshua, and the entire army with him, came against them suddenly, at the waters of Merom, and they rushed upon them.

New American Bible
Joshua with his whole army came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom and fell upon them.

New Revised Standard Version
So Joshua came suddenly upon them with all his fighting force, by the waters of Merom, and fell upon them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So Joshua came suddenly to the waters of Meron, he and all the people of war who were with him; and they fell upon them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yeshua came to the waters of Merun from the stillness, he and all the people, the Makers of War that were there with him, and they fell on them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell upon them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua and all the men of war came upon them at the water of Maron suddenly; and they attacked them in the hill country.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Conquest of the Northern Cities
6Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.” 7So by the waters of Merom, Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly and attacked them, 8and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.…

Cross References
Joshua 10:7-9
So Joshua and his whole army, including all the mighty men of valor, came from Gilgal. / The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.” / After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise.

Judges 4:14-16
Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise, for this is the day that the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. / And in front of him the LORD routed with the sword Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. / Then Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

1 Samuel 15:3
Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

2 Samuel 5:19-25
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.” / So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim. / There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. ...

2 Kings 3:18-24
This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. / And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.” / The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land. ...

Deuteronomy 20:1-4
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. / When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, / saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. ...

Exodus 14:13-14
But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. / The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Numbers 31:7-8
Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. / Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Psalm 44:3-7
For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them. / You are my King, O God, who ordains victories for Jacob. / Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies. ...

Isaiah 41:10-13
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. / Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish. / You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing. ...

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Hebrews 11:30-34
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. / By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient. / And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, ...

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ...

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. / The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. / We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!


Treasury of Scripture

So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell on them.

suddenly

Joshua 10:9
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2,3
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…

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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














So Joshua and his whole army came upon them suddenly
This phrase highlights the element of surprise in Joshua's military strategy. The Hebrew root for "suddenly" (פִּתְאֹם, pit'om) suggests an unexpected or abrupt action, emphasizing the swiftness and decisiveness of Joshua's leadership. Historically, this reflects the tactical brilliance often required in ancient warfare, where surprise could turn the tide of battle. Joshua's ability to lead his entire army in such a manner underscores his role as a divinely appointed leader, fulfilling God's promises to Israel.

by the waters of Merom
The "waters of Merom" refers to a location in northern Canaan, likely a marshy area or a lake. Archaeologically, this site is associated with the Hula Valley, north of the Sea of Galilee. The strategic choice of this location for battle indicates Joshua's understanding of the terrain and its advantages. In a broader scriptural context, this setting serves as a backdrop for God's continued faithfulness in delivering the Promised Land to the Israelites, reinforcing the theme of divine providence.

and attacked them
The Hebrew word for "attacked" (וַיִּפְּלוּ, vayippelu) conveys a sense of falling upon or striking with force. This action demonstrates the aggressive and proactive nature of Joshua's campaign. From a theological perspective, this attack is not merely a military maneuver but an act of obedience to God's command to conquer the land. It reflects the righteous judgment against the Canaanite nations, as well as the fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The narrative encourages believers to trust in God's timing and to act with courage and faith when called to fulfill His purposes.

(7) Suddenly.--On this occasion, as in the former campaign which began at Gibeon, Joshua surprised his adversaries by the rapidity of his movements.

Verse 7. - Suddenly (see remarks in Introduction on Joshua's characteristics as a general. Also Joshua 10:9). And they fell upon them. This phrase denotes the rapidity of the onset. While they deemed him to be leagues away, he suddenly appeared at the head of his army, no doubt debouching from one of the mountain passes of Upper Galilee; and before they could set themselves in battle array, his troops, without giving the enemy time to rally, or themselves a moment's breathing-time, commenced the attack. The LXX. adds "in the hill country" here, an obvious blunder. The translator must have carelessly read בהר for בהם.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So by
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the waters
מֵ֥י (mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

of Merom
מֵר֖וֹם (mê·rō·wm)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4792: Merom -- a place in Upper Galilee

Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֡עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

and his whole
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

army
הַמִּלְחָמָ֨ה (ham·mil·ḥā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

came
וַיָּבֹ֣א (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

upon them
עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

suddenly
פִּתְאֹ֑ם (piṯ·’ōm)
Adverb
Strong's 6597: Suddenness, suddenly

and attacked them,
וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ (way·yip·pə·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie


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OT History: Joshua 11:7 So Joshua came and all the people (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 11:6
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