And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
JOSHUA 11:14KJVWhat does Joshua 11:14 mean?
Joshua 11:14 describes how the Israelites took all the goods and livestock from the conquered cities for themselves, but killed every person in those cities, leaving no survivors. The verse shows the complete destruction of the enemy populations while allowing the Israelites to keep material possessions.
This verse comes during the account of Joshua leading the Israelites in battle against various Canaanite cities. Joshua and the Israelites are carrying out what they believe are God’s instructions for taking the land. The verse highlights the thoroughness of their conquest: while they spared the spoil (valuables and animals), they did not spare the people.
The Hebrew behind Joshua 11:14
- "spoil" (שָׁלָל, shalal): This word refers to the goods, valuables, and property taken from a defeated enemy. The use of this word emphasizes that the Israelites were allowed to keep the material wealth of the cities.
- "prey" (בַּז, baz): This word is often used for plunder or loot taken in war. Its use here underlines that the Israelites viewed the captured goods as their rightful reward from the conquest.
- "smote" (נָכָה, nakah): This verb means to strike or kill. It shows that the Israelites actively killed the inhabitants, not just passively letting them die.
- "edge" (פֶּה, peh): Literally "mouth," but here it means the "edge" or "mouth" of the sword, a Hebrew way of saying the sharp part used for killing.
- "breathe" (נְשָׁמָה, neshamah): This word means "breath" or "living being." The phrase "neither left they any to breathe" means that no living person was left alive.
Why Joshua 11:14 matters
- Joshua 11:14 makes clear that the Israelites did not destroy the cities’ material goods, only the people, which contrasts with other battles (like Jericho) where even the goods were destroyed.
- The verse emphasizes the severity and totality of the conquest, showing that the Israelites followed specific instructions about whom and what to destroy or spare.
- Understanding the original words for "spoil," "prey," and "breathe" helps clarify that the destruction was focused on people, not possessions, which is important for understanding the pattern of warfare described in Joshua.