The victory over Hazor by Joshua and the Israelites is probably one of the most overlooked miracles in the Bible.
When we realize how powerful Hazor was and how Jabin, the King of Hazor, gathered countless armies against the Israelites, we see that only God could have given them victory.
Location
1. Hazor is located about 10 miles (16 km.) due north of the Sea of Galilee and just to the east of Hwy. 90.
2. It was on one of the most important travel routes called the “Via Maris,” which linked Africa and Egypt with Syria and Asia.
3. It was the largest and most strategic city in northern Galilee due to its size and location.
Historical Background
1. Hazor was one of the most important cities of the Canaanites and was the head of all the northern kingdoms (Josh. 11:10).
2. It was 10 times the size of Jerusalem and totaled 200 acres (81 hectares, 200 football fields) in size.
3. The upper part of the tel is around 30 acres (12 hectares), and the lower part is around 170 acres (69 hectares).
4. What we see today of Hazor is 1/8 the size of what it once was.
5. To the north lies most of the city which is now a farm field.
6. It’s the largest tel in Israel.
7. It’s also believed to have been the largest city in ancient Canaan.
8. It was one of three major cities of defense in Israel (Gezer, to the south, Megiddo, in the middle of the country, and Hazor, in the north). All three cities were on the Via Maris.
9. Hazor rivaled Nineveh in size and importance.
10. Hazor is mentioned 19 times in the Bible.
Places of Interest
1. Israelite City Ruins
2. Israelite Walls
3. Lower City
4. Temple Tombs
5. Northern Walls
6. Canaanite Temple
7. Solomon’s Walls and Gate (archaeologists have uncovered a six-chambered gate at Hazor, which is nearly identical in size and design to gates at Megiddo and Gezer).
8. Canaanite Palace/Temple
9. Ash layer in the Canaanite Palace/Temple
10. Canaanite Altar
11. Water System (a century after Solomon’s time, the Israelites built a massive shaft 131 ft. (40 m.) deep into the tel, reaching the water table below).
12. Israelite Fortress/Tower
13. Rooms & Buildings
14. Canaanite Passage between the upper and lower cities.
Hazor in the Bible
The victory over Hazor by Joshua and the Israelites is probably one of the most overlooked miracles in the Bible. When we realize how powerful Hazor was and how Jabin, the King of Hazor, gathered countless armies against the Israelites, we see that it was only God who could have given them the victory.
1. When Jabin, King of Hazor heard that Joshua and the Israelites had been on a conquering rampage throughout all the southern part of the land, he gathered a host of kings in the northern part of the land, which was so large that they were like the sand on the seashore, in order to unite and fight against the Israelites (Joshua 11:1–5).
2. All the unified kings and soldiers believed that with their countless armies and gods, Israel would be no match for them.
3. God told Joshua and the Israelites not to be afraid because He would be with them and deliver all these kings into their hands (Joshua 11:6–9).
4. After defeating all the armies, Joshua conquered Hazor and burned it with fire (Joshua 11:10–13).
5. Hazor was later retaken and rebuilt by the Canaanites. God used the Canaanites to punish Israel for their disobedience to Him (Judges 4:1–3).
6. God used Deborah and Barak to deliver the Israelites after they repented of their sins and cried out to Him for help (Joshua 4:14–16).
7. Hazor later came under the control of Israel during the period of King David and Solomon, and Solomon rebuilt and fortified Hazor, along with Megiddo and Gezer (1 Kings 9:15).
8. As a result of Israel’s disobedience to God, Hazor was destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC, and the northern 10 tribes of Israel were deported (2 Kings 15:29).
9. Jeremiah prophesied against Hazor due to the Israelites disobedience just before the Babylonian conquest and deportation of the Israelites in around 586 BC. (Jeremiah 49:33).
Faith Lesson from Hazor
1. When the Israelites obeyed God, He blessed them and made them victorious over countless kings and multitudes of soldiers.
2. When they disobeyed God, He caused them to become weak and defeated.
3. The same lesson from the Old Testament applies to us today (Rom. 15:4). When we are obedient and faithful to God, we live victoriously and receive His blessings. However, when we disobey Him, we become weak and defeated.
4. What kind of lives are we living today, and are we victorious or defeated?