Joshua 11:9
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And Joshua did to them as the LORD bade him: he hamstrung their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And Joshua did to them as the LORD bade him: he hamstrung their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And Joshua did unto them as Jehovah bade him: he hocked their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And Joshua did to them as the Lord had said to him; he had the leg-muscles of their horses cut and their war-carriages burned with fire.
Webster's Revision
And Joshua did to them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
World English Bible
Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their horses and burnt their chariots with fire.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
Clarke's Joshua 11:9 Bible Commentary
He houghed their horses - The Hebrew word עקר akar, which we render to hough or hamstring, signifies to wound, cut, or lop off. It is very likely that it means here, not only an act by which they were rendered useless, but by which they were destroyed; as God had purposed that his people should not possess any cattle of this kind, that a warlike and enterprising spirit might not be cultivated among them; and that, when obliged to defend themselves and their country, they might be led to depend upon God for protection and victory. On the same ground, God had forbidden the kings of Israel to multiply horses, Deuteronomy 17:16 (note). See the note there containing the reasons on which this prohibition was founded.
Burnt their chariots - As these could have been of no use without the horses.
