1. When Jabin, king of Hazor, learned of this, he sent a message to Jobab, king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
2. and to the northern kings in the mountain regions and in the Arabah near Chinneroth, in the Shephelah, and in Naphath-dor to the west.
3. These were Canaanites to the east and west, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the mountain regions, and Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
4. They came out with all their troops, an army numerous as the sands on the seashore, and with a multitude of horses and chariots.
5. All these kings made a pact and together they marched to the waters of Merom, where they encamped to fight against Israel.
6. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for by this time tomorrow I will present them slain to Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”
7. Joshua with his whole army came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom and fell upon them.
8. The Lord delivered them into the power of the Israelites, who defeated them and pursued them to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth-maim, and eastward to the valley of Mizpeh. They struck them all down, leaving no survivors.
9. Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
10. At that time Joshua, turning back, captured Hazor and struck down its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the chief of all those kingdoms.
11. He also struck down with the sword every person there, carrying out the ban, till none was left alive. Hazor itself he burned.
12. All the cities of those kings, and the kings themselves, Joshua captured and put to the sword, carrying out the ban on them, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded.
13. However, Israel did not destroy by fire any of the cities built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua burned.