Joshua 10 · a question people ask
Joshua took Hebron and Debir here (10:36-39). Why are they taken again later in the book?
The book tells of both cities more than once. Here Joshua takes Hebron (10:36-37) and Debir (10:38-39). In the next chapter, "Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir" (11:21). Later Caleb "drove out the three sons of Anak" from Hebron (15:13-14), and Othniel took Debir, whose "name… before was Kiriath Sepher" (15:15-17). Judges tells of Hebron and Debir again (Judges 1:10-13). Two verses stand beside these. This chapter says that "the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities" (10:20), and later the LORD tells Joshua, "there remains yet very much land to be possessed" (13:1). The book sets these accounts side by side and doesn't say how they fit together.
The verses
“When Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,”
“Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.”
“Now Joshua was old and well advanced in years. The LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.”
“He gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron). Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher. Caleb said, “He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.” Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.”