But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
But Israel didn't burn any of the cities that were still standing strong on their foundations, except for Hazor alone, that was the only one Joshua burned.
The writer is explaining that Joshua only destroyed one major city (Hazor) while preserving all the other fortified cities that Israel conquered.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Joshua, the Israelites were conquering the Promised Land as part of God's covenant promise to give it to their descendants. During the northern campaign described in Joshua 11, they defeated a coalition of kings led by Jabin of Hazor and chose not to burn the captured cities that remained standing, except for Hazor, which was a major stronghold and symbol of resistance. This action likely followed divine instructions or military strategy to preserve resources while ensuring the primary threat was eliminated.
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