And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan River and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan River so the Israelites could cross over, they were terrified and lost all courage because of what God had done for Israel.
The writer is showing how God's miraculous power in helping Israel cross the Jordan River struck fear into the hearts of their enemies and left them completely demoralized.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs right after Israel's miraculous crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land, similar to how they had crossed the Red Sea 40 years earlier. The Amorites and Canaanites were the dominant peoples living in the land that God had promised to Abraham's descendants. News of God's supernatural intervention on behalf of Israel spread quickly among these nations, causing widespread fear before any battles had even begun.
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