“And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.”
[continued] 'You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.' Joshua is commanded to destroy the Canaanite military technology. 'Hamstring' (qara' eteh, קָרַע אֶת־הַנִּסְעָר)—cutting the leg tendons of horses—renders them useless for war. Burning the chariots destroys the technological advantage that Canaan's armies possess. This dual command indicates that Israel's victory will be so total that the defeated powers' military infrastructure must be neutralized to prevent future resistance.
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