Joshua 10:38

Settlement in the hill country was sparse. The surrounding villages, which were towns with walls, could not remain independent. They depended on the kingdoms of the dominant cities for protection.

Joshua led the Israelites through southern Canaan. They captured several important cities but did not burn them. God had promised that Israel would live in cities they had not built (Deuteronomy 6:10).

Gibeon and its neighboring cities were on a plateau (high flat place) north of Jerusalem (see study note on 7:2). With Gibeon now as an ally with Israel, Israel controlled the plateau and the central hill country near Gibeon. Historically, controlling the plateau often meant controlling the hill country. The kings of Canaan had to conquer Gibeon, or they would fail.

This second major section of the book records Joshua's southern and northern campaigns against two coalitions of kings from Canaan. Joshua's victories allowed Israel to settle the hill country from Galilee in the north to the Negev in the south.