Joshua's conquests

After Joshua crossed the Jordan River, he took Jericho quickly, and Ai on his second attempt. When the Canaanite kings of southern tribes aligned against him, he won a key battle and then swept through the southern half of the land. At that point, kings in the north aligned against the new threat, and Joshua marched his forces through the night and took another major victory. Coupled with land Joshua had already secured on the eastern side of the Jordan River, these battles secured the heartland of Israel very quickly. This video features footage from Hazor (Hatzor), the most important ancient city in the Hula Valley. The king of Hazor controlled traffic and commerce along the most traveled road in the north. Hazor and Jericho were the only cities Joshua burned. Archaeological remains at Hazor from the time period clearly show signs of a great fire in the building thought to be the king’s palace at Hazor.