Hazor in the Torah
חצור
The largest and most important Canaanite city in the north of Israel. When Joshua conquered Canaan, Hazor's king Jabin organized a coalition of northern kings against Israel — but Joshua defeated them and burned Hazor. Centuries later, another King Jabin of Hazor oppressed Israel until the prophetess Deborah led the people to victory. Solomon later rebuilt Hazor as a fortified city.
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Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Key Verses
5 selected passages mentioning Hazor
Solomon rebuilds Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer
וְזֶ֨ה דְבַר־הַמַּ֜ס אֲשֶֽׁר־הֶעֱלָ֣ה ׀ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה לִבְנוֹת֩ אֶת־בֵּ֨ית יְהֹוָ֤ה וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּלּ֔וֹא וְאֵ֖ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאֶת־חָצֹ֥ר וְאֶת־מְגִדּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־גָּֽזֶר׃
This was the purpose of the forced labor that Solomon imposed: It was to build the House of GOD, his own palace, the Millo,iMillo A citadel. and the wall of Jerusalem, and [to fortify] Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
Jabin king of Hazor hears of Joshua's conquests and gathers allies
וַיְהִ֕י כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־חָצ֑וֹר וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֶל־יוֹבָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מָד֔וֹן וְאֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ שִׁמְר֖וֹן וְאֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ אַכְשָֽׁף׃
When the news reached King Jabin of Hazor, he sent messages to King Jobab of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
Joshua turns back and captures Hazor — Hazor was the head of all those kingdoms
וַיָּ֨שׇׁב יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ וַיִּלְכֹּ֣ד אֶת־חָצ֔וֹר וְאֶת־מַלְכָּ֖הּ הִכָּ֣ה בֶחָ֑רֶב כִּֽי־חָצ֣וֹר לְפָנִ֔ים הִ֕יא רֹ֖אשׁ כׇּל־הַמַּמְלָכ֥וֹת הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
Joshua then turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.—Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms.—
They struck all the souls in it and burned Hazor with fire
וַ֠יַּכּ֠וּ אֶת־כׇּל־הַנֶּ֨פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤הּ לְפִי־חֶ֙רֶב֙ הַחֲרֵ֔ם לֹ֥א נוֹתַ֖ר כׇּל־נְשָׁמָ֑ה וְאֶת־חָצ֖וֹר שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
They proscribed and put to the sword every person in it. Not a soul survived, and Hazor itself was burned down.
The Lord sells Israel into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan who reigned in Hazor
וַיִּמְכְּרֵ֣ם יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּיַד֙ יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלַ֖ךְ בְּחָצ֑וֹר וְשַׂר־צְבָאוֹ֙ סִֽיסְרָ֔א וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בַּחֲרֹ֥שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
And GOD surrendered them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. His army commander was Sisera, whose base was Harosheth-goiim.
14 more verses mention Hazor across the Tanakh
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