Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
The Canaanites' refusal to seek peace was their fatal blindness. God hardened hearts already bent on war; they chose enmity with Israel when they might have made terms, as Gibeon did. Hardness of heart is the sinner's ruin, and those left to their own stubborn pride are already marked for destruction.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 11:15-23
As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua,.... Which was to destroy the people of the land, Deu 7:1, so did Joshua, he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses; both with respect to the destruction of the people, and of all their images, pictures, altars, groves, and high places; see Exo 34:11.
Jos 11:10-15 After destroying the foe, and returning from the pursuit, Joshua took Hazor, smote its king and all the inhabitants with the edge of the sword, and burned the town, the former leader of all those kingdoms. He did just the same to the other towns, except that he did not burn them, but left them standing upon their hills.
Commenting on Joshua 11:10-15