Hazor: Enclosed; fortified.1. A stronghold of the Canaanites in the mountains north of Lake
Merom
(Joshua 11:1-5) Jabin the king with his allied tribes here
encountered Joshua in a great battle. Joshua gained a signal
victory, which virtually completed his conquest of Canaan
(Joshua 11:10-13) This city was, however, afterwards rebuilt by
the Canaanites, and was ruled by a king with the same hereditary
name of Jabin. His army, under a noted leader of the name of
Sisera, swept down upon the south, aiming at the complete
subjugation of the country. This powerful army was met by the
Israelites under Barak, who went forth by the advice of the
prophetess Deborah. The result was one of the most remarkable
victories for Israel recorded in the Old Testament
(Joshua 19:36)
(Judges 4:2; 1 Samuel 12:9) The city of Hazor was taken and occupied by
the Israelites. It was fortified by Solomon to defend the
entrance into the kingdom from Syria and Assyria. When
Tiglath-pileser, the Assyrian king, invaded the land, this was
one of the first cities he captured, carrying its inhabitants
captive into Assyria
(2 Kings 15:29) It has been identified with
Khurbet Harrah, 2 1/2 miles south-east of Kedesh.
2. A city in the south of Judah
(Joshua 15:23) The name here should
probably be connected with the word following, Ithnan,
HAZOR-ITHNAN instead of "Hazor and Ithnan."
3. A district in Arabia
(Jeremiah 49:28-33) supposed by some to be Jetor,
i.e., Ituraea.
4. "Kerioth and Hezron"
(Joshua 15:25) should be "Kerioth-hezron" (as
in the R.V.), the two names being joined together as the name of
one place (e.g., like Kirjath-jearim), "the same is Hazor"
(R.V.). This place has been identified with el-Kuryetein, and
has been supposed to be the home of Judas Iscariot.
(See KERIOTH)