Undoubtedly the reports that came to these kings both angered and frightened them, with the result that they called this emergency meeting. They had heard not only of the fall of Jericho, and of Ai, but doubtless also of the great meeting at Ebal, where the Israelites had proclaimed the law of Jehovah as the law of the entire land of Canaan. The convocation at Mt. Ebal showed clearly that the children of Israel intended to be its sole rulers. The resulting anger of the Canaanites probably overcame their fright, and they determined to resist together, hoping thereby to prevent any encroachment upon their territory. For a description of “the kings” see the Introduction to Joshua.

By the “hills” is meant the mountainous uplands in the central part of Palestine that afterward became the territory of Judah and Ephraim. The “valleys” are what is called the Shephelah, or western foothills. The “coasts of the great sea” include the maritime plains of Philistia and Sharon.

 The Hebrew has, “beyond the Jordan.” The reference, of course, is definitely to the western side of the river, and either the writer was writing on the eastern side, or the arrival on the western side had been so recent that he still thinks of the territory as “beyond the Jordan.” If the writer had already made the land of Palestine his permanent home, he would hardly have used such an expression. This observation argues for an early writing of at least this portion of the book of Joshua. The expression “beyond the Jordan” subsequently refers to the east side of Jordan, unless the speaker is there or thinks of himself as being there (see Judges 5:17).