Jobab (King of Madon)

Biblical Account

Jobab is named only once, in Joshua 11:1. When Jabin king of Hazor heard that Joshua had conquered southern Canaan, he sent messengers to the surrounding kings. The first of these to be named is "Jobab king of Madon," followed by the king of Shimron, the king of Achshaph, and various kings of the northern hill country and the plains.

The coalition forces were "even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude," with a great many horses and chariots, and they encamped together at the waters of Merom (Joshua 11:4–5). The LORD told Joshua not to be afraid and commanded him, "thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire" (Joshua 11:6). Joshua launched a sudden attack at the waters of Merom, routed the coalition, and pursued them "unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh" (Joshua 11:7–8).

Joshua then took "all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them," and smote them with the edge of the sword (Joshua 11:12). The manner of Jobab's death is not separately recorded, but on the basis of this verse he is understood to have died at that time along with the other kings. In the list of conquered kings in Joshua 12, he appears, unnamed, as "the king of Madon" (Joshua 12:19). Scripture says nothing of his origins, family, or length of reign.

Significance in Scripture

Jobab appears in the account of the northern conquest in Joshua 11 as one of the kings who made up the coalition. The text emphasizes the size of the coalition and Israel's victory rather than the deeds of individual kings. Joshua 11:20 explains that these kings came out to fight Israel because "it was of the LORD to harden their hearts." He is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretations and Debates

• Distinction from others named Jobab: Several individuals in Scripture bear the same name: Jobab the son of Joktan (Genesis 10:29), Jobab king of Edom (Genesis 36:33), and two Benjamites named Jobab (1 Chronicles 8:9, 8:18). All are distinct from Jobab king of Madon. An addition at the end of the Book of Job in the Septuagint preserves a tradition identifying Job with Jobab king of Edom; this concerns the Edomite king and has no connection to Jobab king of Madon.
• Location of Madon: The exact location of Madon has not been established. One known view places it in the region west of the Sea of Galilee. Some Septuagint manuscripts are reported to give the place name as "Maron."
• Interpretation of "to harden their hearts": Some interpreters read Joshua 11:20 as emphasizing a divine decree grounded in the sovereignty of God. Others read it as a judgment brought upon those who had long persisted in sin.
• Broader issues in the conquest narratives: Debate has continued over the ethics of the conquest and over its historical dating and historicity. These debates concern the Book of Joshua as a whole rather than Jobab in particular.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, because Jobab is named only once, he is rarely treated on his own in sermons or Sunday school. He is usually mentioned as one of the coalition kings in expository teaching on the Book of Joshua that covers Joshua's northern conquest, namely the battle at the waters of Merom.