יהושע, פרק י״א, פסוק י׳

Following a decisive battlefield victory, the military campaign shifts from defeating enemy soldiers to taking control of the land itself. Joshua takes proactive steps to conquer the actual cities and territories, rather than just eliminating the opposing armies [אברבנאל].

His immediate target is Hazor, a city located in the northern region of the Land of Israel [שטיינזלץ], along with its king. Joshua deliberately chooses to conquer Hazor before moving on to any of the other cities [מצודת דוד].

This specific focus stems from the city's unique historical and political status. In ancient times, Hazor served as the central power and the head of all the surrounding kingdoms [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, the particularly severe treatment directed at the city and its ruler is a direct response to their role in the conflict. It was the king of Hazor who originally instigated and launched the entire war [רלב״ג].