Good question. In the KJV, the phrase appears in Joshua 11:6, 9 —
“Thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.”
and
“And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.”
Meaning of “hough” (or “hock”)
The verb “to hough” (pronounced “hock”) in early English means to hamstring — that is, to cut the leg tendons (specifically the hamstring or heel cords) of an animal so that it can no longer run or be used in war.
So when the KJV says that Joshua “houghed their horses,” it means he disabled the enemy’s war horses by cutting the leg tendons.
Why God Commanded It
-
To prevent Israel from trusting in horses and chariots.
God had said in Deuteronomy 17:16 that Israel’s kings were not to multiply horses. The Israelites were to depend on the LORD, not on military technology or cavalry. -
To remove temptation toward worldly warfare methods.
The Canaanites relied heavily on horses and chariots; Israel’s strength was in obedience and divine help, not in imitating heathen armies. -
To fulfill judgment and ensure separation.
The destruction of chariots and the laming of horses symbolized the separation from pagan power and pride, showing that victory came from God alone.
In Summary
“They houghed their horses” = “They cut the leg tendons of the enemy horses so they could no longer be used.”
Comments are closed