יעש להם יהושע, כאשר אמר-לו יהוה: את-סוסיהם עקר, ואת-מרכבתיהם שרף באש

And Joshua did unto them as the Lord commanded him; he hamstrung their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. (Yehoshua 11:9)

Why did God command Yehoshua to injure and burn the horses and chariots of the defeated Canaanite nations after this battle, when such a command had not been given in previous battles? What is the reason for the command?

Radak explains that this command had not been given in a previous battle because this was the first battle since crossing the Jordan in which horses and chariots had played any meaningful role. In previous battles, Bnei Yisrael were attacking cities, or defending the Giv’onim against the five neighboring Canaanite kings. This is the first battle that featured large opposing forces in which horses and chariots took part, thus it is the first time that such a command could be applicable.

And what is the reason for the command? To teach the Jews a lesson: the other nations made war on you using their modern instruments of warfare – horses and chariots. They trusted in these weapons that they would emerge victorious. However, they did this ignorant of the fact that horses an chariots were not the keys to winning the battle against the Jews. God is the source of victory or loss. The Jews were able to defeat their enemies without aid from horses and chariots because God was on their side. They were the commanded to destroy these weapons to send home the message (lest they come to think like their enemies in the future) that horses and chariots (or F-16s and artillery) cannot win the battle when God is not with you. And when God is with you, they are unnecessary.