But as for the cities that stood still in their strength,.... Whose walls were not demolished when taken, as Kimchi and Jarchi interpret it, or that "stood upon their heaps" y; upon an eminence, being built on hills and mountains:
Israel burned none of them; but reserved them for their own habitations, being well fortified, and having no need of new walls being built to them, or being in a very agreeable situation:
save Hazor only, [that] did Joshua burn; because it was the chief city where the scheme was formed, and the combination against Israel was made, and was the rendezvous of the confederate forces against them: the Jews have a tradition z, that God said to Moses, and Moses said to Joshua, that he should burn it, and that only.
y על תלם "super tumulum eorum", Montanus; "quae erant in collibus et in tamulis sitae", V. L. z Bereshit Rabba, sect. 81. fol. 71. 1.