Joshua 12

1 These are the kings of the land whom the people of Isra'el defeated and of whose land they took possession, across the Yarden toward the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon and all the 'Aravah eastward:

2 Sichon king of the Emori, who lived in Heshbon and ruled the territory that includes 'Aro'er, at the edge of the Arnon Valley; the middle of the valley; half of Gil'ad, to the Yabok River, which forms the border with the people of 'Amon;

3 the 'Aravah to Lake Kinneret eastward and to the sea of the 'Aravah, the Dead Sea, eastward by way of Beit-Yeshimot and on the south under the slopes of Pisgah.

4 There was also the territory of 'Og king of Bashan, who belonged to the remnant of the Refa'im. He lived at 'Ashtarot and at Edre'i;

5 and he ruled Mount Hermon; Salkhah; all Bashan, to the border with the G'shuri and the Ma'akhati; and half of Gil'ad, to its border with Sichon king of Heshbon.

6 Moshe the servant of ADONAI, with the people of Isra'el, defeated them; and Moshe the servant of ADONAI gave it to the Re'uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M'nasheh as their possession.

7 Following are the kings of the land whom Y'hoshua, with the people of Isra'el, defeated in the area west of the Yarden, between Ba'al-Gad in the L'vanon Valley and the bare mountain that goes up to Se'ir. Y'hoshua gave this land, inhabited by the Hitti, Emori, Kena'ani, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi, to the tribes of Isra'el to possess, according to their divisions, in the hills, the Sh'felah, the 'Aravah, the mountain slopes, the desert and the Negev:

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9 the king of Yericho, the king of 'Ai, by Beit-El,

10 the king of Yerushalayim, the king of Hevron,

11 the king of Yarmut, the king of Lakhish,

12 the king of 'Eglon, the king of Gezer,

13 the king of D'vir, the king of Geder,

14 the king of Hormah, the king of 'Arad,

15 the king of Livnah, the king of 'Adulam,

16 the king of Makkedah, the king of Beit-El,

17 the king of Tapuach, the king of Hefer,

18 the king of Afek, the king of Sharon,

19 the king of Madon, the king of Hatzor,

20 the king of Shimron-M'ron, the king of Akhshaf,

21 the king of Ta'anakh, the king of Megiddo,

22 the king of Kedesh, the king of Yokne'am in Karmel,

23 the king of Dor in the region of Dor, the king of Goyim in the Gilgal, and

24 the king of Tirtzah making a total of thirty-one kings.

Joshua 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

The two kings conquered by Moses. (1-6) The kings whom Joshua smote. (7-24)

Verses 1-6 Fresh mercies must not drown the remembrance of former mercies, nor must the glory of the present instruments of good to the church diminish the just honour of those who went before them, since God is the same who wrought by both. Moses gave to one part of Israel a very rich and fruitful country, but it was on the outside of Jordan. Joshua gave to all Israel the holy land, within Jordan. So the law has given to some few of God's spiritual Israel worldly blessings, earnests of good things to come; but our Lord Jesus, the true Joshua, provided for all the children of promise spiritual blessings, and the heavenly Canaan.

Verses 7-24 We have here the limits of the country Joshua conquered. A list is given of the kings subdued by Israel: thirty-one in all. This shows how fruitful Canaan then was, in which so many chose to throng together. This was the land God appointed for Israel; yet in our day it is one of the most barren and unprofitable countries in the world. Such is the effect of the curse it lies under, since its possessors rejected Christ and his gospel, as was foretold by Moses, ( Deuteronomy 29:23 ) . The vengeance of a righteous God, inflicted on all these kings and their subjects, for their wickedness, should make us dread and hate sin. The fruitful land bestowed on his chosen people, should fill our hearts with hope and confidence in his mercy, and with humble gratitude.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 12

This chapter gives a short account of the conquests made by the Israelites, both in the times of Moses and of Joshua, and first of the kingdom of Sihon and Og on the other side Jordan, in the times of Moses, and which he gave to the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and which are particularly described, Jos 12:1-6; and then of the kings and the countries on this side Jordan whom Joshua conquered, Jos 12:7,8; and the names of the thirty one kingdoms are recited, that so it might be exactly known and observed what were afterwards divided among the tribes and possessed by them, Jos 12:9-24.