Joshua 13:21

21 It also included all the cities of the plateau, the whole kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and Midian's leaders--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They were princes of Sihon, who lived in that country.

Joshua 13:21 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 13:21

And all the cities of the plain
In the champaign country, as well as those in the mountainous part:

and all the kingdom of Sihon;
or, as Masius renders the words, "which all had been the kingdom of Sihon"; for the whole kingdom of Sihon was not given to Reuben, only a part of it, and the rest to Gad, as in ( Joshua 13:27 ) ;

king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon;
as in ( Joshua 13:10 ) ;

whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur,
and Hur, and Reba;
not at the same time that Sihon was smitten by him, but afterwards in a war with Midian, ( Numbers 31:8 ) ; where their names are given as here; and there they are called kings of Midian, petty kings, and, as it seems by what follows, were subject to Sihon, and therefore are here mentioned:

[which were] dukes of Sihon dwelling in the country;
for Midian, as Kimchi supposes, and not without reason, was under the government of Sihon, and these were his nobles, though they dwelt in the land of Midian.

Joshua 13:21 In-Context

19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the mountain in the valley,

20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth.

21 It also included all the cities of the plateau, the whole kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and Midian's leaders--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They were princes of Sihon, who lived in that country.

22 Along with these leaders, the people of Israel also killed Balaam, son of Beor, who used black magic.

23 The border of Reuben's territory was the Jordan River. This was Reuben's inheritance for its families. It included cities with their villages.