Joshua — Chapter 12
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1Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
2Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
3And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah:
4And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
7And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
8In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
9The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
19The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;
23The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;
24The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
1Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising, from the valley of the Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:
2Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and [the city that is in] the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;
3and the Arabah unto the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and unto the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
4and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5and ruled in mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6Moses the servant of Jehovah and the children of Israel smote them: and Moses the servant of Jehovah gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
7And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel smote beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even unto mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; and Joshua gave it unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
8in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
19the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
23the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
24the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
1Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land on the east side of the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern rift valley:
2King Sihon of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley)—including the city in the middle of the valley and half of Gilead—all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory.
3His kingdom included the eastern rift valley from the Sea of Kinnereth to the sea of the rift valley (the Salt Sea), including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
4The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei
5and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.
6Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them, and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land to Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes,
8including the hill country, the foothills, the rift valley, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev—the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:
9the king of Jericho (one), the king of Ai—located near Bethel—(one),
10the king of Jerusalem (one), the king of Hebron (one),
11the king of Jarmuth (one), the king of Lachish (one),
12the king of Eglon (one), the king of Gezer (one),
13the king of Debir (one), the king of Geder (one),
14the king of Hormah (one), the king of Arad (one),
15the king of Libnah (one), the king of Adullam (one),
16the king of Makkedah (one), the king of Bethel (one),
17the king of Tappuah (one), the king of Hepher (one),
18the king of Aphek (one), the king of Lasharon (one),
19the king of Madon (one), the king of Hazor (one),
20the king of Shimron Meron (one), the king of Acshaph (one),
21the king of Taanach (one), the king of Megiddo (one),
22the king of Kedesh (one), the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one),
23the king of Dor—near Naphath Dor—(one), the king of Goyim—near Gilgal—(one),
24the king of Tirzah (one),a total of thirty-one kings.
1Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:
2Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon;
3and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
4and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
8in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
19the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
23the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
24the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.
Summary
A catalog of thirty-one kings defeated by Israel—first under Moses east of the Jordan, then under Joshua west of the Jordan. This list serves as a record of God's faithfulness in giving the land.
Authorship & Background
- Jericho and Ai (v.9) — the initial conquests (chapters 6-8)
- Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon (vv.10-12) — the southern coalition of chapter 10
- Gezer, Debir, Geder, Hormah, Arad, Libnah, Adullam, Makkedah (vv.12-16) — southern campaign cities
- Bethel, Tappuah, Hepher, Aphek, Lasharon (vv.16-18) — central region
- Madon, Hazor, Shimron-meron, Achshaph (vv.19-20) — northern coalition of chapter 11
- Taanach, Megiddo, Kedesh, Jokneam, Dor, Goiim, Tirzah (vv.21-24) — additional northern and central conquests
Map & Geography
- Summary of conquered territory: East of Jordan (from the Arnon gorge to Mount Hermon) and west of Jordan (from Mount Halak in the south to Baal-gad in the north)
- 31 kings defeated west of the Jordan — listed south to north, showing the scope of the conquest
- Two Transjordan kings (Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan) defeated under Moses
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik notes that this chapter is like a trophy room — each king listed is a monument to God's faithfulness. The repetition of "one... one... one" emphasizes individual victories. He also observes that some cities listed here (like Jerusalem, Gezer, Taanach, Megiddo) were not fully possessed until later — the kings were defeated but the cities not permanently occupied until David's time or later.
- Charles Spurgeon: "Count your victories! Number your conquered foes! Let the roll call of defeated kings remind you of what God has done. Thirty-one kings — and not one of them could stand before Israel when Israel walked with God. Make your own list, believer. Write down the enemies God has conquered in your life. The sins overcome, the fears defeated, the obstacles removed. Count them — and give glory to the God who fights for you."
Reflection
- 1. Count your victories (vv.9-24). This chapter is a victory catalog — a permanent record of what God has done. Do you keep a record of God's faithfulness? Write down the enemies He has defeated, the prayers He has answered, the obstacles He has removed. Remembering past victories builds faith for future battles.
- 2. Every king falls (v.24). Thirty-one kings — not one could stand. When God fights for His people, no enemy survives. Whatever "kings" oppose you — fear, sin, circumstance, opposition — they will fall. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
- 3. Continuity of God's purpose (vv.1-7). Moses defeated Sihon and Og; Joshua defeated 31 kings. Different leaders, same God, same purpose. God's work does not depend on one person. Leaders change; God's faithfulness continues across generations.
- 4. The land is distributed (v.7). Conquest leads to inheritance. The battles are not an end in themselves — they secure the inheritance for God's people. Our spiritual battles are not pointless suffering; they secure the promises God has given us.
- 5. Canaan was divided (vv.9-24). Thirty-one independent kings — no unity among them (except temporary coalitions). The enemy is divided; God's people are united. Division weakens; unity strengthens. "A house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matthew 12:25).
- 6. The record stands (v.24). This chapter is written for all time — a permanent testimony that God keeps His promises. The kings are named, counted, and recorded. God's victories are not forgotten. Your testimony of God's faithfulness matters — write it down for future generations.