Joshua 12: List of the defeated Kings

Context

• Part 2: Ch.6-12: Taking the Land
  • Ch.6 – Taking Jericho
  • Ch.7 – The Failed Attack on Ai & Achan’s Sin
  • Ch.8 – Taking Ai & the Covenant on Mount Ebal
  • Ch.9 – The Sneaky Gibeonites
  • Ch.10 – Southern Kings Defeated
  • Ch.11 – Northern Kings Defeated
  • Ch.12 – Summary List of Defeated Kings

Chapter 12

• v.1-6 Triumphs East of the Jordan
• v.7-24 Triumphs in the main Land west of the Jordan

v.1-6 Triumphs East of the Jordan

v.1 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, [i.e. in the Transjordan area] from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah:

v.2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.

He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead.

v.3 He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

v.4 And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

v.5 He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maakah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

v.6 Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.

[Notes: A reiteration of the victories when Israel had been attacked when coming up the east side of the Dead Sea.]

v.7-24 Triumphs in the main Land west of the Jordan

v.7 Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, [i.e. in the main land of Canaan] from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon [the northern limits of their battles] to Mount Halak, [the southern limits of their battles] which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions.

v.8 The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev [i.e. the geography]. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [i.e. the nations] These were the kings:

9 the king of Jericho	one
the king of Ai (near Bethel)	one
10 the king of Jerusalem	one
the king of Hebron	one
11 the king of Jarmuth	one
the king of Lachish	one
12 the king of Eglon	one
the king of Gezer	one
13 the king of Debir	one
the king of Geder	one
14 the king of Hormah	one
the king of Arad	one
15 the king of Libnah	one
the king of Adullam	one
16 the king of Makkedah	one
the king of Bethel	one
17 the king of Tappuah	one
the king of Hepher	one
18 the king of Aphek	one
the king of Lasharon	one
19 the king of Madon	one
the king of Hazor	one
20 the king of Shimron Meron	one
the king of Akshaph	one
21 the king of Taanach	one
the king of Megiddo	one
22 the king of Kedesh	one
the king of Jokneam in Carmel	one
23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor)	one
the king of Goyim in Gilgal	one
24 the king of Tirzah	one
thirty-one kings in all.

 [Notes: In this summary, v.7 delineates the southern and northern extents of their struggles against the occupants. of the Land. v.8 shows the geographical types within the land plus the ‘nations’ that existed there. v.9-23 list the thirty-one kings who were vanquished.]