Joshua 12

Kings defeated east of the Jordan

hese are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah: 2Sihon 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. 3He 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.

4And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. 5He 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. 6Moses, 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.

Kings defeated west of the Jordan

7Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. 8The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings: 9the king of Jericho onethe king of Ai (near Bethel) one 10the king of Jerusalem onethe king of Hebron one 11the king of Jarmuth onethe king of Lachish one 12the king of Eglon onethe king of Gezer one 13the king of Debir onethe king of Geder one 14the king of Hormah onethe king of Arad one

15the king of Libnah onethe king of Adullam one 16the king of Makkedah onethe king of Bethel one 17the king of Tappuah onethe king of Hepher one 18the king of Aphek onethe king of Lasharon one 19the king of Madon onethe king of Hazor one 20the king of Shimron Meron onethe king of Akshaph one 21the king of Taanach onethe king of Megiddo one 22the king of Kedesh onethe king of Jokneam in Carmel one

23the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor) onethe king of Goyim in Gilgal one 24the king of Tirzah onethirty-one kings in all.

Commentary
Joshua 12 serves as a comprehensive summary of Israel's military conquests under Moses and Joshua, cataloging the kings defeated and the territories secured. It meticulously lists the kings east of the Jordan, conquered by Moses, and then transitions to the thirty-one kings west of the Jordan, defeated by Joshua. This chapter acts as a crucial bridge, concluding the account of the conquest (chapters 1-11) and setting the stage for the division of the land among the tribes (chapters 13-21), emphasizing God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises.
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Bible Dictionary· Joshua 12(25)

Bible Characters· Joshua 12(5)

New International Version (NIV) © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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