Joshua Chapter 12 — A Record of Defeated Kings
Joshua Chapter 12 catalogs the various kings defeated by the Israelites under the leadership of Moses and Joshua on both sides of the Jordan River.
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 the LORD and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of the LORD 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;
10the king of Jerusalem, one;
11the king of Jarmuth, one;
12the king of Eglon, one;
13the king of Debir, one;
14the king of Hormah, one;
15the king of Libnah, one;
16the king of Makkedah, one;
17the king of Tappuah, one;
18the king of Aphek, one;
19the king of Madon, one;
20the king of Shimron Meron, one;
21the king of Taanach, one;
22the king of Kedesh, one;
23the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one;
24the king of Tirzah, one:
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Joshua 12:1
“Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise...”
This verse introduces the historical record of the conquest on the eastern side of the Jordan.
Joshua 12:6
“Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
It acknowledges the leadership of Moses and the specific distribution of land to the eastern tribes.
Joshua 12:7
“These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward...”
This marks the transition to the list of kings defeated under Joshua's leadership within the land of Canaan.
Chapter Summary
Joshua Chapter 12 serves as a historical summary of Israel's military victories during the conquest of the Promised Land. The chapter is divided into two main sections based on geography and leadership. First, it recounts the victories led by Moses on the eastern side of the Jordan River, specifically mentioning the defeat of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. These lands were given as an inheritance to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The second part of the chapter lists the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites on the western side of the Jordan. This exhaustive list identifies thirty-one kings from various regions and city-states, including Jericho, Jerusalem, and Hebron. By documenting these specific victories, the text highlights the extent of the land captured and emphasizes the fulfillment of the divine promise to provide the Israelites with their own land according to their tribal divisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two kings defeated east of the Jordan were Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. These victories occurred under the leadership of Moses before the Israelites crossed into Canaan.
According to the historical summary in Joshua 12, Joshua and the Israelites defeated a total of thirty-one kings on the western side of the Jordan River. Each king represented a specific city-state or region within the land.
The list includes territories in the hill country, the lowland, the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the South. It covers the geographic span from Baal Gad in the north to Mount Halak in the south.
Study Note
This chapter serves as a literary bridge, summarizing the military successes of the conquest before the narrative transitions to the formal distribution of tribal territories.
Related Chapters
Numbers 21
This chapter details the initial battles against Sihon and Og mentioned in Joshua 12.
Joshua 11
The previous chapter describes the final major northern campaign that completed the list of defeated kings.
Joshua 13
The following chapter begins the detailed distribution of the land that was conquered.
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