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Joshua 12:1-20 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now these are the kings H4428 of the land, H776 which the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote, H5221 and possessed H3423 their land H776 on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 toward the rising H4217 of the sun, H8121 from the river H5158 Arnon H769 unto mount H2022 Hermon, H2768 and all the plain H6160 on the east: H4217

2 Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 who dwelt H3427 in Heshbon, H2809 and ruled H4910 from Aroer, H6177 which is upon the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and from the middle H8432 of the river, H5158 and from half H2677 Gilead, H1568 even unto the river H5158 Jabbok, H2999 which is the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983

3 And from the plain H6160 to the sea H3220 of Chinneroth H3672 on the east, H4217 and unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea H3220 on the east, H4217 the way H1870 to Bethjeshimoth; H1020 and from the south, H8486 under Ashdothpisgah: H798 H794

4 And the coast H1366 of Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 which was of the remnant H3499 of the giants, H7497 that dwelt H3427 at Ashtaroth H6252 and at Edrei, H154

5 And reigned H4910 in mount H2022 Hermon, H2768 and in Salcah, H5548 and in all Bashan, H1316 unto the border H1366 of the Geshurites H1651 and the Maachathites, H4602 and half H2677 Gilead, H1568 the border H1366 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of Heshbon. H2809

6 Them did Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smite: H5221 and Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 it for a possession H3425 unto the Reubenites, H7206 and the Gadites, H1425 and the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh. H4519

7 And these are the kings H4428 of the country H776 which Joshua H3091 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote H5221 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 on the west, H3220 from Baalgad H1171 in the valley H1237 of Lebanon H3844 even unto the mount H2022 Halak, H2510 that goeth up H5927 to Seir; H8165 which Joshua H3091 gave H5414 unto the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 for a possession H3425 according to their divisions; H4256

8 In the mountains, H2022 and in the valleys, H8219 and in the plains, H6160 and in the springs, H794 and in the wilderness, H4057 and in the south country; H5045 the Hittites, H2850 the Amorites, H567 and the Canaanites, H3669 the Perizzites, H6522 the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites: H2983

9 The king H4428 of Jericho, H3405 one; H259 the king H4428 of Ai, H5857 which is beside H6654 Bethel, H1008 one; H259

10 The king H4428 of Jerusalem, H3389 one; H259 the king H4428 of Hebron, H2275 one; H259

11 The king H4428 of Jarmuth, H3412 one; H259 the king H4428 of Lachish, H3923 one; H259

12 The king H4428 of Eglon, H5700 one; H259 the king H4428 of Gezer, H1507 one; H259

13 The king H4428 of Debir, H1688 one; H259 the king H4428 of Geder, H1445 one; H259

14 The king H4428 of Hormah, H2767 one; H259 the king H4428 of Arad, H6166 one; H259

15 The king H4428 of Libnah, H3841 one; H259 the king H4428 of Adullam, H5725 one; H259

16 The king H4428 of Makkedah, H4719 one; H259 the king H4428 of Bethel, H1008 one; H259

17 The king H4428 of Tappuah, H8599 one; H259 the king H4428 of Hepher, H2660 one; H259

18 The king H4428 of Aphek, H663 one; H259 the king H4428 of Lasharon, H8289 one; H259

19 The king H4428 of Madon, H4068 one; H259 the king H4428 of Hazor, H2674 one; H259

20 The king H4428 of Shimronmeron, H8112 one; H259 the king H4428 of Achshaph, H407 one; H259

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 12

Commentary on Joshua 12 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 12

This chapter is a summary of Israel's conquests.

  • I. Their conquests under Moses, on the other side Jordan (for we now suppose ourselves in Canaan) eastward, which we had the history of, Num. 21:24, etc. And here the abridgment of that history (v. 1-6).
  • II. Their conquests under Joshua, on this side Jordan, westward.
    • 1. The country they reduced (v. 7, 8).
    • 2. The kings they subdued, thirty-one in all (v. 9-24). And this comes in here, not only as a conclusion of the history of the wars of Canaan (that we might at one view see what they had got), but as a preface to the history of the dividing of Canaan, that all that might be put together which they were not to make a distribution of.

Jos 12:1-6

Joshua, or whoever else is the historian before he comes to sum up the new conquests Israel had made, in these verses receives their former conquests in Moses's time, under whom they became masters of the great and potent kingdoms of Sihon and Og. Note, Fresh mercies must not drown the remembrance of former mercies, nor must the glory of the present instruments of good to the church be suffered to eclipse and diminish the just honour of those who have gone before them, and who were the blessings and ornaments of their day. Joshua's services and achievements are confessedly great, but let not those under Moses be overlooked and forgotten, since God was the same who wrought both, and both put together proclaim him the Alpha and Omega of Israel's great salvation. Here is,

  • 1. A description of this conquered country, the measure and bounds of it in general (v. 1): From the river Arnon in the south, to Mount Hermon in the north. In particular, here is a description of the kingdom of Sihon (v. 2, 3), and that of Og, v. 4, 5. Moses had described this country very particularly (Deu. 2:36; 3:4, etc.), and this description here agrees with his. King Og is said to dwell at Ashtaroth and Edrei (v. 4), probably because they were both his royal cities; he had palaces in both, and resided sometimes in one and sometimes in the other; one perhaps was his summer seat and the other his winter seat. But Israel took both from him, and made one grave to serve him that could not be content with one palace.
  • 2. The distribution of this country. Moses assigned it to the two tribes and a half, at their request, and divided it among them (v. 6), of which we had the story at large, Num. 32. The dividing of it when it was conquered by Moses is here mentioned as an example to Joshua what he must do now that he had conquered the country on this side Jordan. Moses, in his time, gave to one part of Israel a very rich and fruitful country, but it was on the outside of Jordan; but Joshua gave to all Israel the holy land, the mountain of God's sanctuary, within Jordan: so the law conferred upon some few of God's spiritual Israel external temporal blessings, which were earnests of good things to come; but our Lord Jesus, the true Joshua, has provided for all the children of promise spiritual blessings-the privileges of the sanctuary, and the heavenly Canaan. The triumphs and grants of the law were glorious, but those of the gospel far exceed in glory.

Jos 12:7-24

We have here a breviate of Joshua's conquests.

  • I. The limits of the country he conquered. It lay between Jordan on the east and the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and extended from Baal-gad near Lebanon in the north to Halak, which lay upon the country of Edom in the south, v. 7. The boundaries are more largely described, Num. 34:2, etc. But what is here said is enough to show that God had been as good as his word, and had given them possession of all he had promised them by Moses, if they would but have kept it.
  • II. The various kinds of land that were found in this country, which contributed both to its pleasantness and to its fruitfulness, v. 8. There were mountains, not craggy, and rocky, and barren, which are frightful to the traveller and useless to the inhabitants, but fruitful hills, such as put forth precious things (Deu. 33:15), which charmed the spectator's eye and filled the owner's hand. And valleys, not mossy and boggy, but covered with corn, Ps. 65:13. There were plains, and springs to water them; and even in that rich land there were wildernesses too, or forests, which were not so thickly inhabited as other parts, yet had towns and houses in them, but served as foils to set off the more pleasant and fruitful countries.
  • III. The several nations that had been in possession of this country-Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, etc., all of them descended from Canaan, the accursed son of Ham, Gen. 10:15-18. Seven nations they are called (Deu. 7:1), and so many are there reckoned up, but here six only are mentioned, the Girgashites being either lost or left out, though we find them, Gen. 10:16 and 15:21. Either they were incorporated with some other of these nations, or, as the tradition of the Jews is, upon the approach of Israel under Joshua they all withdrew and went into Africa, leaving their country to be possessed by Israel, with whom they saw it was to no purpose to contend, and therefore they are not named among the nations that Joshua subdued.
  • IV. A list of the kings that were conquered and subdued by the sword of Israel, some in the field, others in their own cities, thirty-one in all, and very particularly named and counted, it should seem, in the order in which they were conquered; for the catalogue begins with the kings of Jericho and Ai, then takes in the king of Jerusalem and the princes of the south that were in confederacy with him, and then proceeds to those of the northern association. Now,
    • 1. This shows what a very fruitful country Canaan then was, which could support so many kingdoms, and in which so many kings chose to throng together rather than disperse themselves into other countries, which we may suppose not yet inhabited, but where, though they might find more room, they could not expect such plenty and pleasure: this was the land God spied out for Israel; and yet at this day it is one of the most barren, despicable, and unprofitable countries in the world: such is the effect of the curse it lies under, since its possessors rejected Christ and his gospel, as was foretold by Moses, Deu. 29:23.
    • 2. It shows what narrow limits men's ambition was then confined to. These kings contented themselves with the government, each of them, of one city and the towns and villages that pertained to it; and no one of them, for aught that appears, aimed to make himself master of the rest, but, when there was occasion, all united for the common safety. Yet it should seem that what was wanting in the extent of their territories was made up in the absoluteness of their power, their subjects being all their tenants and vassals, and entirely at their command.
    • 3. It shows how good God was to Israel, in giving them victory over all these kings, and possession of all these kingdoms, and what obligations he hereby laid upon them to observe his statutes and to keep his laws, Ps. 105:44, 45. Here were thirty-one kingdoms, or seigniories, to be divided among nine tribes and a half of Israel. Of these there fell to the lot of Judah the kingdoms of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Debir, Arad, Libnan, and Adullam, eight in all, besides part of the kingdom of Jerusalem and part of Geder. Benjamin had the kingdoms of Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Makkedah, Beth-el, and the nations of Gilgal, six in all. Simeon had the kingdom of Hormah and part of Geder. Ephraim had the kingdoms of Gezer and Tirzah. Manasseh (that half-tribe) had the kingdoms of Tappuah and Hepher, Taanach and Megiddo. Asher had the kingdoms of Aphek and Achshaph. Zebulun had the kingdoms of Lasharon, Shimron-meron, and Jokneam. Naphtali had the kingdoms of Madon, Hazor, and Kedesh. And Issachar had that of Dor. These were some of the great and famous kings that God smote, for his mercy endureth for ever; and gave their land for a heritage, even a heritage unto Israel his servant, for his mercy endureth for ever, Ps. 136:17, etc.