Joshuachapter 12
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Key verse
Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites struck down and whose lands they took beyond the Jordan to the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward:
It stands in Sihon and Og: the conquests east of Jordan, verses 1 to 6.
The chapter
Chapter summary
A ledger of victory. First the eastern conquests under Moses: Sihon king of the Amorites at Heshbon and Og king of Bashan at Ashtaroth and Edrei, the remnant of the Rephaim, whose land went to Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh. Then the kings west of Jordan whom Joshua smote, listed one after another from Jericho and Ai through Jerusalem, Hebron, Lachish, Megiddo, Hazor, Dor, and Tirzah: thirty-one kings in all. The bare roll call is itself an argument, each name a place where a promise made to Abraham about this land became a fact on the ground.
Context
History · Joshua · Joshua overview
Where the chapter sits
Joshua 12 falls in Conquest campaigns (chapters 6–12). Jericho and Ai (central); Gibeonite alliance; five-king coalition at Beth-horon (southern); Hazor and the northern kings.
Before it: Entry into the Land, chapters 1–5. After it: Tribal allotments, chapters 13–22.
The whole shape of Joshua→The world behind this chapter
Joshua 12The history
This chapter is a register, not a story. Ancient conquest accounts routinely ended with exactly this, a list of defeated rulers and captured towns, compiled as the official record. Egyptian pharaohs carved such lists on temple walls, naming town after town in order.
The rest of the history, and what it meant to them
The count of thirty-one kings west of the Jordan tells you what Canaan was politically. Each of those kings ruled one town and the fields around it, with a few dependent villages. That is why there was no single Canaanite army to defeat and why the campaign had to be fought town by town.
The two kings east of the river are recorded first, with their territory described in detail, Sihon ruling from the Arnon gorge to the Jabbok, and Og holding Bashan and part of Gilead. Those were the victories won while Moses was still alive.
The names in the list track real geography: the hill country, the lowland foothills, the Jordan valley, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev in the south. Someone was keeping records region by region.
What it meant to them
For people about to draw lots for territory, a list like this was the title deed. It named who had held what, and stated that it had changed hands.
It also drew a line between two eras. The last entry belongs to Moses' campaigns and the rest to Joshua's, and the whole thing is credited to what the LORD gave. The next chapter opens by naming everything still left to take.
Sources cited
- K. A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament
- John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews & Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
The structure of this chapter
The heads below are this chapter's scenes. The numbered points under each are its verses.
A. Sihon and Og: the conquests east of Jordan
1. (vv. 1-3)
Joshua 12:1
“All the plain on the east - i. e. the Arabah or depressed tract along the east bank of Jordan, the modern El-Ghor (see Num 22:1). Jos 12:2 From the middle of the river - i. e. as appears from Jos 13:9, Jos 13:16, “from the city that is in the midst of the river;” namely,, Ar Moab (see Deu 2:36).”
Joshua 12:2
“From Aroer - Aroer was situated on the western side of the river Arnon, in the middle of the valley through which this river takes its course. The kingdom of Sihon extended from the river Arnon and the city of Aroer on the south to the river Jabbok on the north.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:2, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:2
“Half Gilead - Hebrew. and the half Gilead, that is, half of the country of Gilead; this doth not denote the bound from which his dominion began, but the country, over which his dominion was, which began at Arnon, and took in half Gilead, and ended at Jabbok, beyond which was the other half of Gilead which belonged to Og.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Joshua 12:3
“The sea of Chinneroth - Or Gennesareth, the same as the lake or sea of Tiberias. The Salt Sea on the east - ים המלח yam hammelach, which is here translated the Salt Sea, is understood by others to mean the sea of the city Melach. Where can we find any thing that can be called a salt sea on the east of the lake of Gennesareth? Some think that the lake Asphaltites, called also the Dead Sea, Sea of the Desert, Sea of Sodom, and Salt Sea, is here intended.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:3, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:3
“And this was indeed the situation of the plains of Moab, which are here spoken of; they lay between the two seas, that of Cinneroth and the salt sea, and eastward to them both. Sea of the plain - The salt sea was a famous plain, pleasant and fruitful, before it was turned into a sea.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
a.Now these are the kings: The register opens east of Jordan and under Moses, so the count runs back to Numbers 21 rather than starting at Jericho. Sihon's territory had been Moab's before he took it, which Numbers 21:26 states outright, and that is how Israel could hold Heshbon without touching the land Deuteronomy 2:9 reserved to the children of Lot. The eastern limit is the Jabbok, named here as the border of the children of Ammon, and Deuteronomy 2:19 had forbidden Israel any possession beyond it.
2. (vv. 4-6)
Joshua 12:4
“Coast of Og king of Bashan - Concerning this person see the notes on Deu 3:11, and on Num 21:35, etc. The remnant or the giants - Or, Rephaim. See the notes on Gen 6:4; Gen 14:5, and Deu 2:7, Deu 2:11.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:5
“The border of the Geshurites - The country of Bashan, in the days of Moses and Joshua, extended from the river Jabbok on the south to the frontiers of the Geshurites and Maachathites on the north, to the foot of the mountains of Hermon.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:6
“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.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
a.Og is identified by what he was left over from, the remnant of the giants, and one of his two seats is Ashtaroth, where Genesis 14:5 puts the Rephaims that Chedorlaomer struck generations before Abraham entered the land. Deuteronomy 3:11 is the only place that gives a measure of him, an iron bedstead nine cubits long kept at Rabbath of the children of Ammon. Verse 6 calls Moses the servant of the Lord twice in one sentence and records the grant of Numbers 32:33 to Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh as settled, before a single western king is named.
B. Thirty-one kings west of Jordan, name by name
1. (vv. 7-8)
Joshua 12:7
“The names of the kings are given in the order of their actual encounter with Joshua. Those enumerated in Jos 12:10-18 either belonged to the league of the southern Canaanites (Jos 10:1 ff), the power of which was broken in the battle of Beth-horon, or were at any rate conquered in the campaign following that battle. Those mentioned in Jos 12:19-24 were in like manner connected with the northern confederates (Jos 11:1 ff), who were defeated at the Waters of Merom. Jos 12:13-20 The identification of several of these places is still uncertain: the same name (e. g.”
Joshua 12:7, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:7
“The boundaries are more largely described, Num. xxxiv. 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.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
Joshua 12:8
“The Gargashites either were now 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 unto Africk, leaving their land to be possessed by the Israelites, with whom they saw, it was fruitless to contend.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Joshua 12:8, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:8
“Of these there fell to the lot of Judah the kingdoms of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Debir, Arad, Libnah, 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.”
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible (1707-1721)puritan
a.these are the kings of: The western frame repeats Joshua 11:17 with its two landmarks reversed, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon to the mount Halak that goeth up to Seir, so the chapter measures the conquest by the same posts the narrative used. Verse 8 names six nations where Deuteronomy 7:1 names seven, the Girgashites missing, and the text gives no reason; Wesley passes on the Jewish tradition that they left the country ahead of Israel, and says plainly that it is tradition. The six terrains listed beside them, mountains and valleys and plains and springs and wilderness and south country, are the same divisions the allotment chapters use to sort their city lists.
2. (vv. 9-18)
Joshua 12:9
“The king of Jericho, one,.... Who was first taken, and so named first, Jos 6:21, the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; who was next taken and though Bethel was so near Ai, it had a king of its own, after mentioned, see Jos 7:1.”
Joshua 12:10
“The king of Jerusalem, one,.... Whose name was Adonizedek, and was one of the five kings taken and hanged, Jos 10:1, the king of Hebron, one; another of the five kings, whose name was Hoham, Jos 10:3.”
Joshua 12:11
“The king of Jarmuth, one,.... Whose name was Piram, a third of the five kings before observed, Jos 10:3, the king of Lachish, one; another of them, whose name was Japhia, Jos 10:3.”
Joshua 12:12
“The king of Eglon, one,.... The last of the five kings, and his name was Debir, Jos 10:3, the king of Gezer, one; who came up to help Lachish, and his name was Horam, Jos 10:33.”
Joshua 12:13
“The king of Geder - Probably the same with Gedor, Jos 15:58; it was situated in the tribe of Judah.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:13, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:13
“The king of Debir, one,....”
Joshua 12:14
“The king of Hormah, one,.... Which was formerly called Zephath, Jdg 1:17; see Jos 15:3, the king of Arad, one; perhaps the same with Arath, which, Jerom (i) says, is the border of the land of Judah, and is twenty miles distant from Hebron to the south; see Num 21:1. (i) De Loc. Heb. fol. 92. L.”
Joshua 12:14, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:14
“The king of Hormah - Supposed to be the place where the Israelites were defeated by the Canaanites see Num 14:45; and which probably was called Hormah, הרמה chormah, or destruction, from this circumstance.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:15
“The king of Libnah, one,.... Taken at the same time as the kings of Makkedah, Debir, and of other places were, Jos 10:29, the king of Adullam, one; a city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:35; Jerom says (k) there was a village in his time, not a small one, called by this name, ten miles to the east of Eleutheropolis: near to this place was a cave where David hid himself when he fled from Saul, 1Sa 22:1; See Gill on Mic 1:15. (k) De loc. Heb. fol. 88. F.”
Joshua 12:16
“The king of Makkedah, one,.... In a cave near to which five kings hid themselves, and were taken out and hanged, and the city afterwards was taken by Joshua, Jos 10:16; which fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:41, the king of Bethel, one; a city near to Ai, about a mile from it, and yet had a king over it: it was taken at the same time that Ai was, Jos 7:2; and fell to the lot of Benjamin, Jos 18:22.”
Joshua 12:17
“Tappuah - There were two places of this name: one in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:34, and another in the tribe of Ephraim on the borders of Manasseh; but which of the two is meant here cannot be ascertained. See the note on Jos 15:53. Hepher - The same, according to Calmet, as Ophrah in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:23.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:18
“Aphek - There were several cities of this name: one in the tribe of Asher, Jos 19:30, another in the tribe of Judah, 1Sa 4:1; 1Sa 29:1; and a third in Syria, 1Ki 20:26, and 2Ki 13:17. Which of the two former is here intended cannot be ascertained. Lasharon - There is no city of this name known. Some consider the ל lamed in the word לשרון lashsharon to be the sign of the genitive case, and in this sense it appears to have been understood by the Vulgate, which translates rex Saron, the king of Sharon.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
a.the king of Jericho: The kings are counted in the order Joshua met them, Jericho and Ai first from chapters 6 and 8, then the southern league. Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon at verses 10 to 12 are the five kings of Joshua 10:3 who hid in the cave, and Makkedah, where the cave was, is counted at verse 16. Jerusalem stands in the tally although Joshua 15:63 says the children of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived there, so a king struck down and a city held are two different things in this book.
3. (vv. 19-24)
Joshua 12:19
“The king of Madon, one,.... Whose name was Jobab, Jos 11:1, the king of Hazor, one; whose name was Jabin, and of him and his city; see Gill on Jos 11:1.”
Joshua 12:20
“The king of Shimronmeron, one,.... See Jos 11:1, this place fell to the tribe of Zebulun, Jos 19:15, the king of Achshaph, one; see Jos 11:1; this city fell to the lot of Asher, Jos 19:25.”
Joshua 12:21
“The king of Taanach, one,.... It was in the tribe of Manasseh, Jos 17:11; Jerom says (q), in his time it was a large village, distant from Legion on the plain of Esdraelon three miles: the king of Megiddo, one; which belonged to the same tribe, Jos 17:11; near this place were some waters where the Canaanites fought with the Israelites, Jdg 5:19; and a valley where Josiah was slain, 2Ch 35:22. (q) De Loc. Heb. fol. 95. D.”
Joshua 12:22
“The king of Kedesh, one,.... Which afterwards fell to the tribe of Naphtali, and was one of the cities of refuge, Jos 19:37; it was situated in upper Galilee on Mount Naphtali, four miles from the city of Sephet, and as many from Capernaum, and twenty miles from Tyre (r): the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one; a city that came to the lot of the tribe of Zebulun, Jos 19:11; and was given to the Levites, Jos 21:34; it was not far from Mount Carmel, from whence it is described. (r) Adrichom. Theatrum, p. 104.”
Joshua 12:23
“The king of Dor - The city of this name fell to the lot of the children of Manasseh, Jos 17:11. Bochart observes that it was one of the oldest royal cities in Phoenicia. The Canaanites held it, Jdg 1:27. Antiochus Sydetes besieged it in aftertimes, but could not make himself master of it. See Bochart, Canaan, lib. i., c. 28, and Dodd. The king of the nations of Gilgal - This is supposed to mean the higher Galilee, surnamed Galilee of the Gentiles or, nations, as the Hebrew word גוים goyim means.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
Joshua 12:23, 1 more voice
Joshua 12:23
“King of Gilgal - Not of that Gilgal where Joshua first lodged after his passage over Jordan; where it doth not appear, that there was either king or city; but of a city of the same name, probably in Galilee towards the sea, where divers people might possibly resort for trade and merchandise, over whom this was a king, as formerly Tidal seems to have been, Gen. xiv, 1.”
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)evangelical
Joshua 12:24
“King of Tirzah - This city appears to have been for a long time the capital of the kingdom of Israel, and the residence of its kings. See 1Ki 14:17; 1Ki 15:21, 1Ki 15:33. Its situation cannot be exactly ascertained; but it is supposed to have been situated on a mountain about three leagues south of Samaria. All the kings thirty and one - The Septuagint say εικοσι εννεα, twenty-nine, and yet set down but twenty-eight, as they confound or omit the kings of Beth-el, Lasharon, and Madon.”
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible (1810-1826)evangelical
a.the king of Madon: Hazor at verse 19 is the one the narrative singled out, since Joshua 11:10 says Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms, and a king of Hazor named Jabin is oppressing Israel again by Judges 4:2. Taanach, Megiddo and Dor are counted at verses 21 to 23, and they are three of the five towns Judges 1:27 says Manasseh never drove out. The chapter ends on a number instead of a sentence, all the kings thirty and one, which is the conquest reduced to a total a reader can check.
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on Joshua 12. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Adam Clarke; Albert Barnes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill; John Wesley; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry.