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Joshua 12:1

in Joshua 12

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:

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising, from the valley of the Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward:

KJV

Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

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This verse in Joshua 12

Commentary

2 notes on this verse
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).

This site's exposition

Now these are the kings

on Joshua 12:1-3

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.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

That the Bnei Yisroel struck. In the days [lifetime] of Moshe.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 12:1:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
To the Yabok river, which was the border of the land of the Bnei Amon, the end of the territory of the land of Bnei Amon. From there [the Yabok River] and further the Bnei Amon had dominion.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 12:2:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

22 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְאֵ֣לֶּה׀and these

    veelehH428 →746 times

  • מַלְכֵ֣י[are] [the] kings of

    malkheiH4428 →2525 times

  • הָאָ֗רֶץthe land

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhom

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • הִכּ֤וּthey defeated

    hikuH5221 →499 times

  • בְנֵֽי־[the] people of

    venei-H1121 →4930 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • וַיִּֽרְשׁ֣וּand they took possession of

    vaiyirshuH3423 →231 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אַרְצָ֔םland their

    ʾartzamH776 →2504 times

  • בְּעֵ֥בֶרon [the] other side of

    beeverH5676 →90 times

  • הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ןthe Jordan

    haiyardenH3383 →182 times

  • מִזְרְחָ֣ה[the] rising of towards

    mizrechahH4217 →74 times

  • הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁthe sun

    hashameshH8121 →134 times

  • מִנַּ֤חַלfrom [the] wadi of

    minachalH5158 →141 times

  • אַרְנוֹן֙Arnon

    ʾarnonH769 →25 times

  • עַד־to

    ʾad-H5704 →1261 times

  • הַ֣ר[the] mountain of

    harH2022 →546 times

  • חֶרְמ֔וֹןHermon

    chermonH2768 →13 times

  • וְכָל־and all

    vekholH3605 →5413 times

  • הָעֲרָבָ֖הthe Arabah

    haaravahH6160 →61 times

  • מִזְרָֽחָה׃east -ward

    mizrachahH4217 →74 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

15 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Deuteronomy 3:8–9At that time we took from the two kings of the Amorites the land across the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Hermon—6 worksPsalms 89:12North and south You created; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.4 worksNumbers 21:13From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.3 worksNumbers 21:24And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.3 worksJudges 11:18Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.3 worksJoshua 1:15until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”3 works
The other 9 cross-references, with their words ▾
Joshua 11:17from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.2 worksPsalms 133:3It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD has bestowed the blessing of life forevermore.2 worksJoshua 11:3to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.2 worksJoshua 22:4And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.2 worksDeuteronomy 2:24“Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.2 worksDeuteronomy 4:48extending from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Siyon (that is, Hermon),2 worksIsaiah 16:2Like fluttering birds pushed out of the nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon:2 worksJoshua 12:5He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan up to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.2 worksSong of Solomon 4:8Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon! Descend from the peak of Amana, from the summits of Senir and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Numbers 21:13

    From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the…

    it leads to

    • Numbers 22:36

      When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Judges 11:18

      Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon.…

  • Through

    Numbers 21:24

    And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.

    it leads to

    • Amos 2:9

      Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and…

    • Genesis 32:22

      During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

    • Psalms 136:19

      Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.

  • Through

    Joshua 1:15

    until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land…

    it leads to

    • Philippians 2:4

      Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

  • Through

    Judges 11:18

    Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon.…

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 2:1–8

      Then we turned back and headed for the wilderness by way of the Red Sea, as the LORD had instructed me, and for many days we wandered around Mount Seir.

    • Numbers 21:4–13

      Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey

About Joshua

The Walls of Jericho Fall Down, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Walls of Jericho Fall Down, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Joshua: the study guide →Read Joshua 12 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth.

Read on in Joshua 12 →