Joshua 12

Jos 12:1 And these are the kings of the land, whom the sons of Israel struck and whose land they possessed on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon to mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

from the river Arnon unto the mount Hermon - Arnon was the border of Moab between them and the Amorites, Numbers 21:13 From there they pulled up stakes and pitched on the other side of Arnon, in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorites; for Arnon is in the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites and from hence to Hermon, a mountain adjoining to Lebanon, lay the country of the two kings of the Amorites after mentioned, Deuteronomy 3:8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon to Mount Hermon, and the plain on the east were the plains of Moab, which lay to the east of Jordan. The river Arnon on the south and mount Hermon on the north were the respective boundaries of the land acquired by the Israelites beyond Jordan (see Nu 21:21-24; De 2:36; 3:3-16 and see on De 2:24). Arnon takes its rise in the mountains of Gilead, and having run a long way from north to south falls into the Dead Sea, near the same place into which Jordan discharges itself.

Now these are the kings of the land - This chapter contains a recapitulation of the conquests made in the promised land, with the additional mention of some places not formerly noted in the history. The summary of conquests do not encompass the boundaries of what was promised to them in Jos hua 1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

Jos 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer, which is on the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon;

Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon - Which he took from the Moabites, and made his capital city, Numbers 21:26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, even to Arnon.

and ruled from Aroer - a city of Moab, which never fell into the hands of Sihon, and therefore he is said to rule from it but not over it:

and from the middle of the river - that is, the river Arnon, which being the boundary of the Moabites and Amorites, the king of the Amorites might be said to rule from the middle of it: as appears from Joshua 13:9 from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba, to Dibon; Joshua 13:16 And their coast was from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba.

Middle of the river – One commentator says: It is not unusual even among us, for a river to be divided between two lords, and for their territories or jurisdictions to meet in the middle of the river: and besides, here is a very particular reason for this expression, because the city Ar, which was no part of Sihon's dominions, but belonged to the Moabites, Deu_2:9, Deu_2:18, was in the middle of the river Arnon, Deu_2:36, Deu_3:16, and therefore the middle of the river is properly here mentioned, as the bound of Sihon's dominion on that side.

and ruled from Aroer - one commentator says this city is Ar Moab Deuteronomy 2:36 From Aroer, by the brink of the river of Arnon, and the city by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us. Jehovah our God delivered all to us. Ar of Moab, Ar is named in a snatch of ancient song Numbers 21:15 and at the stream of the torrents that goes down to the dwelling of Ar and lies upon the border of Moab literally “the site of Ar.” It is identical with “Ar of Moab” Numbers 21:28 For there has gone out a fire from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has consumed Ar of Moab, the lords of the high places of Arnon Isaiah 15:1 The burden of Moab. Because in a night Ar of Moab is laid waste; it is cut off; because in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste; it is cut off. This is probably the place called the City of Moab in Numbers 22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, in the border of Arnon, which is in the outermost border where the Hebrew is ‛īr mō'ābȟ. It is probably also intended by “the city that is in the middle of the valley” Deuteronomy 2:36 From Aroer, by the brink of the river of Arnon, and the city by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us. Jehovah our God delivered all to us Joshua 13:9 from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba, to Dibon; Joshua 13:16 And their coast was from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba. 2Samuel 24:5 And they passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the Valley of Gad, and to Jazer. It lay “on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border” Num_22:36.

and from half Gilead even unto the river Jabbok - so it is said to be, Deuteronomy 3:16 And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the river Arnon, half the valley, and the border even to the river Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon it should be rendered, not "from half Gilead," but "and half Gilead," as it is in the Hebrew text, and so in the Targum; for half Gilead belonged to the kingdom of Sihon, as the other half did to the kingdom of Og, as in Joshua 12:5 and reigned in mount Hermon and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

River Jabbok - This river has its source in the mountains of Gilead; and, running from east to west, falls into Jordan. It bounds the territories of Sihon on the north, and those of the Ammonites on the south.

Jos 12:3 and from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and to the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth, and from the south, under The Slopes of Pisgah.

And from the plain - Or rather, "and the plain," the plains of Moab, which, before possessed by the Israelites, belonged to the kingdom of Sihon; and the plains of Jordan.

to the sea of Cinneroth on the east - the same as the lake of Gennesaret, and sea of Tiberias, mentioned in the New Testament, Matthew 14:34 And when they had passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. This inland sea, or rather lake, which drives its several names, the Lake of Tiberias, Sea of Galilee, Lake of Gennesareth.

the way to Bethjeshimoth - which was a place in the plains of Moab, Numbers 33:49 And they pitched by Jordan, from The House of Deserts to The Meadow of Acacias in the plains of Moab.

and from the south under Ashdothpisgah - or the springs of Pisgah, which flowed from the mount of that name, Deuteronomy 3:17 the plain also, and Jordan, and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, under The Slopes of Pisgah eastward.

The Salt Sea on the east - which is here translated the Salt Sea, is understood by others to mean the sea of the city Melach. Some think that the lake Asphaltites, called also the Dead Sea, Sea of the Desert, Sea of Sodom, and Salt Sea, is here intended.

Slopes of Pisgah – one peak or all of the Abarim Mountains on the northeast shore of the Dead Sea. From here, Moses was given his view of the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah that is opposite Jericho. And Jehovah showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan.

Jos 12:4 And they struck the coast of Og king of Bashan, of the rest of the giants, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

And the coast of Og king of Bashan - another king of the Amorites, smitten by Israel in the times of Moses: Deuteronomy 3:11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the rest of the giants. Behold! His bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Is it not in Rabbath of the sons of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, according to the cubit of a man. Numbers 21:33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. Deuteronomy 3:10 All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, and Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan were taken. Deuteronomy 3:13-14 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh, all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites. And he called them after his own name, Bashan (Towns of Jair) to this day. Numbers 21:33-35 Num 21:33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. And Jehovah said to Moses, Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon. So they struck him and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him alive. And they possessed his land. and Deuteronomy 3:1-11for Israel’s victory over Og.

that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei - of which two places see Deuteronomy 1:4 after he had smitten Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth in Edrei, it seems as if Og had a palace in each of those cities, and sometimes was at one and sometimes at another, as is usual with kings. Genesis 14:5 And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and struck the giants in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

Jos 12:5 and reigned in mount Hermon and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

and in Salcah - which was a city belonging to the kingdom of Og, Deuteronomy 3:10 All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, and Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan were taken.

and in all Bashan - a country famous for pasturage, Micah 7:14 Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in the woods, in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old and for fat cattle, Ezekiel 39:18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the rulers of the earth, of rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan and for oaks, Isaiah 2:13 And it shall be on all the high and lifted up cedars of Lebanon, and on all the oaks of Bashan frequently mentioned in Scripture:

unto the border of the Geshurites, and the Maachathites - which were two nations the Israelites never expelled, Joshua 13:13 But the sons of Israel did not put out the Geshurites and the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day of which see Deuteronomy 3:14 Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites. And he called them after his own name, Bashan (Towns of Jair) to this day.

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.

and half Gilead - which belonged to Og, as the other half did to Sihon.

Jos 12:6 Moses the servant of Jehovah and the sons of Israel struck them. And Moses the servant of Jehovah gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

the children of Israel, smite - That is, the inhabitants of those kingdoms they smote with the edge of the sword, and took possession of them, the history of which see in Numbers 21:21 Numbers 32:1 Num_32:33.

Jos 12:7 And these are the kings of the land which Joshua and the sons of Israel struck on this side Jordan, on the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even to the mount Halak that goes up to Seir, which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;

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, 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, who were defeated at the Waters of Merom.

Jos 12:8 in the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

Which is a description of the whole land of Canaan; some parts of which were hills and mountains, others vales and fields; others were dry and barren, and others well watered; some part of it lay to the north, as towards Lebanon, and others to the south, towards Seir:

The Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; which were the nations that inhabited the land of Canaan before it was taken and possessed by the Israelites.

The wilderness - This word here and elsewhere in scripture notes not a land wholly desert and uninhabited, but one thin of inhabitants, as 1Ki_2:34, 1Ki_9:18; Mat_3:1, Mat_3:3. 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.

Jos 12:9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

The king of Jericho, one - Who was first taken, and so named first, Joshua 6:21;

the king of Ai - who was next taken and though Bethel was so near Ai, it had a king of its own, after mentioned, see Joshua 7:1.

Jos 12:10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

The king of Jerusalem, one - Whose name was Adonizedek, and was one of the five kings taken and hanged, Joshua 10:1;

the king of Hebron, one - another of the five kings, whose name was Hoham, Joshua 10:3.

Jos 12:11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

The king of Jarmuth, one - Whose name was Piram, a third of the five kings before observed, Joshua 10:3;

the king of Lachish, one - another of them, whose name was Japhia, Joshua 10:3.

Jos 12:12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

The king of Eglon, one - The last of the five kings, and his name was Debir, Joshua 10:3;

the king of Gezer, one - who came up to help Lachish, and his name was Horam, Joshua 10:33.

Jos 12:13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

The king of Debir, one - The same with Kirjathsepher, of which place.

the king of Geder, one – Possibly the same with Gedor, Jos_15:58; it was situated in the tribe of Judah or the same with Gederah, Joshua 15:36.

Jos 12:14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

The king of Hormah, one - Which was formerly called Zephath, Judges 1:17; Joshua 15:3; Supposed to be the place where the Israelites were defeated by the Canaanites see Num_14:45; and which probably was called Hormah, chormah, or destruction, from this circumstance.

Jos 12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

The king of Libnah, one - Taken at the same time as the kings of Makkedah, Debir, and of other places were, Joshua 10:29;

the king of Adullam, one - a city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:35;

Jos 12:16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;

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, Joshua 10:16; which fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah, Joshua 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, Joshua 7:2; and fell to the lot of Benjamin, Joshua 18:22. Judges 1:22-26 records the conquest of Bethel.

Jos 12:17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;

Here starts the list of the cities in central and northern Palestine.

The king of Tappuah, one - a city of this name fell to the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:34; where also was another place called Bethtappuah, Joshua 15:53; and both different from another Tappuah on the border of Manasseh, which belonged to the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 17:8; which of the two is meant here cannot be ascertained.

the king of Hepher, one - mention is made of Gittahhepher as on the border of Zebulun, Joshua 19:13; the same with Gathhepher, of which place was the Prophet Jonah, 2 Kings 14:25; and of the land of Hepher in 1 Kings 4:10; The same, according to Calmet, as Ophrah in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos_18:23.

Jos 12:18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;

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.

The king of Aphek, one - There was a place called Aphekah in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:53; and an Aphek that was on the border of the Amorites, Joshua 13:4; and another in the tribe of Asher, Joshua 19:30; but Adrichomius places this Aphek in the tribe of Issachar, whose king Joshua smote, and takes it to be the same place where the Philistines in the times of Samuel and David brought their armies against Israel, 1 Samuel 4:1; and where the king of Syria fought against Israel, 1 Kings 20:26; and says that its ruins were now shown in the great plain not far from Gilboa to the east of Mount Carmel, and five miles from Tabor:

the king of Lasharon, one - which, may be the same with Saron, which, in Acts 9:35, in some copies is called Assaron; so Adrichomius {o}, who places it in the tribe of Ephraim, and takes it to be the same Sharon Isaiah speaks of, Isaiah 33:9; and of which Jerom says {p}, to this day there is a country between Tabor and the lake of Tiberias called Saronas, and also that from Caesarea of Palestine to the town of Joppa, all the land that is seen bears that name.

Lasharon - There is no city of this name known. Some consider the lamed in the word 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. This was rather a district than a city, and is celebrated in the Scriptures for its fertility; Isa_33:9; Isa_35:2. Some suppose it was the same with Saron, near Lydda, mentioned Act_9:35.

Jos 12:19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;

The king of Madon, one - Whose name was Jobab, Joshua 11:1;

the king of Hazor, one - whose name was Jabin, and of him and his city,

Jos 12:20 the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;

The king of Shimronmeron, one - See Joshua 11:1: this place fell to the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:15;

the king of Achshaph, one - see Joshua 11:1; this city fell to the lot of Asher, Joshua 19:25.

Jos 12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;

The king of Taanach, one - A city in the half tribe of Manasseh, to the west of Jordan, not far from the frontiers of Zebulun, Jos_17:11. A Levitical town Jos_21:25 in the territory of Issachar, but assigned to the Manassites (Jos_17:11; Compare 1Ch_7:29), is identified with “Taanuk”. - It was here that Barak encountered the host of Sisera Jdg_5:19.

the king of Megiddo, one - which was also allotted to the Manassites in the territory of Issachar, though without the Canaanites having been entirely expelled (Jos_17:11; Jdg_1:27); near this place were some waters where the Canaanites fought with the Israelites, Judges 5:19; and a valley where Josiah was slain, 2 Chronicles 35:22. was fortified by Solomon (1Ki_9:15), and is also well known as the place were Ahaziah died (2Ki_9:27), and where Josiah was beaten and slain by Pharaoh Necho (2Ki_23:29-30; 2Ch_35:20.).

Jos 12:22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

The king of Kedesh, one - Which afterwards fell to the tribe of Naphtali, and was one of the cities of refuge, Joshua 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: and the home of Barak Jdg_9:6 (Jdg_4:6), was conquered and depopulated by Tiglath-Pileser (2Ki_15:29).

the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one - a city that came to the lot of the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:11; and was given to the Levites, Joshua 21:34; it was not far from Mount Carmel, from whence it is described.

Jos 12:23 the king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;

The king of Dor, in the coast of Dor, one - Of which see Joshua 11:2; it fell to the lot of Manasseh, but never was possessed by them, as were not Taanach and Megiddo, before mentioned, Joshua 17:11 Judges 1:27;

the king of the nations of Gilgal, one - not the place where Joshua encamped after he had passed Jordan, for that was then no city; the Septuagint version renders it the land of Galilee;

Jos 12:24 the king of Tirzah, one. All the kings were thirty-one.

The king of Tirzah, one - To what tribe this place fell is nowhere said: 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. it is supposed to have been situated on a mountain about three leagues south of Samaria.

Tirzah - This place, the capital of Jeroboam and his successors until the days of Omri (1 Kings 14:17; 15:21, 33; 16:6-24), is identified by some with “Tulluzah”, a town 3 miles northeast of Nablous, (by others with Teiasir).

all the kings thirty and one - it may seem strange that, in so small a country as Canaan was, there should be so many kings in it, since the length of it from Dan to Beersheba was scarce an hundred sixty miles, but it may be observed, that in ancient times, in other countries, there were a great many kings, the cities of Phoenicia or Canaan, each of them had separate kings, as Joshua here describes them.

All the kings thirty and one - The Septuagint say twenty-nine, and yet set down but twenty-eight, as they confound or omit the kings of Beth-el, Lasharon, and Madon.